We spend lots of time in our homes. In reality, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has determined being indoors comprises 90% of our time. Having said that, the EPA also says your indoor air can be three to five times dirtier than outside your home.
That’s due to the fact our houses are tightly sealed to enhance energy efficiency. While this is fantastic for your utility bills, it’s not so great if you’re among the 40% of the population with respiratory allergies.
When outdoors ventilation is insufficient, pollutants such as dust and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) could get captured. Consequently, these pollutants can aggravate your allergies.
You can boost your indoor air quality with clean air and regular dusting and vacuuming. But if you’re still having issues with symptoms during the time you’re at your house, an air purifier could be able to provide relief.
While it can’t remove pollutants that have gotten trapped in your furniture or carpeting, it can help freshen the air circulating across your residence.
And air purification has also been scientifically verified to help lower some allergic symptoms, according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. It may also be helpful if you or a family member has lung issues, such as emphysema or COPD.
There are two options, a portable air purifier or a whole-home air purifier. We’ll discuss the advantages so you can learn what’s appropriate for your home.
Whole-House Air Purifier vs. Portable Air Purifiers
A portable air purifier is for a single room. A whole-house air purifier accompanies your HVAC system to clean your full home. Some types can purify independent when your heating and cooling unit isn’t running.
What’s the Best Air Purifier for Allergies?
Seek a model with a High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter. HEPA filters are placed in hospitals and deliver the best filtration you can get, as they trap 99.97% of particles in the air.
HEPA filters are even more powerful when installed with an ultraviolet (UV) germicidal light. This powerful mixture can destroy dust, dander, pollen and mold, all of which are common allergens. For the ultimate in air purification, evaluate a system that also has a carbon-based filter to decrease household odors.
Avoid getting an air purifier that generates ozone, which is the primary ingredient in smog. The EPA advises ozone might aggravate respiratory problems, even when released at minor concentrations.
The Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America has created a listing of questions to ask when getting an air purifier.
- What can this purifier extract from the air? What doesn’t it remove?
- What’s its clean air delivery rate? (A better figure means air will be purified more quickly.)
- How frequently does the filter or UV bulb need to be switched]? Can I finish that without help?
- How much do spare filters or bulbs cost?
How to Lessen Seasonal Allergy Symptoms
Want to receive the {top|most excellent|best] outcome from your new air purification equipment? The Mayo Clinic suggests completing other procedures to reduce your exposure to problems that can cause seasonal allergies.
- Stay indoors and keep windows and doors shut when pollen counts are elevated.
- Have someone else mow the lawn or pull weeds, since this work can trigger symptoms. If you must do this work on your own, you may want to consider trying a pollen mask. You should also shower right away and change your clothes once you’re finished.
- Avoid drying laundry outside your home.
- Run your air conditioner while at home or while in the car. Consider adding a high efficiency air filter in your residence’s HVAC unit.
- Even out your residence’s humidity levels with a whole-house dehumidifier.
- Hardwood, tile or linoleum are the ideal flooring materials for lowering indoor allergens. If your residence has carpet, install a HEPA filter on your vacuum cleaner.
Let Our Specialists Handle Your Indoor Air Quality Requirements
Prepared to move forward with getting a whole-house air purifier? Give our professionals a call at 641-628-3621 or contact us online to request an appointment. We’ll help you locate the best equipment for your house and budget.
