We spend a good majority of our time indoors. In reality, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has estimated being indoors accounts for 90% of our schedule. However, the EPA also has determined your indoor air can be three to five times dirtier than outside your home.
That’s due to the fact our homes are firmly sealed to enhance energy efficiency. While this is good for your energy bills, it’s not so great if you’re among the 40% of the population with respiratory allergies.
When outdoor ventilation is insufficient, pollutants such as dust and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) can get stuck. Consequently, these pollutants may worsen your allergies.
You can improve your indoor air quality with fresh air and usual housework and vacuuming. But if you’re still struggling with symptoms when you’re at your house, an air purifier could be able to provide relief.
While it can’t eliminate pollutants that have settled on your couch or flooring, it may help purify the air moving across your residence.
And air purification has also been scientifically confirmed to help lessen some allergic symptoms, according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. It might also be useful if you or a family member has a lung condition, including emphysema or COPD.
There are two models, a portable air purifier or a whole-home air purifier. We’ll discuss the differences so you can figure out 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 works alongside your heating and cooling equipment to purify your entire house. Some kinds can clean on their own when your HVAC unit isn’t on.
What’s the Best Air Purifier for Allergies?
Go after 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 catch 99.97% of particles in the air.
HEPA filters are even more beneficial when combined with an ultraviolet (UV) germicidal light. This powerful combination can destroy dust, dander, pollen and mold, all of which are common allergens. For the best in air purification, think over a system that also has a carbon-based filter to reduce household vapors.
Avoid buying an air purifier that creates ozone, which is the top component in smog. The EPA advises ozone may aggravate respiratory troubles, even when discharged at low amounts.
The Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America has created a listing of questions to think over when buying an air purifier.
- What can this purifier remove from the air? What doesn’t it remove?
- What’s its clean air delivery rate? (A better amount means air will be cleaned more rapidly.)
- How frequently does the filter or UV bulb need to be changed]? Can I complete that by myself?
- How much do spare filters or bulbs cost?
How to Decrease Seasonal Allergy Symptoms
Want to have the {top|most excellent|best] results from your new air purification unit? The Mayo Clinic suggests completing other procedures to reduce your exposure to seasonal allergy triggers.
- Stay in your home and keep windows and doors shut when pollen counts are elevated.
- Have other household members cut the lawn or pull weeds, since this work can aggravate symptoms. If you must do these chores on your own, you may want to consider using a pollen mask. You should also bathe without delay and put on new clothes once you’re done.
- Avoid stringing up laundry outdoors.
- Run your air conditioner while indoors or while you’re on the road. Consider using a high efficiency air filter in your house’s heating and cooling system.
- Balance your home’s humidity saturation with a whole-house dehumidifier.
- Hardwood, tile or linoleum are the best flooring types for lowering indoor allergens. If your residence has carpet, use a HEPA filter on your vacuum cleaner.
Let Our Specialists Take Care of Your Indoor Air Quality Requirements
Prepared to move forward with adding a whole-house air purifier? Give our specialists a call at 256-801-4701 or contact us online to get an appointment. We’ll help you choose the best unit for your family and budget.