We spend a lot of time indoors. In reality, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approximated being within a building makes up 90% of our schedule. Having said that, the EPA also has determined your indoor air can be three to five times worse than outdoors.
That’s since our houses are tightly sealed to enhance energy efficiency. While this is great for your energy costs, it’s not so good if you’re among the 40% of the population with respiratory allergies.
When outdoors ventilation is limited, pollutants including dust and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) may get captured. As a consequence, these pollutants can aggravate your allergies.
You can improve your indoor air quality with fresh air and regular cleaning and vacuuming. But if you’re still having issues with symptoms while you’re at home, an air purifier may be able to provide relief.
While it can’t get rid of pollutants that have landed on your couch or carpeting, it might help purify the air circulating around your residence.
And air purification has also been scientifically proven to help reduce some allergic symptoms, according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. It can also be useful if you or a loved one has a lung condition, like emphysema or COPD.
There are two models, a portable air purifier or a whole-home air purifier. We’ll discuss the distinctions so you can determine what’s correct for your house.
Whole-House Air Purifier vs. Portable Air Purifiers
A portable air purifier is for a lone room. A whole-house air purifier works with your HVAC system to purify your full home. Some kinds can work independently when your heating and cooling equipment isn’t operating.
What’s the Best Air Purifier for Allergies?
Look for a purifier with a High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter. HEPA filters are installed in hospitals and deliver the best filtration you can buy, as they catch 99.97% of particles in the air.
HEPA filters are even more effective when used with an ultraviolet (UV) germicidal light. This powerful blend can destroy dust, dander, pollen and mold, all of which are common allergens. For the best in air purification, consider a system that also has a carbon-based filter to reduce household vapors.
Avoid getting an air purifier that generates ozone, which is the main element in smog. The EPA cautions ozone might aggravate respiratory problems, even when released at low concentrations.
The Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America has made a checklist of questions to think over when purchasing 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 freshened faster.)
- How often does the filter or UV bulb need to be changed? Can I finish that on my own?
- How much do replacement filters or bulbs cost?
How to Decrease Seasonal Allergy Symptoms
Want to get the top results from your new air purification system? The Mayo Clinic advises completing other steps to limit your exposure to problems that can cause seasonal allergies.
- Stay inside and keep windows and doors sealed when pollen counts are heightened.
- Have other family members mow the lawn or pull weeds, since these tasks can trigger symptoms. If you are required to do this work on your own, you might want to consider trying a pollen mask. You should also bathe right away and put on clean clothes once you’re done.
- Avoid stringing up laundry outside.
- Turn on air conditioning while at home or while driving. Consider adding a high-efficiency air filter in your home’s home comfort system.
- Equalize your house’s humidity percentage with a whole-house dehumidifier.
- Hardwood, tile or linoleum are the ideal flooring kinds for decreasing indoor allergens. If your house has carpet, install a HEPA filter on your vacuum cleaner.
Let Our Pros Take Care of Your Indoor Air Quality Necessities
Want to move forward with adding a whole-house air purifier? Give our experts a call at 270-358-3167 or contact us online to schedule an appointment. We’ll help you locate the ideal equipment for your residence and budget.