We spend a good majority of our time in our homes. As a matter of fact, 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 since our homes are firmly sealed to boost energy efficiency. While this is good 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 including dust and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) may get trapped. As a result, these pollutants can irritate your allergies.
You can enhance your indoor air quality with crisp air and routine dusting and vacuuming. But if you’re still struggling with symptoms while you’re at your house, an air purifier might be able to help.
While it can’t eliminate pollutants that have landed on your couch or flooring, it may help clean the air moving throughout your residence.
And air purification has also been scientifically confirmed to help reduce some allergic symptoms, according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. It might also be helpful if you or a loved one has lung issues, like emphysema or COPD.
There are two kinds, a portable air purifier or a whole-home air purifier. We’ll examine the advantages so you can determine what’s right 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 with your home comfort system to clean your complete house. Some kinds can work on their own when your home comfort equipment 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 used in hospitals and deliver the best filtration you can find, as they eliminate 99.97% of particles in the air.
HEPA filters are even more beneficial when combined with an ultraviolet (UV) germicidal light. This mighty combination can destroy dust, dander, pollen and mold, all of which are common allergens. For the best in air purification, evaluate a system that also has a carbon-based filter to eliminate household vapors.
Avoid using an air purifier that generates ozone, which is the top ingredient in smog. The EPA warns ozone may aggravate respiratory troubles, even when released at minor amounts.
The Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America has compiled a listing of questions to consider when getting an air purifier.
- What can this purifier extract from the air? What doesn’t it take out?
- What’s its clean air delivery rate? (A better number means air will be cleaned more rapidly.)
- How frequently does the filter or UV bulb need to be changed? Can I do that on my own?
- How much do new filters or bulbs cost?
How to Reduce Seasonal Allergy Symptoms
Want to receive the best outcome from your new air purification system? The Mayo Clinic suggests completing other steps to decrease your exposure to problems that can cause seasonal allergies.
- Stay indoors and keep windows and doors sealed when pollen counts are high.
- Have other family members trim the lawn or pull weeds, since these tasks can aggravate symptoms. If you have to do these chores yourself, you might want to consider wearing a pollen mask. You should also rinse off right away and put on new clothes once you’re completed.
- Avoid hanging laundry outdoors.
- Run the AC while at your house or while you’re on the road. Consider adding a high-efficiency air filter in your house’s HVAC unit.
- Balance your residence’s humidity percentage with a whole-house dehumidifier.
- Hardwood, tile or linoleum are the ideal flooring materials for lowering indoor allergens. If your home has carpet, install a HEPA filter on your vacuum cleaner.
Let Our Professionals Take Care of Your Indoor Air Quality Necessities
Ready to progress with getting a whole-house air purifier? Give our experts a call at 715-352-4052 or contact us online to get an appointment. We’ll help you locate the best unit for your residence and budget.