We spend a lot of time inside. In fact, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has estimated being within a building accounts for 90% of our time. Having said that, the EPA also has determined your indoor air can be three to five times worse than outdoors.
That’s because our homes are securely sealed to enhance energy efficiency. While this is great for your utility bills, it’s not so great if you’re among the 40% of the population with respiratory allergies.
When outside ventilation is restricted, pollutants such as dust and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) could get captured. As a consequence, these pollutants could aggravate your allergies.
You can improve your indoor air quality with crisp air and regular housework and vacuuming. But if you’re still struggling with symptoms while you’re at your residence, an air purifier might be able to help.
While it can’t get rid of pollutants that have landed on your couch or flooring, it might help freshen the air moving around your home.
And air purification has also been scientifically verified to help reduce some allergic symptoms, according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. It might also be useful if you or someone in your household has lung trouble, such as 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 learn what’s appropriate for your residence.
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 heating and cooling equipment to purify your full home. Some types can purify independent when your home comfort unit isn’t operating.
What’s the Best Air Purifier for Allergies?
Seek an option with a High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter. HEPA filters are used in hospitals and provide the most comprehensive filtration you can get, as they catch 99.97% of particles in the air.
HEPA filters are even more beneficial when used with an ultraviolet (UV) germicidal light. This mighty blend can eliminate dust, dander, pollen and mold, all of which are general allergens. For the best in air purification, evaluate equipment that also has a carbon-based filter to reduce household vapors.
Avoid using an air purifier that creates ozone, which is the primary ingredient in smog. The EPA warns ozone could irritate respiratory problems, even when emitted at low amounts.
The Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America has compiled a checklist of questions to ask when purchasing 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 higher number means air will be freshened faster.)
- How frequently does the filter or UV bulb need to be changed]? Can I do 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] results from your new air purification system? The Mayo Clinic advises doing other measures to reduce your exposure to seasonal allergy triggers.
- Stay inside and keep windows and doors sealed when pollen counts are high.
- Have someone else mow the lawn or pull weeds, since these jobs can irritate symptoms. If you are required to do these jobs on your own, you may want to consider trying a pollen mask. You should also bathe immediately and put on clean clothes once you’re finished.
- Avoid stringing up laundry outside your home.
- Use the AC while at your house or while you’re on the road. Consider using a high efficiency air filter in your residence’s home comfort system.
- Equalize your house’s humidity levels with a whole-house dehumidifier.
- Hardwood, tile or linoleum are the suggested flooring kinds for lowering indoor allergens. If your house has carpet, use a HEPA filter on your vacuum cleaner.
Let Our Professionals Take Care of Your Indoor Air Quality Needs
Ready to move forward with installing a whole-house air purifier? Give our professionals a call at 732-806-5536 or contact us online to schedule an appointment. We’ll help you locate the right equipment for your residence and budget.