We spend a lot of time indoors. As a matter of fact, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has estimated being within a building comprises 90% of our schedule. Although, the EPA also has determined your indoor air can be three to five times more polluted than outside your home.
That’s because our houses are securely sealed to enhance energy efficiency. While this is fantastic for your heating and cooling bills, it’s not so good if you’re amid the 40% of the population with respiratory allergies.
When outside ventilation is restricted, pollutants like dust and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) might get captured. As a result, these pollutants could worsen your allergies.
You can improve your indoor air quality with fresh air and regular housework and vacuuming. But if you’re still having issues with symptoms during the time you’re at home, an air purifier might be able to provide assistance.
While it can’t remove pollutants that have gotten trapped in your furnishings or carpeting, it can help purify the air moving across your home.
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 can also be useful if you or a loved one has lung issues, such as 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 learn what’s right 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 home comfort unit to clean your complete residence. Some models can clean by themselves when your heating and cooling equipment isn’t on.
What’s the Best Air Purifier for Allergies?
Seek a purifier with a High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter. HEPA filters are installed in hospitals and deliver the most comprehensive filtration you can buy, as they remove 99.97% of particles in the air.
HEPA filters are even more powerful when combined with an ultraviolet (UV) germicidal light. This mighty mixture can eliminate 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 take care of household vapors.
Avoid using an air purifier that makes ozone, which is the top element in smog. The EPA cautions ozone may irritate respiratory problems, even when emitted at low concentrations.
The Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America has created a list of questions to consider when getting an air purifier.
- What can this purifier take out from the air? What doesn’t it remove?
- What’s its clean air delivery rate? (A better amount means air will be purified faster.)
- How regularly 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 Lessen Seasonal Allergy Symptoms
Want to have the best results from your new air purification system? The Mayo Clinic suggests taking other steps to decrease your exposure to things that can trigger seasonal allergies.
- Stay in your home and keep windows and doors sealed when pollen counts are high.
- Have someone else trim the lawn or pull weeds, since these tasks can worsen symptoms. If you have to do these jobs on your own, you may want to consider using a pollen mask. You should also rinse off immediately and put on new clothes once you’re finished.
- Avoid stringing up laundry outdoors.
- Turn on air conditioning while at your house or while in the car. Consider using a high-efficiency air filter in your house’s heating and cooling unit.
- Even out your residence’s humidity saturation with a whole-house dehumidifier.
- Hardwood, tile or linoleum are the best flooring materials for reducing indoor allergens. If your house has carpet, install a HEPA filter on your vacuum cleaner.
Let Our Professionals Manage Your Indoor Air Quality Requirements
Prepared to move forward with adding a whole-house air purifier? Give our professionals a call at 636-206-4250 or contact us online to get an appointment. We’ll help you locate the ideal equipment for your residence and budget.