We spend lots of time in our homes. In reality, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approximated being inside comprises 90% of our days. Having said that, the EPA also has determined your indoor air can be three to five times more polluted than outside.
That’s since our homes are tightly sealed to boost energy efficiency. While this is good for your energy costs, it’s not so fantastic if you’re a part of the 40% of the population with respiratory allergies.
When outside ventilation is insufficient, pollutants like dust and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) might get captured. Consequently, these pollutants can aggravate your allergies.
You can boost your indoor air quality with clean air and regular dusting and vacuuming. But if you’re still having problems with symptoms when you’re at home, an air purifier could be able to provide assistance.
While it can’t get rid of pollutants that have settled on your furnishings or flooring, it could help freshen the air moving around 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 can also be appropriate if you or someone in your household has lung trouble, such as emphysema or COPD.
There are two options, a portable air purifier or a whole-home air purifier. We’ll go over the distinctions so you can determine what’s appropriate for your home.
Whole-House Air Purifier vs. Portable Air Purifiers
A portable air purifier is for one room. A whole-house air purifier works with your HVAC unit to clean your full house. Some types can purify by themselves when your heating and cooling system isn’t on.
What’s the Best Air Purifier for Allergies?
Look for a purifier with a High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter. HEPA filters are used in hospitals and offer the best filtration you can buy, as they remove 99.97% of particles in the air.
HEPA filters are even more effective when combined with an ultraviolet (UV) germicidal light. This mighty combination can wipe out dust, dander, pollen and mold, all of which are common allergens. For the ultimate in air purification, consider equipment that also has a carbon-based filter to reduce household smells.
Avoid purchasing an air purifier that makes ozone, which is the main ingredient in smog. The EPA advises ozone can aggravate respiratory problems, even when released at minor concentrations.
The Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America has compiled a listing of questions to think over when getting an air purifier.
- What can this purifier extract from the air? What doesn’t it extract?
- What’s its clean air delivery rate? (A bigger amount means air will be freshened more rapidly.)
- How regularly does the filter or UV bulb need to be changed? Can I do that by myself?
- How much do spare filters or bulbs cost?
How to Reduce Seasonal Allergy Symptoms
Want to receive the most excellent results from your new air purification unit? The Mayo Clinic recommends doing other steps to limit your exposure to seasonal allergy triggers.
- Stay inside and keep windows and doors closed when pollen counts are elevated.
- Have other family members trim the lawn or pull weeds, since these jobs can irritate symptoms. If you are required to do these chores yourself, consider using a pollen mask. You should also rinse off without delay and put on new clothes once you’re completed.
- Avoid drying laundry outdoors.
- Turn on your air conditioner while indoors or while you’re on the road. Consider using a high-efficiency air filter in your home’s home comfort unit.
- Even out your residence’s humidity levels with a whole-house dehumidifier.
- Hardwood, tile or linoleum are the ideal flooring kinds for lowering indoor allergens. If your house has carpet, install a HEPA filter on your vacuum cleaner.
Let Our Specialists Take Care of Your Indoor Air Quality Needs
Prepared to take the next step with getting a whole-house air purifier? Give our pros a call at 520-357-4912 or contact us online to request an appointment. We’ll help you find the ideal unit for your home and budget.