We spend a lot of time indoors. As a matter of fact, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approximated being inside comprises 90% of our time. 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 fantastic for your heating and cooling costs, it’s not so good if you’re amid the 40% of the population with respiratory allergies.
When outdoor ventilation is insufficient, pollutants including dust and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) could get trapped. Consequently, these pollutants might irritate your allergies.
You can improve your indoor air quality with crisp air and usual cleaning and vacuuming. But if you’re still struggling with symptoms when you’re at your house, an air purifier could be able to provide relief.
While it can’t remove pollutants that have settled on your couch or carpet, it might help clean the air circulating throughout your home.
And air purification has also been scientifically confirmed to help lower some allergic symptoms, according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. It can also be helpful if you or a loved one has lung trouble, such as emphysema or COPD.
There are two options, a portable air purifier or a whole-home air purifier. We’ll examine the advantages so you can figure out what’s appropriate 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 accompanies your home comfort unit to purify your entire home. Some types can clean independently when your heating and cooling unit 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 used in hospitals and provide the most comprehensive filtration you can buy, as they catch 99.97% of particles in the air.
HEPA filters are even more effective when installed with an ultraviolet (UV) germicidal light. This mighty blend can wipe out dust, dander, pollen and mold, all of which are common allergens. For the best in air purification, consider equipment that also has a carbon-based filter to eliminate household odors.
Avoid buying an air purifier that makes ozone, which is the main element in smog. The EPA cautions ozone might irritate respiratory symptoms, even when emitted at minor concentrations.
The Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America has created a listing of questions to ask when buying an air purifier.
- What can this purifier take out from the air? What doesn’t it extract?
- What’s its clean air delivery rate? (A better amount means air will be purified more quickly.)
- How often does the filter or UV bulb need to be switched? Can I complete that on my own?
- How much do new filters or bulbs cost?
How to Decrease Seasonal Allergy Symptoms
Want to have the top outcome from your new air purification equipment? The Mayo Clinic recommends doing other measures to reduce your exposure to seasonal allergy triggers.
- Stay in your home and keep windows and doors shut when pollen counts are elevated.
- Have someone else mow the lawn or pull weeds, since this work can trigger symptoms. If you are required to do these jobs on your own, consider wearing a pollen mask. You should also shower immediately and put on new clothes once you’re finished.
- Avoid drying laundry outside your home.
- Use air conditioning while indoors or while in the car. Consider installing a high-efficiency air filter in your house’s heating and cooling system.
- Equalize your residence’s humidity levels with a whole-house dehumidifier.
- Hardwood, tile or linoleum are the ideal flooring kinds for decreasing indoor allergens. If your home has carpet, use a HEPA filter on your vacuum cleaner.
Let Our Professionals Handle Your Indoor Air Quality Needs
Ready to progress with installing a whole-house air purifier? Give our experts a call at 641-316-3360 or contact us online to schedule an appointment. We’ll help you locate the best equipment for your needs and budget.