We spend a lot of time in our homes. In fact, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has determined being indoors accounts for 90% of our schedule. Although, the EPA also has found your indoor air can be three to five times more polluted than outside your home.
That’s since our homes are firmly sealed to increase energy efficiency. While this is good for your utility expenses, it’s not so great if you’re amid the 40% of the population with respiratory allergies.
When outdoor ventilation is insufficient, pollutants like dust and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) could get stuck. As a consequence, these pollutants could irritate your allergies.
You can enhance your indoor air quality with fresh air and usual cleaning and vacuuming. But if you’re still having issues with symptoms during the time you’re at your residence, an air purifier could be able to provide assistance.
While it can’t remove pollutants that have landed on your furniture or flooring, it might help clean the air traveling throughout your house.
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 could also be helpful if you or a loved one has lung issues, 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 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 equipment to purify your complete residence. Some models can purify on their own when your heating and cooling system isn’t on.
What’s the Best Air Purifier for Allergies?
Look for a model with a High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter. HEPA filters are installed in hospitals and provide the greatest filtration you can get, as they catch 99.97% of particles in the air.
HEPA filters are even more useful when used with an ultraviolet (UV) germicidal light. This powerful combination can eliminate dust, dander, pollen and mold, all of which are common allergens. For the ultimate in air purification, think over equipment that also has a carbon-based filter to reduce household odors.
Avoid using an air purifier that generates ozone, which is the top ingredient in smog. The EPA advises ozone could irritate respiratory troubles, even when discharged at small concentrations.
The Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America has made a list of questions to think over when buying an air purifier.
- What can this purifier extract from the air? What doesn’t it remove?
- What’s its clean air delivery rate? (A better amount means air will be freshened more quickly.)
- How frequently does the filter or UV bulb need to be replaced]? Can I finish that on my own?
- How much do replacement filters or bulbs cost?
How to Decrease Seasonal Allergy Symptoms
Want to have the {top|most excellent|best] outcome from your new air purification unit? The Mayo Clinic suggests taking other steps to decrease your exposure to seasonal allergy triggers.
- Stay indoors and keep windows and doors closed when pollen counts are elevated.
- Have someone else cut the lawn or pull weeds, since these tasks can aggravate symptoms. If you must do this work alone, consider trying a pollen mask. You should also rinse off immediately and change your clothes once you’re finished.
- Avoid hanging laundry outside.
- Run your air conditioner while at your house or while you’re on the road. Consider adding a high efficiency air filter in your house’s home comfort equipment.
- Even out your house’s humidity saturation with a whole-house dehumidifier.
- Hardwood, tile or linoleum are the ideal flooring materials for lowering indoor allergens. If your home has carpet, use a HEPA filter on your vacuum cleaner.
Let Our Specialists Manage Your Indoor Air Quality Requirements
Prepared to move forward with getting a whole-house air purifier? Give our experts a call at 319-208-2351 or contact us online to get an appointment. We’ll help you choose the best system for your family and budget.