We spend a good majority of our time inside. In reality, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has estimated being inside makes up 90% of our time. However, the EPA also has found your indoor air can be three to five times more polluted than outside your home.
That’s due to the fact our residences are securely sealed to increase energy efficiency. While this is good for your heating and cooling bills, it’s not so great if you’re among the 40% of the population with respiratory allergies.
When outside ventilation is restricted, pollutants including dust and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) might get stuck. As a consequence, these pollutants could aggravate your allergies.
You can boost your indoor air quality with clean air and usual housework and vacuuming. But if you’re still struggling with symptoms during the time you’re at your residence, an air purifier might be able to provide assistance.
While it can’t eliminate pollutants that have landed on your furniture or flooring, it can help purify the air moving around your residence.
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 could also be useful if you or a family member has a lung condition, including emphysema or COPD.
There are two kinds, a portable air purifier or a whole-home air purifier. We’ll discuss the advantages so you can learn what’s correct for your residence.
Whole-House Air Purifier vs. Portable Air Purifiers
A portable air purifier is for one room. A whole-house air purifier works alongside your HVAC system to treat your complete house. Some kinds can clean independent when your home comfort system isn’t on.
What’s the Best Air Purifier for Allergies?
Seek a model with a High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter. HEPA filters are placed 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 installed with an ultraviolet (UV) germicidal light. This powerful combination can wipe out dust, dander, pollen and mold, all of which are general allergens. For the greatest in air purification, consider a unit that also has a carbon-based filter to decrease household odors.
Avoid using an air purifier that creates ozone, which is the top component in smog. The EPA cautions ozone might worsen respiratory troubles, even when emitted at minor amounts.
The Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America has created a listing of questions to think over when getting an air purifier.
- What can this purifier remove from the air? What doesn’t it remove?
- What’s its clean air delivery rate? (A better figure means air will be cleaned more rapidly.)
- How frequently does the filter or UV bulb need to be switched]? Can I complete that on my own?
- How much do spare filters or bulbs cost?
How to Lessen Seasonal Allergy Symptoms
Want to get the {top|most excellent|best] performance from your new air purification system? The Mayo Clinic suggests taking other steps to reduce your exposure to things that can trigger seasonal allergies.
- Stay indoors and keep windows and doors closed when pollen counts are elevated.
- Have other family members mow the lawn or pull weeds, since these jobs can worsen symptoms. If you are required to do these chores yourself, you may want to consider trying a pollen mask. You should also rinse off without delay and change your clothes once you’re completed.
- Avoid stringing up laundry outdoors.
- Use your air conditioner while at home or while in the car. Consider installing a high efficiency air filter in your house’s home comfort unit.
- Even out your house’s humidity levels with a whole-house dehumidifier.
- Hardwood, tile or linoleum are the suggested flooring types for decreasing indoor allergens. If your residence has carpet, add a HEPA filter on your vacuum cleaner.
Let Our Professionals Handle Your Indoor Air Quality Needs
Ready to move forward with installing a whole-house air purifier? Give our professionals a call at (818) 727-9993 or contact us online to schedule an appointment. We’ll help you locate the best unit for your house and budget.
