We spend a lot of time indoors. As a matter of fact, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approximated being within a building makes up 90% of our schedule. However, the EPA also has determined your indoor air can be three to five times more polluted than outside your home.
That’s since our houses are tightly sealed to enhance energy efficiency. While this is fantastic for your utility bills, it’s not so great if you’re amid the 40% of the population with respiratory allergies.
When outside ventilation is restricted, pollutants such as dust and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) can get trapped. As a consequence, these pollutants can aggravate your allergies.
You can improve your indoor air quality with fresh air and usual cleaning and vacuuming. But if you’re still having problems with symptoms while you’re at your house, an air purifier might be able to provide relief.
While it can’t remove pollutants that have gotten trapped in your furniture or flooring, it might help purify the air circulating throughout your house.
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 appropriate 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 differences so you can figure out what’s correct 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 accompanies your HVAC equipment to treat your full home. Some types can work by themselves when your heating and cooling system isn’t running.
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 deliver the most comprehensive filtration you can get, as they eliminate 99.97% of particles in the air.
HEPA filters are even more beneficial when used 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 greatest in air purification, consider a unit that also has a carbon-based filter to eliminate household smells.
Avoid getting an air purifier that makes ozone, which is the top component in smog. The EPA advises ozone might irritate respiratory troubles, even when discharged at minor amounts.
The Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America has made a listing of questions to think over when buying an air purifier.
- What can this purifier extract from the air? What doesn’t it take out?
- What’s its clean air delivery rate? (A better amount means air will be purified faster.)
- How often does the filter or UV bulb need to be changed]? Can I do that on my own?
- How much do replacement filters or bulbs cost?
How to Reduce Seasonal Allergy Symptoms
Want to receive the {top|most excellent|best] results from your new air purification unit? The Mayo Clinic suggests taking other measures to limit your exposure to things that can trigger seasonal allergies.
- Stay inside and keep windows and doors sealed when pollen counts are heightened.
- Have someone else cut the lawn or pull weeds, since this work can worsen symptoms. If you are required to do these jobs on your own, you may want to consider wearing a pollen mask. You should also rinse off right away and change your clothes once you’re finished.
- Avoid drying laundry outdoors.
- Run your air conditioner while indoors or while in the car. Consider adding a high efficiency air filter in your house’s HVAC system.
- Equalize your home’s humidity percentage with a whole-house dehumidifier.
- Hardwood, tile or linoleum are the suggested flooring materials for lowering indoor allergens. If your residence has carpet, add a HEPA filter on your vacuum cleaner.
Let Our Pros Handle Your Indoor Air Quality Requirements
Want to take the next step with getting a whole-house air purifier? Give our experts a call at 956-630-3522 or contact us online to get an appointment. We’ll help you choose the ideal unit for your residence and budget.