We spend a lot of time in our homes. As a matter of fact, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has estimated being inside comprises 90% of our time. However, the EPA also has determined your indoor air can be three to five times more polluted than outdoors.
That’s due to the fact our homes are firmly sealed to enhance energy efficiency. While this is good for your utility bills, it’s not so good if you’re among the 40% of the population with respiratory allergies.
When outside ventilation is insufficient, pollutants like dust and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) may get stuck. As a consequence, these pollutants may worsen your allergies.
You can boost your indoor air quality with clean air and routine cleaning and vacuuming. But if you’re still struggling with symptoms when you’re at your residence, an air purifier could be able to help.
While it can’t get rid of pollutants that have landed on your couch or carpet, it could help purify the air traveling throughout your home.
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 useful if you or a loved one has lung issues, including emphysema or COPD.
There are two models, a portable air purifier or a whole-home air purifier. We’ll examine the distinctions so you can learn what’s right for your house.
Whole-House Air Purifier vs. Portable Air Purifiers
A portable air purifier is for a lone room. A whole-house air purifier accompanies your HVAC system to clean your complete home. Some kinds can purify independent when your heating and cooling system isn’t running.
What’s the Best Air Purifier for Allergies?
Seek a model with a High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter. HEPA filters are installed in hospitals and provide the best filtration you can get, as they eliminate 99.97% of particles in the air.
HEPA filters are even more useful when combined with an ultraviolet (UV) germicidal light. This powerful mixture can eliminate dust, dander, pollen and mold, all of which are standard allergens. For the ultimate in air purification, evaluate a unit that also has a carbon-based filter to eliminate household odors.
Avoid getting an air purifier that creates ozone, which is the top element in smog. The EPA advises ozone could irritate respiratory issues, even when discharged at small settings.
The Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America has created a list of questions to think over when purchasing an air purifier.
- What can this purifier remove from the air? What doesn’t it extract?
- What’s its clean air delivery rate? (A bigger figure means air will be purified more quickly.)
- How often does the filter or UV bulb need to be changed]? Can I do that without help?
- How much do spare 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 advises doing other procedures to decrease your exposure to seasonal allergy triggers.
- Stay inside and keep windows and doors closed when pollen counts are high.
- Have other family members trim the lawn or pull weeds, since this work can aggravate symptoms. If you must do this work yourself, you may want to consider using a pollen mask. You should also shower without delay and put on new clothes once you’re finished.
- Avoid drying laundry outdoors.
- Turn on your air conditioner while at your house or while you’re on the road. Consider using a high efficiency air filter in your home’s HVAC equipment.
- Even out your residence’s humidity percentage with a whole-house dehumidifier.
- Hardwood, tile or linoleum are the ideal flooring types for reducing indoor allergens. If your house has carpet, install a HEPA filter on your vacuum cleaner.
Let Our Specialists Manage Your Indoor Air Quality Needs
Want to move forward with installing a whole-house air purifier? Give our professionals a call at (985) 764-2426 or contact us online to get an appointment. We’ll help you locate the ideal system for your home and budget.