We spend a good majority of our time in our homes. As a matter of fact, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approximated being indoors makes up 90% of our time. However, the EPA also says your indoor air can be three to five times more polluted than outside your home.
That’s because our homes are securely sealed to increase energy efficiency. While this is great for your energy costs, it’s not so great if you’re amid the 40% of the population with respiratory allergies.
When outdoor ventilation is limited, pollutants including dust and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) might get captured. Consequently, these pollutants might worsen your allergies.
You can boost your indoor air quality with clean air and regular dusting and vacuuming. But if you’re still having issues with symptoms when you’re at home, an air purifier might be able to help.
While it can’t remove pollutants that have gotten trapped in your furniture or carpeting, it could help clean the air moving around your home.
And air purification has also been scientifically verified to help lessen some allergic symptoms, according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. It may also be appropriate if you or a loved one has lung trouble, like 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 appropriate for your house.
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 heating and cooling equipment to clean your complete residence. Some models can purify independently when your HVAC 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 offer the most comprehensive filtration you can get, as they trap 99.97% of particles in the air.
HEPA filters are even more beneficial when combined with an ultraviolet (UV) germicidal light. This powerful blend can destroy dust, dander, pollen and mold, all of which are common allergens. For the greatest in air purification, evaluate a system that also has a carbon-based filter to reduce household vapors.
Avoid getting an air purifier that generates ozone, which is the top element in smog. The EPA cautions ozone can aggravate respiratory troubles, even when discharged at minor amounts.
The Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America has created a listing of questions to ask when purchasing an air purifier.
- What can this purifier extract from the air? What doesn’t it extract?
- What’s its clean air delivery rate? (A better figure means air will be cleaned more quickly.)
- How often does the filter or UV bulb need to be switched? Can I finish that on my own?
- How much do new filters or bulbs cost?
How to Decrease Seasonal Allergy Symptoms
Want to have the most excellent results from your new air purification equipment? The Mayo Clinic suggests doing other steps to limit your exposure to seasonal allergy triggers.
- Stay in your home and keep windows and doors sealed when pollen counts are high.
- Have other household members cut the lawn or pull weeds, since these jobs can aggravate symptoms. If you have to do these chores on your own, you might want to consider wearing a pollen mask. You should also shower immediately and change your clothes once you’re completed.
- Avoid stringing up laundry outside your home.
- Use your air conditioner while at your house or while you’re on the road. Consider using a high-efficiency air filter in your residence’s HVAC equipment.
- Even out your house’s humidity percentage with a whole-house dehumidifier.
- Hardwood, tile or linoleum are the best flooring materials for decreasing indoor allergens. If your residence has carpet, use a HEPA filter on your vacuum cleaner.
Let Our Professionals Take Care of Your Indoor Air Quality Necessities
Prepared to take the next step with getting a whole-house air purifier? Give our experts a call at 479-308-8176 or contact us online to request an appointment. We’ll help you locate the right system for your home and budget.