We spend a lot of time inside. In reality, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has determined being inside accounts for 90% of our schedule. Having said that, the EPA also has found your indoor air can be three to five times more polluted than outside your home.
That’s because our homes are securely sealed to enhance energy efficiency. While this is fantastic for your utility bills, it’s not so great if you’re among the 40% of the population with respiratory allergies.
When outdoors ventilation is restricted, pollutants including dust and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) can get trapped. As a consequence, these pollutants might irritate your allergies.
You can enhance your indoor air quality with clean air and usual cleaning and vacuuming. But if you’re still having issues with symptoms during the time you’re at your house, an air purifier might be able to help.
While it can’t eliminate pollutants that have gotten trapped in your furnishings or carpet, it might help freshen the air moving across your house.
And air purification has also been scientifically confirmed to help lessen some allergic symptoms, according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. It could also be appropriate if you or a family member has a lung condition, including emphysema or COPD.
There are two options, a portable air purifier or a whole-home air purifier. We’ll go over the differences so you can learn what’s appropriate for your residence.
Whole-House Air Purifier vs. Portable Air Purifiers
A portable air purifier is for a lone room. A whole-house air purifier accompanies your heating and cooling unit to treat your full residence. Some models can clean on their own when your home comfort unit isn’t running.
What’s the Best Air Purifier for Allergies?
Look for an option with a High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter. HEPA filters are installed in hospitals and offer the greatest filtration you can find, as they trap 99.97% of particles in the air.
HEPA filters are even more beneficial when installed with an ultraviolet (UV) germicidal light. This powerful blend can eliminate dust, dander, pollen and mold, all of which are common allergens. For the greatest in air purification, evaluate a unit that also has a carbon-based filter to decrease household vapors.
Avoid using an air purifier that creates ozone, which is the main element in smog. The EPA cautions ozone might aggravate respiratory troubles, even when discharged at minor amounts.
The Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America has compiled a listing of questions to think over when getting 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 amount means air will be freshened more quickly.)
- How frequently does the filter or UV bulb need to be switched]? Can I do that on my own?
- How much do spare filters or bulbs cost?
How to Lessen Seasonal Allergy Symptoms
Want to have the {top|most excellent|best] performance from your new air purification unit? The Mayo Clinic suggests doing other measures to limit your exposure to things that can trigger seasonal allergies.
- Stay inside and keep windows and doors shut when pollen counts are elevated.
- Have someone else mow the lawn or pull weeds, since these tasks can trigger symptoms. If you must do this work on your own, you may want to consider using a pollen mask. You should also shower without delay and change your clothes once you’re done.
- Avoid drying laundry outdoors.
- Use the AC while at home or while driving. Consider adding a high efficiency air filter in your residence’s home comfort unit.
- Equalize your residence’s humidity saturation with a whole-house dehumidifier.
- Hardwood, tile or linoleum are the suggested flooring materials for lowering indoor allergens. If your residence has carpet, install a HEPA filter on your vacuum cleaner.
Let Our Pros Handle Your Indoor Air Quality Necessities
Prepared to take the next step with getting a whole-house air purifier? Give our professionals a call at 515-344-3579 or contact us online to request an appointment. We’ll help you locate the right unit for your family and budget.