We spend a good majority of our time indoors. In reality, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approximated being indoors accounts for 90% of our schedule. Having said that, the EPA also has found your indoor air can be three to five times worse than outside.
That’s since our residences are securely sealed to enhance energy efficiency. While this is good for your utility bills, it’s not so great if you’re among the 40% of the population with respiratory allergies.
When outdoor ventilation is limited, pollutants like dust and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) can get trapped. Consequently, these pollutants can irritate your allergies.
You can boost your indoor air quality with fresh air and regular housework and vacuuming. But if you’re still having problems with symptoms when you’re at home, an air purifier may be able to provide assistance.
While it can’t eliminate pollutants that have gotten trapped in your furnishings or carpeting, it may help purify 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 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 differences so you can learn what’s right 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 with your heating and cooling unit to treat your entire house. Some types can purify independently when your home comfort equipment isn’t on.
What’s the Best Air Purifier for Allergies?
Seek an option with a High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter. HEPA filters are used in hospitals and deliver the greatest filtration you can buy, as they remove 99.97% of particles in the air.
HEPA filters are even more useful when combined with an ultraviolet (UV) germicidal light. This mighty combination can destroy dust, dander, pollen and mold, all of which are general allergens. For the greatest in air purification, evaluate a system that also has a carbon-based filter to eliminate household vapors.
Avoid getting an air purifier that creates ozone, which is the main component in smog. The EPA cautions ozone can worsen respiratory issues, even when emitted at small amounts.
The Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America has compiled a checklist of questions to consider when purchasing an air purifier.
- What can this purifier remove from the air? What doesn’t it remove?
- What’s its clean air delivery rate? (A bigger figure means air will be cleaned more quickly.)
- How regularly does the filter or UV bulb need to be replaced? 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 most excellent performance from your new air purification system? The Mayo Clinic advises taking other procedures to limit your exposure to problems that can cause seasonal allergies.
- Stay in your home and keep windows and doors sealed when pollen counts are high.
- Have someone else trim the lawn or pull weeds, since these tasks can worsen symptoms. If you must do this work on your own, consider using a pollen mask. You should also bathe without delay and put on clean clothes once you’re completed.
- Avoid drying laundry outside.
- Use air conditioning while indoors or while driving. Consider adding a high-efficiency air filter in your house’s HVAC system.
- Balance your residence’s humidity saturation with a whole-house dehumidifier.
- Hardwood, tile or linoleum are the ideal flooring kinds for reducing indoor allergens. If your house has carpet, use a HEPA filter on your vacuum cleaner.
Let Our Pros Handle Your Indoor Air Quality Requirements
Ready to move forward with getting a whole-house air purifier? Give our pros a call at 540-636-3396 or contact us online to get an appointment. We’ll help you find the ideal unit for your house and budget.