We spend lots of time indoors. As a matter of fact, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has estimated being within a building accounts for 90% of our days. Having said that, the EPA also has found your indoor air can be three to five times dirtier than outside.
That’s due to the fact our homes are firmly sealed to increase energy efficiency. While this is fantastic for your heating and cooling bills, it’s not so great if you’re amid the 40% of the population with respiratory allergies.
When outside ventilation is insufficient, pollutants such as dust and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) could get captured. As a result, these pollutants might worsen 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 when you’re at home, an air purifier might be able to provide relief.
While it can’t remove pollutants that have landed on your couch or carpet, it can help purify the air traveling around your residence.
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 might also be useful if you or someone in your household has lung issues, including emphysema or COPD.
There are two models, 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 heating and cooling system to treat your entire house. Some models can clean by themselves when your HVAC system isn’t operating.
What’s the Best Air Purifier for Allergies?
Go after 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 remove 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 best in air purification, think over equipment that also has a carbon-based filter to decrease household odors.
Avoid getting an air purifier that makes ozone, which is the primary component in smog. The EPA warns ozone may aggravate respiratory problems, even when emitted at small settings.
The Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America has made a checklist of questions to ask when getting an air purifier.
- What can this purifier extract from the air? What doesn’t it remove?
- What’s its clean air delivery rate? (A bigger amount means air will be freshened more rapidly.)
- How regularly does the filter or UV bulb need to be replaced? Can I finish that by myself?
- How much do new filters or bulbs cost?
How to Decrease Seasonal Allergy Symptoms
Want to receive the most excellent results from your new air purification equipment? The Mayo Clinic suggests taking other measures to limit your exposure to seasonal allergy triggers.
- Stay in your home and keep windows and doors closed when pollen counts are heightened.
- Have other family members mow the lawn or pull weeds, since these jobs can irritate symptoms. If you are required to do these jobs on your own, you might want to consider wearing a pollen mask. You should also bathe right away and put on new clothes once you’re completed.
- Avoid hanging laundry outside your home.
- Run the AC while indoors or while driving. Consider installing a high-efficiency air filter in your home’s HVAC system.
- Balance your house’s humidity levels with a whole-house dehumidifier.
- Hardwood, tile or linoleum are the suggested flooring types for decreasing indoor allergens. If your house has carpet, add a HEPA filter on your vacuum cleaner.
Let Our Pros Take Care of Your Indoor Air Quality Requirements
Ready to progress with getting a whole-house air purifier? Give our experts a call at 309-517-7511 or contact us online to request an appointment. We’ll help you locate the ideal equipment for your needs and budget.