We spend a lot of time inside. In fact, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approximated being inside makes up 90% of our schedule. Having said that, the EPA also says your indoor air can be three to five times dirtier than outside.
That’s due to the fact our homes are securely sealed to boost energy efficiency. While this is great for your heating and cooling costs, it’s not so good 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 captured. As a result, these pollutants might worsen your allergies.
You can boost your indoor air quality with clean air and routine cleaning and vacuuming. But if you’re still having issues with symptoms when you’re at your residence, an air purifier might be able to help.
While it can’t get rid of pollutants that have landed on your furnishings or flooring, it may help clean the air moving throughout your residence.
And air purification has also been scientifically verified to help reduce some allergic symptoms, according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. It might also be useful if you or a family member has lung issues, such as 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 home.
Whole-House Air Purifier vs. Portable Air Purifiers
A portable air purifier is for a lone room. A whole-house air purifier works alongside your home comfort equipment to purify your full home. Some models can clean by themselves when your HVAC unit isn’t running.
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 greatest filtration you can find, as they eliminate 99.97% of particles in the air.
HEPA filters are even more useful when used with an ultraviolet (UV) germicidal light. This dynamic blend can destroy dust, dander, pollen and mold, all of which are general allergens. For the ultimate in air purification, think over equipment that also has a carbon-based filter to take care of household odors.
Avoid getting an air purifier that creates ozone, which is the primary element in smog. The EPA advises ozone could irritate respiratory issues, even when emitted at minor settings.
The Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America has created a checklist of questions to think over when getting an air purifier.
- What can this purifier remove from the air? What doesn’t it remove?
- What’s its clean air delivery rate? (A higher number means air will be purified more rapidly.)
- How often does the filter or UV bulb need to be changed? Can I do that on my own?
- How much do spare filters or bulbs cost?
How to Decrease Seasonal Allergy Symptoms
Want to receive the best performance from your new air purification equipment? The Mayo Clinic recommends completing other procedures to limit your exposure to things that can trigger seasonal allergies.
- Stay indoors and keep windows and doors shut when pollen counts are high.
- Have someone else cut the lawn or pull weeds, since these tasks can irritate symptoms. If you are required to do these jobs alone, you might want to consider wearing a pollen mask. You should also bathe right away and change your clothes once you’re finished.
- Avoid drying laundry outside.
- Turn on air conditioning while at your house or while in the car. Consider adding a high-efficiency air filter in your home’s home comfort equipment.
- Balance your residence’s humidity percentage with a whole-house dehumidifier.
- Hardwood, tile or linoleum are the best flooring kinds for decreasing indoor allergens. If your home has carpet, install a HEPA filter on your vacuum cleaner.
Let Our Specialists Handle Your Indoor Air Quality Requirements
Prepared to take the next step with adding a whole-house air purifier? Give our professionals a call at 949-317-4175 or contact us online to request an appointment. We’ll help you locate the right unit for your residence and budget.