We spend a good majority of our time inside. As a matter of fact, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has determined being indoors makes up 90% of our schedule. Having said that, the EPA also has found your indoor air can be three to five times worse than outdoors.
That’s because our homes are tightly sealed to boost energy efficiency. While this is great for your utility costs, it’s not so fantastic if you’re a part of the 40% of the population with respiratory allergies.
When outside ventilation is restricted, pollutants like dust and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) can get trapped. As a consequence, these pollutants can aggravate your allergies.
You can improve your indoor air quality with crisp air and regular cleaning and vacuuming. But if you’re still struggling 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 couch or carpeting, it could help freshen the air traveling throughout your residence.
And air purification has also been scientifically proven to help reduce some allergic symptoms, according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. It may also be useful if you or someone in your household has lung trouble, such as emphysema or COPD.
There are two kinds, a portable air purifier or a whole-home air purifier. We’ll go over the advantages so you can determine what’s correct 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 works alongside your home comfort equipment to clean your complete residence. Some types can clean by themselves when your heating and cooling unit 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 used in hospitals and provide the greatest filtration you can find, as they eliminate 99.97% of particles in the air.
HEPA filters are even more beneficial when installed with an ultraviolet (UV) germicidal light. This mighty mixture can eliminate dust, dander, pollen and mold, all of which are general allergens. For the best in air purification, consider equipment that also has a carbon-based filter to reduce household vapors.
Avoid getting an air purifier that creates ozone, which is the main ingredient in smog. The EPA warns ozone could worsen respiratory problems, even when discharged at small settings.
The Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America has compiled a checklist of questions to consider when purchasing an air purifier.
- What can this purifier extract from the air? What doesn’t it remove?
- What’s its clean air delivery rate? (A better number means air will be purified faster.)
- How regularly does the filter or UV bulb need to be changed]? Can I complete that by myself?
- How much do replacement filters or bulbs cost?
How to Lessen Seasonal Allergy Symptoms
Want to receive the {top|most excellent|best] results from your new air purification system? The Mayo Clinic advises completing other procedures to decrease your exposure to things that can trigger seasonal allergies.
- Stay in your home and keep windows and doors closed when pollen counts are heightened.
- Have someone else trim the lawn or pull weeds, since this work can worsen symptoms. If you have to do this work alone, consider trying a pollen mask. You should also bathe immediately and put on clean clothes once you’re completed.
- Avoid drying laundry outside your home.
- Use the AC while at home or while driving. Consider adding a high efficiency air filter in your home’s HVAC unit.
- Balance your residence’s humidity percentage with a whole-house dehumidifier.
- Hardwood, tile or linoleum are the suggested flooring materials for decreasing indoor allergens. If your residence has carpet, use a HEPA filter on your vacuum cleaner.
Let Our Pros Manage Your Indoor Air Quality Necessities
Want to progress with getting a whole-house air purifier? Give our experts a call at 219-872-2198 or contact us online to get an appointment. We’ll help you find the ideal equipment for your family and budget.