We spend a lot of time inside. In reality, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has determined being indoors comprises 90% of our schedule. However, the EPA also has determined your indoor air can be three to five times worse than outside your home.
That’s due to the fact our houses are securely sealed to boost energy efficiency. While this is good for your utility expenses, it’s not so fantastic if you’re a part of the 40% of the population with respiratory allergies.
When outdoor ventilation is insufficient, pollutants such as dust and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) could get stuck. Consequently, these pollutants might irritate your allergies.
You can improve your indoor air quality with crisp air and usual housework and vacuuming. But if you’re still struggling with symptoms when you’re at home, an air purifier might be able to provide assistance.
While it can’t get rid of pollutants that have landed on your furniture or carpet, it can help purify the air circulating throughout your residence.
And air purification has also been scientifically confirmed to help lower some allergic symptoms, according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. It could also be helpful if you or someone in your household has lung issues, such as emphysema or COPD.
There are two options, a portable air purifier or a whole-home air purifier. We’ll discuss the advantages so you can learn what’s correct for your house.
Whole-House Air Purifier vs. Portable Air Purifiers
A portable air purifier is for a single room. A whole-house air purifier works with your heating and cooling equipment to clean your full house. Some models can clean by themselves when your HVAC system isn’t on.
What’s the Best Air Purifier for Allergies?
Seek a purifier with a High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter. HEPA filters are used in hospitals and provide the best filtration you can find, as they catch 99.97% of particles in the air.
HEPA filters are even more beneficial when combined with an ultraviolet (UV) germicidal light. This mighty blend can eliminate 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 vapors.
Avoid buying an air purifier that creates ozone, which is the primary element in smog. The EPA advises ozone might worsen respiratory problems, even when released at minor settings.
The Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America has created a checklist of questions to ask 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 higher number means air will be freshened more rapidly.)
- How frequently does the filter or UV bulb need to be switched]? Can I finish that on my own?
- How much do new filters or bulbs cost?
How to Lessen Seasonal Allergy Symptoms
Want to receive the {top|most excellent|best] outcome from your new air purification system? The Mayo Clinic recommends completing other steps to limit your exposure to seasonal allergy triggers.
- Stay in your home and keep windows and doors shut when pollen counts are high.
- Have other family members cut the lawn or pull weeds, since this work can trigger symptoms. If you are required to do this work yourself, consider wearing a pollen mask. You should also bathe immediately and put on clean clothes once you’re done.
- Avoid stringing up laundry outside your home.
- Turn on air conditioning while at your house or while driving. Consider installing a high efficiency air filter in your residence’s heating and cooling equipment.
- Equalize your residence’s humidity saturation with a whole-house dehumidifier.
- Hardwood, tile or linoleum are the best flooring kinds for decreasing indoor allergens. If your residence has carpet, add a HEPA filter on your vacuum cleaner.
Let Our Specialists Handle Your Indoor Air Quality Necessities
Ready to move forward with adding a whole-house air purifier? Give our professionals a call at 605-206-3915 or contact us online to get an appointment. We’ll help you locate the right equipment for your family and budget.