We spend a good majority of our time in our homes. In reality, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has estimated being within a building accounts for 90% of our days. Having said that, the EPA also says your indoor air can be three to five times dirtier than outside your home.
That’s because our residences are tightly sealed to boost energy efficiency. While this is good for your heating and cooling expenses, it’s not so great if you’re a part of the 40% of the population with respiratory allergies.
When outside ventilation is insufficient, pollutants such as dust and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) can get stuck. Consequently, these pollutants might irritate your allergies.
You can boost your indoor air quality with clean air and routine dusting and vacuuming. But if you’re still having problems with symptoms while you’re at your residence, an air purifier might be able to provide relief.
While it can’t get rid of pollutants that have gotten trapped in your furniture or carpet, it can help freshen the air moving around your home.
And air purification has also been scientifically proven to help lower some allergic symptoms, according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. It can also be helpful if you or a family member has lung issues, including emphysema or COPD.
There are two options, a portable air purifier or a whole-home air purifier. We’ll examine the distinctions 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 alongside your heating and cooling system to purify your full residence. Some kinds can purify on their own when your HVAC unit isn’t on.
What’s the Best Air Purifier for Allergies?
Look for a purifier with a High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter. HEPA filters are used in hospitals and provide the best filtration you can get, as they eliminate 99.97% of particles in the air.
HEPA filters are even more powerful when installed with an ultraviolet (UV) germicidal light. This mighty mixture can wipe out dust, dander, pollen and mold, all of which are general allergens. For the greatest in air purification, think over equipment that also has a carbon-based filter to reduce household smells.
Avoid using an air purifier that creates ozone, which is the primary element in smog. The EPA warns ozone could worsen respiratory issues, 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 remove from the air? What doesn’t it take out?
- What’s its clean air delivery rate? (A bigger figure means air will be freshened faster.)
- How regularly does the filter or UV bulb need to be switched]? Can I complete that on my own?
- How much do replacement filters or bulbs cost?
How to Reduce Seasonal Allergy Symptoms
Want to get the {top|most excellent|best] results from your new air purification unit? The Mayo Clinic suggests taking other measures to reduce your exposure to problems that can cause seasonal allergies.
- Stay inside and keep windows and doors sealed when pollen counts are high.
- Have other household members trim the lawn or pull weeds, since this work can trigger symptoms. If you are required to do these chores alone, consider trying a pollen mask. You should also shower immediately and put on clean clothes once you’re finished.
- Avoid drying laundry outdoors.
- Use your air conditioner while at your house or while driving. Consider adding a high efficiency air filter in your residence’s heating and cooling equipment.
- Even out your house’s humidity percentage with a whole-house dehumidifier.
- Hardwood, tile or linoleum are the ideal flooring kinds for lowering 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
Want to take the next step with adding a whole-house air purifier? Give our experts a call at 717-383-4479 or contact us online to request an appointment. We’ll help you find the right system for your family and budget.