We spend a lot of time indoors. In fact, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has determined being indoors comprises 90% of our days. Having said that, the EPA also has found your indoor air can be three to five times dirtier than outdoors.
That’s since our residences are tightly sealed to increase energy efficiency. While this is great for your utility bills, it’s not so fantastic if you’re among the 40% of the population with respiratory allergies.
When outdoor ventilation is restricted, pollutants such as dust and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) could get trapped. Consequently, these pollutants may aggravate your allergies.
You can enhance your indoor air quality with crisp air and usual housework and vacuuming. But if you’re still struggling with symptoms while you’re at your residence, an air purifier could be able to provide relief.
While it can’t remove pollutants that have landed on your furniture or carpet, it can help freshen the air circulating across your house.
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 may also be appropriate if you or someone in your household has lung trouble, like emphysema or COPD.
There are two models, a portable air purifier or a whole-home air purifier. We’ll discuss the advantages so you can determine what’s correct for your house.
Whole-House Air Purifier vs. Portable Air Purifiers
A portable air purifier is for a lone room. A whole-house air purifier works with your home comfort system to treat your full house. Some models can clean independent when your home comfort system isn’t operating.
What’s the Best Air Purifier for Allergies?
Look for a model with a High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter. HEPA filters are used in hospitals and deliver the most comprehensive filtration you can find, as they catch 99.97% of particles in the air.
HEPA filters are even more useful when installed with an ultraviolet (UV) germicidal light. This mighty blend can destroy dust, dander, pollen and mold, all of which are common allergens. For the greatest in air purification, think over equipment that also has a carbon-based filter to eliminate household vapors.
Avoid buying an air purifier that makes ozone, which is the main component in smog. The EPA cautions ozone could worsen respiratory issues, even when discharged at low settings.
The Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America has compiled a listing of questions to think over when purchasing an air purifier.
- What can this purifier take out from the air? What doesn’t it take out?
- What’s its clean air delivery rate? (A higher amount means air will be purified more quickly.)
- How often does the filter or UV bulb need to be switched]? Can I do that on my own?
- How much do new filters or bulbs cost?
How to Reduce Seasonal Allergy Symptoms
Want to receive the {top|most excellent|best] outcome from your new air purification system? The Mayo Clinic suggests taking other measures to limit your exposure to problems that can cause seasonal allergies.
- Stay indoors and keep windows and doors closed when pollen counts are high.
- Have other family members cut the lawn or pull weeds, since these tasks can worsen symptoms. If you are required to do this work alone, consider trying a pollen mask. You should also rinse off immediately and put on new clothes once you’re finished.
- Avoid hanging laundry outside your home.
- Turn on air conditioning while at your house or while in the car. Consider adding a high efficiency air filter in your residence’s heating and cooling system.
- Even out your home’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, install a HEPA filter on your vacuum cleaner.
Let Our Specialists Take Care of Your Indoor Air Quality Necessities
Ready to progress with installing a whole-house air purifier? Give our experts a call at 570-309-0403 or contact us online to schedule an appointment. We’ll help you choose the right unit for your family and budget.