We spend lots of time in our homes. In reality, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has estimated being indoors accounts for 90% of our days. Although, the EPA also has found your indoor air can be three to five times more polluted than outside your home.
That’s due to the fact our homes are securely sealed to boost energy efficiency. While this is good for your utility expenses, it’s not so good if you’re a part of the 40% of the population with respiratory allergies.
When outdoors ventilation is limited, pollutants such as dust and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) might get stuck. As a result, these pollutants may worsen your allergies.
You can improve your indoor air quality with fresh air and regular cleaning and vacuuming. But if you’re still struggling with symptoms during the time you’re at home, an air purifier might be able to provide relief.
While it can’t get rid of pollutants that have settled on your furniture or flooring, it may help clean the air traveling throughout your house.
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 appropriate if you or a family member has a lung condition, such as 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 figure out what’s right 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 accompanies your HVAC unit to clean your entire home. Some models can clean by themselves when your heating and cooling equipment isn’t operating.
What’s the Best Air Purifier for Allergies?
Seek a model with a High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter. HEPA filters are placed in hospitals and deliver the best filtration you can buy, as they eliminate 99.97% of particles in the air.
HEPA filters are even more powerful when combined with an ultraviolet (UV) germicidal light. This dynamic combination can destroy dust, dander, pollen and mold, all of which are standard allergens. For the ultimate in air purification, consider a system that also has a carbon-based filter to eliminate household smells.
Avoid using an air purifier that makes ozone, which is the primary ingredient in smog. The EPA advises ozone might worsen respiratory troubles, even when discharged at low amounts.
The Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America has compiled a checklist of questions to consider when purchasing an air purifier.
- What can this purifier take out from the air? What doesn’t it remove?
- What’s its clean air delivery rate? (A bigger amount means air will be freshened more quickly.)
- How regularly does the filter or UV bulb need to be changed]? Can I finish that without help?
- How much do spare filters or bulbs cost?
How to Lessen Seasonal Allergy Symptoms
Want to receive the {top|most excellent|best] performance from your new air purification system? The Mayo Clinic recommends taking other procedures to reduce your exposure to seasonal allergy triggers.
- Stay in your home and keep windows and doors closed when pollen counts are high.
- Have other household members trim the lawn or pull weeds, since these jobs can worsen symptoms. If you have to do these jobs alone, you might want to consider using a pollen mask. You should also rinse off right away and put on clean clothes once you’re done.
- Avoid hanging laundry outside your home.
- Run your air conditioner while at your house or while you’re on the road. Consider installing a high efficiency air filter in your house’s HVAC unit.
- Balance your residence’s humidity levels with a whole-house dehumidifier.
- Hardwood, tile or linoleum are the ideal flooring materials 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
Want to progress with adding a whole-house air purifier? Give our specialists a call at 308-624-3485 or contact us online to request an appointment. We’ll help you locate the right equipment for your family and budget.