We spend lots of time indoors. As a matter of fact, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has determined being inside comprises 90% of our days. Although, the EPA also says your indoor air can be three to five times worse than outside.
That’s because our houses are tightly sealed to enhance energy efficiency. While this is fantastic for your heating and cooling expenses, it’s not so fantastic if you’re among the 40% of the population with respiratory allergies.
When outdoor ventilation is insufficient, pollutants like dust and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) could get trapped. As a result, these pollutants could aggravate your allergies.
You can enhance your indoor air quality with clean air and routine dusting and vacuuming. But if you’re still having issues with symptoms while you’re at your house, an air purifier might be able to provide assistance.
While it can’t eliminate pollutants that have settled on your furnishings or flooring, it might help clean the air traveling throughout your residence.
And air purification has also been scientifically verified to help lessen some allergic symptoms, according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. It can also be helpful if you or someone in your household has a lung condition, including emphysema or COPD.
There are two models, a portable air purifier or a whole-home air purifier. We’ll go over the advantages so you can determine what’s appropriate for your home.
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 system to treat your complete home. Some kinds can clean by themselves when your heating and cooling unit isn’t operating.
What’s the Best Air Purifier for Allergies?
Look for a purifier with a High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter. HEPA filters are installed in hospitals and offer the greatest filtration you can get, as they catch 99.97% of particles in the air.
HEPA filters are even more powerful when used with an ultraviolet (UV) germicidal light. This dynamic combination can destroy dust, dander, pollen and mold, all of which are general allergens. For the best in air purification, evaluate equipment that also has a carbon-based filter to take care of household smells.
Avoid using an air purifier that creates ozone, which is the primary ingredient in smog. The EPA warns ozone could aggravate respiratory troubles, even when emitted at small settings.
The Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America has created a listing of questions to think over when buying an air purifier.
- What can this purifier extract from the air? What doesn’t it extract?
- What’s its clean air delivery rate? (A higher amount means air will be freshened faster.)
- How frequently does the filter or UV bulb need to be switched? Can I complete that by myself?
- How much do replacement filters or bulbs cost?
How to Decrease Seasonal Allergy Symptoms
Want to get the top outcome from your new air purification equipment? The Mayo Clinic recommends completing other measures to limit your exposure to seasonal allergy triggers.
- Stay in your home and keep windows and doors closed when pollen counts are elevated.
- Have someone else trim the lawn or pull weeds, since these jobs can aggravate symptoms. If you are required to do these chores alone, consider using a pollen mask. You should also shower immediately and put on new clothes once you’re finished.
- Avoid drying laundry outside.
- Run the AC while at home or while you’re on the road. Consider installing a high-efficiency air filter in your house’s HVAC equipment.
- Equalize your house’s humidity levels with a whole-house dehumidifier.
- Hardwood, tile or linoleum are the ideal flooring kinds for lowering indoor allergens. If your house has carpet, install a HEPA filter on your vacuum cleaner.
Let Our Pros Handle Your Indoor Air Quality Needs
Ready to move forward with installing a whole-house air purifier? Give our experts a call at 505-445-1250 or contact us online to schedule an appointment. We’ll help you locate the best equipment for your family and budget.