We spend lots of time inside. In reality, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approximated being within a building makes up 90% of our time. Although, the EPA also has found your indoor air can be three to five times worse than outside your home.
That’s since our homes are firmly sealed to enhance energy efficiency. While this is good for your heating and cooling bills, it’s not so fantastic if you’re among the 40% of the population with respiratory allergies.
When outdoor ventilation is insufficient, pollutants including dust and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) may get stuck. As a result, these pollutants might worsen your allergies.
You can improve your indoor air quality with fresh air and regular cleaning and vacuuming. But if you’re still having problems with symptoms when you’re at your residence, an air purifier might be able to provide assistance.
While it can’t get rid of pollutants that have settled on your furnishings or carpet, it can help purify the air circulating across your residence.
And air purification has also been scientifically verified to help reduce some allergic symptoms, according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. It may also be useful if you or someone in your household has lung trouble, like emphysema or COPD.
There are two kinds, a portable air purifier or a whole-home air purifier. We’ll examine the advantages so you can learn what’s correct for your home.
Whole-House Air Purifier vs. Portable Air Purifiers
A portable air purifier is for a lone room. A whole-house air purifier accompanies your heating and cooling unit to purify your complete residence. Some kinds can work independent when your home comfort unit isn’t running.
What’s the Best Air Purifier for Allergies?
Look for an option with a High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter. HEPA filters are used in hospitals and offer the greatest filtration you can find, as they eliminate 99.97% of particles in the air.
HEPA filters are even more beneficial when installed with an ultraviolet (UV) germicidal light. This dynamic blend can destroy dust, dander, pollen and mold, all of which are general allergens. For the best in air purification, evaluate a unit that also has a carbon-based filter to decrease household odors.
Avoid buying an air purifier that creates ozone, which is the top element in smog. The EPA warns ozone could irritate respiratory issues, even when emitted at low concentrations.
The Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America has compiled a listing of questions to consider when purchasing an air purifier.
- What can this purifier take out from the air? What doesn’t it extract?
- What’s its clean air delivery rate? (A better number means air will be purified more quickly.)
- How often does the filter or UV bulb need to be replaced]? Can I finish that by myself?
- How much do new filters or bulbs cost?
How to Lessen Seasonal Allergy Symptoms
Want to get the {top|most excellent|best] results from your new air purification system? The Mayo Clinic recommends completing other steps to limit your exposure to things that can trigger seasonal allergies.
- Stay inside and keep windows and doors sealed when pollen counts are high.
- Have someone else mow the lawn or pull weeds, since these jobs can irritate symptoms. If you must do this work on your own, consider wearing a pollen mask. You should also shower without delay and change your clothes once you’re done.
- Avoid hanging laundry outside.
- Run your air conditioner while at home or while in the car. Consider using a high efficiency air filter in your house’s HVAC system.
- Equalize your home’s humidity levels with a whole-house dehumidifier.
- Hardwood, tile or linoleum are the best flooring materials for reducing indoor allergens. If your residence has carpet, add a HEPA filter on your vacuum cleaner.
Let Our Professionals Manage Your Indoor Air Quality Necessities
Want to take the next step with getting a whole-house air purifier? Give our experts a call at 402-509-5940 or contact us online to request an appointment. We’ll help you find the best unit for your family and budget.