We spend lots of time in our homes. In fact, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approximated being within a building comprises 90% of our days. However, the EPA also has determined your indoor air can be three to five times worse than outdoors.
That’s because our residences are securely sealed to enhance energy efficiency. While this is good for your utility bills, it’s not so good if you’re among the 40% of the population with respiratory allergies.
When outdoor ventilation is restricted, pollutants like dust and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) may get stuck. As a result, these pollutants might worsen your allergies.
You can enhance your indoor air quality with fresh air and usual housework and vacuuming. But if you’re still having problems with symptoms when you’re at your residence, an air purifier may be able to help.
While it can’t remove pollutants that have gotten trapped in your furnishings or flooring, it might help clean the air moving throughout your house.
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 can also be appropriate if you or a family member has lung issues, like emphysema or COPD.
There are two models, a portable air purifier or a whole-home air purifier. We’ll discuss the differences so you can determine what’s appropriate for your house.
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 home comfort equipment to purify your full residence. Some kinds can purify by themselves when your home comfort system isn’t running.
What’s the Best Air Purifier for Allergies?
Look for a model with a High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter. HEPA filters are placed in hospitals and provide the greatest filtration you can buy, as they eliminate 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 wipe out dust, dander, pollen and mold, all of which are common allergens. For the best in air purification, evaluate a system that also has a carbon-based filter to reduce household odors.
Avoid getting an air purifier that creates ozone, which is the main component in smog. The EPA advises ozone might irritate respiratory problems, even when discharged at low settings.
The Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America has compiled a checklist of questions to consider when buying an air purifier.
- What can this purifier extract from the air? What doesn’t it take out?
- What’s its clean air delivery rate? (A bigger number means air will be cleaned more quickly.)
- How often does the filter or UV bulb need to be switched]? Can I complete that without help?
- How much do replacement filters or bulbs cost?
How to Reduce Seasonal Allergy Symptoms
Want to receive the {top|most excellent|best] outcome from your new air purification unit? The Mayo Clinic suggests completing other measures to reduce your exposure to seasonal allergy triggers.
- Stay indoors and keep windows and doors sealed when pollen counts are heightened.
- Have someone else mow the lawn or pull weeds, since these tasks can worsen symptoms. If you are required to do this work on your own, you may want to consider trying a pollen mask. You should also rinse off right away and change your clothes once you’re completed.
- Avoid stringing up laundry outdoors.
- Turn on air conditioning while indoors or while in the car. Consider installing a high efficiency air filter in your residence’s HVAC system.
- Equalize your residence’s humidity saturation with a whole-house dehumidifier.
- Hardwood, tile or linoleum are the best flooring materials for reducing indoor allergens. If your house has carpet, install a HEPA filter on your vacuum cleaner.
Let Our Pros Take Care of Your Indoor Air Quality Necessities
Prepared to take the next step with adding a whole-house air purifier? Give our specialists a call at 847-362-0262 or contact us online to get an appointment. We’ll help you choose the best equipment for your family and budget.