We spend a good majority of our time inside. As a matter of fact, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has estimated being inside comprises 90% of our schedule. Although, the EPA also has found your indoor air can be three to five times worse than outdoors.
That’s because our residences are tightly sealed to increase energy efficiency. While this is good for your utility costs, it’s not so great if you’re among the 40% of the population with respiratory allergies.
When outdoors ventilation is insufficient, pollutants such as dust and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) could get stuck. As a consequence, these pollutants can irritate your allergies.
You can enhance your indoor air quality with clean air and routine dusting and vacuuming. But if you’re still struggling with symptoms during the time you’re at your house, an air purifier may be able to provide relief.
While it can’t eliminate pollutants that have settled on your furnishings or flooring, it could help purify the air traveling around your home.
And air purification has also been scientifically verified to help lower some allergic symptoms, according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. It could also be useful if you or a loved one 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 differences so you can figure out what’s appropriate for your residence.
Whole-House Air Purifier vs. Portable Air Purifiers
A portable air purifier is for one room. A whole-house air purifier accompanies your HVAC unit to purify your full home. Some kinds can clean on their own when your home comfort unit isn’t running.
What’s the Best Air Purifier for Allergies?
Seek a model with a High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter. HEPA filters are installed in hospitals and provide the most comprehensive filtration you can find, as they eliminate 99.97% of particles in the air.
HEPA filters are even more effective when used with an ultraviolet (UV) germicidal light. This mighty mixture can wipe out 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 decrease household vapors.
Avoid using an air purifier that creates ozone, which is the top ingredient in smog. The EPA cautions ozone can irritate respiratory problems, even when discharged at small settings.
The Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America has compiled a list of questions to consider when purchasing an air purifier.
- What can this purifier extract from the air? What doesn’t it extract?
- What’s its clean air delivery rate? (A bigger number means air will be freshened more rapidly.)
- How often does the filter or UV bulb need to be replaced? Can I do that without help?
- How much do new filters or bulbs cost?
How to Decrease Seasonal Allergy Symptoms
Want to receive the most excellent performance from your new air purification equipment? The Mayo Clinic suggests completing other procedures to reduce your exposure to things that can trigger seasonal allergies.
- Stay in your home and keep windows and doors shut when pollen counts are high.
- Have someone else trim the lawn or pull weeds, since these tasks can irritate symptoms. If you have to do these jobs on your own, you might want to consider trying a pollen mask. You should also rinse off without delay and change your clothes once you’re done.
- Avoid drying laundry outside.
- Run air conditioning while indoors or while in the car. Consider using a high-efficiency air filter in your home’s heating and cooling equipment.
- Even out your house’s humidity saturation with a whole-house dehumidifier.
- Hardwood, tile or linoleum are the best flooring types for decreasing indoor allergens. If your home has carpet, use a HEPA filter on your vacuum cleaner.
Let Our Professionals Manage Your Indoor Air Quality Needs
Ready to take the next step with adding a whole-house air purifier? Give our specialists a call at 814-308-0416 or contact us online to request an appointment. We’ll help you find the best unit for your family and budget.