We spend lots of time indoors. In fact, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has estimated being inside accounts for 90% of our days. Although, the EPA also has determined your indoor air can be three to five times dirtier than outside your home.
That’s since our houses are tightly sealed to increase energy efficiency. While this is great for your energy costs, it’s not so fantastic if you’re among the 40% of the population with respiratory allergies.
When outdoor ventilation is limited, pollutants like dust and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) can get trapped. As a result, these pollutants may aggravate your allergies.
You can boost your indoor air quality with fresh air and routine dusting and vacuuming. But if you’re still having issues with symptoms while you’re at your residence, an air purifier might be able to provide relief.
While it can’t get rid of pollutants that have landed on your couch or carpet, it might help purify the air circulating throughout your residence.
And air purification has also been scientifically confirmed to help reduce some allergic symptoms, according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. It might also be appropriate if you or someone in your household has a lung condition, like emphysema or COPD.
There are two models, a portable air purifier or a whole-home air purifier. We’ll discuss the advantages so you can learn what’s right 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 accompanies your heating and cooling unit to purify your full house. Some models can work on their own when your home comfort system isn’t operating.
What’s the Best Air Purifier for Allergies?
Look for a model with a High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter. HEPA filters are installed in hospitals and provide the greatest filtration you can buy, as they catch 99.97% of particles in the air.
HEPA filters are even more beneficial when combined with an ultraviolet (UV) germicidal light. This powerful mixture can destroy dust, dander, pollen and mold, all of which are general allergens. For the ultimate in air purification, think over equipment that also has a carbon-based filter to eliminate household vapors.
Avoid buying an air purifier that makes ozone, which is the main element in smog. The EPA cautions ozone might aggravate respiratory issues, even when discharged at minor settings.
The Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America has made a list of questions to ask when getting 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 figure means air will be freshened faster.)
- How often does the filter or UV bulb need to be switched]? Can I finish that by myself?
- How much do replacement filters or bulbs cost?
How to Reduce Seasonal Allergy Symptoms
Want to get the {top|most excellent|best] performance from your new air purification equipment? The Mayo Clinic suggests completing other steps to limit your exposure to things that can trigger seasonal allergies.
- Stay in your home and keep windows and doors shut when pollen counts are elevated.
- Have other household members mow the lawn or pull weeds, since these tasks can irritate symptoms. If you have to do this work alone, you might want to consider wearing a pollen mask. You should also rinse off right away and put on clean clothes once you’re completed.
- Avoid hanging laundry outdoors.
- Turn on the AC while at home or while you’re on the road. Consider installing a high efficiency air filter in your residence’s home comfort unit.
- Even out your residence’s humidity levels with a whole-house dehumidifier.
- Hardwood, tile or linoleum are the ideal flooring kinds for lowering indoor allergens. If your home has carpet, install a HEPA filter on your vacuum cleaner.
Let Our Pros Manage Your Indoor Air Quality Necessities
Want to move forward with getting a whole-house air purifier? Give our professionals a call at 308-832-4321 or contact us online to get an appointment. We’ll help you locate the right system for your house and budget.