We spend a good majority of our time indoors. As a matter of fact, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has estimated being indoors comprises 90% of our days. Although, the EPA also says your indoor air can be three to five times worse than outdoors.
That’s due to the fact our residences are firmly sealed to boost energy efficiency. While this is great for your utility expenses, it’s not so fantastic if you’re amid the 40% of the population with respiratory allergies.
When outdoors ventilation is limited, pollutants like dust and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) could get captured. As a consequence, these pollutants can aggravate your allergies.
You can enhance your indoor air quality with crisp air and usual dusting and vacuuming. But if you’re still having problems with symptoms during the time you’re at home, an air purifier may be able to provide assistance.
While it can’t remove pollutants that have gotten trapped in your couch or carpet, it can help purify the air circulating across 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 might also be useful if you or a loved one has a lung condition, like emphysema or COPD.
There are two models, a portable air purifier or a whole-home air purifier. We’ll go over the distinctions so you can learn what’s right for your residence.
Whole-House Air Purifier vs. Portable Air Purifiers
A portable air purifier is for one room. A whole-house air purifier works with your HVAC unit to purify your complete house. Some types can work by themselves when your home comfort equipment isn’t running.
What’s the Best Air Purifier for Allergies?
Seek a purifier with a High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter. HEPA filters are installed in hospitals and deliver the most comprehensive filtration you can find, as they trap 99.97% of particles in the air.
HEPA filters are even more useful when combined with an ultraviolet (UV) germicidal light. This dynamic blend can destroy dust, dander, pollen and mold, all of which are standard allergens. For the best in air purification, think over equipment that also has a carbon-based filter to eliminate household vapors.
Avoid buying an air purifier that generates ozone, which is the top ingredient in smog. The EPA advises ozone can aggravate respiratory troubles, even when emitted at small settings.
The Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America has compiled a checklist of questions to ask 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 higher amount means air will be freshened faster.)
- How often does the filter or UV bulb need to be changed? Can I complete that without help?
- How much do replacement filters or bulbs cost?
How to Lessen Seasonal Allergy Symptoms
Want to get the top performance from your new air purification unit? The Mayo Clinic suggests completing other measures to decrease your exposure to things that can trigger seasonal allergies.
- Stay in your home and keep windows and doors sealed when pollen counts are high.
- Have other household members cut the lawn or pull weeds, since these tasks can trigger symptoms. If you must do these chores alone, you might want to consider using a pollen mask. You should also bathe without delay and put on new clothes once you’re finished.
- Avoid hanging laundry outdoors.
- Use air conditioning while indoors or while in the car. Consider using a high-efficiency air filter in your residence’s HVAC equipment.
- Even out your residence’s humidity levels with a whole-house dehumidifier.
- Hardwood, tile or linoleum are the best flooring types for reducing indoor allergens. If your home has carpet, use a HEPA filter on your vacuum cleaner.
Let Our Specialists Take Care of Your Indoor Air Quality Necessities
Ready to progress with installing a whole-house air purifier? Give our experts a call at 512-937-2001 or contact us online to request an appointment. We’ll help you locate the ideal equipment for your house and budget.