We spend a good majority of our time indoors. In fact, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has determined being indoors accounts for 90% of our schedule. Having said that, the EPA also has found your indoor air can be three to five times worse than outside.
That’s due to the fact our residences are tightly sealed to boost energy efficiency. While this is good 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 insufficient, pollutants such as dust and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) might get captured. Consequently, these pollutants may aggravate your allergies.
You can boost your indoor air quality with fresh air and regular dusting and vacuuming. But if you’re still having problems with symptoms while you’re at your residence, an air purifier may be able to provide assistance.
While it can’t remove pollutants that have settled on your furnishings or carpeting, it may help purify the air moving throughout your residence.
And air purification has also been scientifically verified to help lessen some allergic symptoms, according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. It can also be useful if you or a family member has lung issues, such as 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 correct for your residence.
Whole-House Air Purifier vs. Portable Air Purifiers
A portable air purifier is for a lone room. A whole-house air purifier works alongside your HVAC unit to purify your entire residence. Some kinds can clean on their own when your heating and cooling unit 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 placed in hospitals and deliver the greatest filtration you can get, as they remove 99.97% of particles in the air.
HEPA filters are even more useful when combined with an ultraviolet (UV) germicidal light. This powerful combination can wipe out dust, dander, pollen and mold, all of which are common allergens. For the best in air purification, consider a system that also has a carbon-based filter to decrease household smells.
Avoid buying an air purifier that generates ozone, which is the primary component in smog. The EPA warns ozone could worsen respiratory symptoms, even when emitted at minor concentrations.
The Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America has made a list of questions to think over when buying an air purifier.
- What can this purifier remove from the air? What doesn’t it extract?
- What’s its clean air delivery rate? (A bigger amount means air will be purified more quickly.)
- How frequently does the filter or UV bulb need to be changed? Can I finish that without help?
- How much do new filters or bulbs cost?
How to Lessen Seasonal Allergy Symptoms
Want to get the best performance from your new air purification unit? The Mayo Clinic suggests completing other steps to limit your exposure to things that can trigger seasonal allergies.
- Stay inside and keep windows and doors closed when pollen counts are elevated.
- Have other family members cut the lawn or pull weeds, since this work can worsen symptoms. If you are required to do these chores on your own, you might want to consider using a pollen mask. You should also rinse off immediately and change your clothes once you’re done.
- Avoid hanging laundry outside.
- Run your air conditioner while at home or while you’re on the road. Consider installing a high-efficiency air filter in your house’s home comfort unit.
- Balance your home’s humidity saturation with a whole-house dehumidifier.
- Hardwood, tile or linoleum are the ideal flooring materials for lowering indoor allergens. If your house has carpet, add a HEPA filter on your vacuum cleaner.
Let Our Pros Manage Your Indoor Air Quality Necessities
Want to move forward with installing a whole-house air purifier? Give our experts a call at 402-628-0206 or contact us online to request an appointment. We’ll help you choose the best unit for your residence and budget.