We spend lots of time indoors. As a matter of fact, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approximated being indoors comprises 90% of our days. Although, the EPA also has found your indoor air can be three to five times worse than outside your home.
That’s because our homes are tightly sealed to boost energy efficiency. While this is good for your heating and cooling expenses, it’s not so good if you’re amid the 40% of the population with respiratory allergies.
When outside ventilation is insufficient, pollutants like dust and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) can get trapped. As a consequence, these pollutants might aggravate your allergies.
You can boost your indoor air quality with crisp air and regular dusting and vacuuming. But if you’re still struggling with symptoms during the time you’re at home, an air purifier may be able to provide assistance.
While it can’t get rid of pollutants that have gotten trapped in your furniture or carpeting, it can help clean the air traveling around your house.
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 helpful if you or a family member has a lung condition, including emphysema or COPD.
There are two models, a portable air purifier or a whole-home air purifier. We’ll go over the advantages so you can figure out what’s correct for your house.
Whole-House Air Purifier vs. Portable Air Purifiers
A portable air purifier is for a lone room. A whole-house air purifier works with your heating and cooling unit to treat your full home. Some kinds can purify on their own when your home comfort unit isn’t on.
What’s the Best Air Purifier for Allergies?
Go after a model with a High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter. HEPA filters are placed in hospitals and deliver the greatest filtration you can find, as they trap 99.97% of particles in the air.
HEPA filters are even more beneficial when used with an ultraviolet (UV) germicidal light. This mighty combination can wipe out dust, dander, pollen and mold, all of which are general allergens. For the ultimate in air purification, think over a system that also has a carbon-based filter to decrease household vapors.
Avoid buying an air purifier that makes ozone, which is the primary element in smog. The EPA advises ozone may irritate respiratory problems, even when emitted at small 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 take out from the air? What doesn’t it extract?
- What’s its clean air delivery rate? (A higher amount means air will be purified faster.)
- How often does the filter or UV bulb need to be switched]? Can I finish that without help?
- How much do new filters or bulbs cost?
How to Lessen Seasonal Allergy Symptoms
Want to receive the {top|most excellent|best] outcome from your new air purification equipment? The Mayo Clinic advises completing other procedures to limit your exposure to things that can trigger seasonal allergies.
- Stay inside and keep windows and doors sealed when pollen counts are elevated.
- Have someone else trim the lawn or pull weeds, since these tasks can worsen symptoms. If you are required to do these chores yourself, you may want to consider wearing a pollen mask. You should also rinse off right away and change your clothes once you’re completed.
- Avoid stringing up laundry outdoors.
- Run the AC while at your house or while driving. Consider installing a high efficiency air filter in your home’s home comfort equipment.
- Even out your home’s humidity percentage with a whole-house dehumidifier.
- Hardwood, tile or linoleum are the suggested flooring materials for lowering indoor allergens. If your home 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 715-384-3163 or contact us online to get an appointment. We’ll help you locate the right equipment for your house and budget.