We spend lots of time in our homes. In reality, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approximated being within a building comprises 90% of our schedule. However, the EPA also has found your indoor air can be three to five times more polluted than outdoors.
That’s because our houses are firmly sealed to enhance energy efficiency. While this is good for your energy costs, it’s not so great if you’re amid the 40% of the population with respiratory allergies.
When outdoor ventilation is limited, pollutants including dust and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) might get captured. As a consequence, these pollutants could worsen your allergies.
You can improve your indoor air quality with fresh air and routine housework and vacuuming. But if you’re still having issues with symptoms when you’re at your residence, an air purifier may be able to provide assistance.
While it can’t eliminate pollutants that have gotten trapped in your furniture or flooring, it might help purify the air moving throughout 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 might also be appropriate if you or a loved one 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 figure out what’s right 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 heating and cooling unit to purify your full home. Some kinds can purify independent when your heating and cooling system isn’t operating.
What’s the Best Air Purifier for Allergies?
Look for a purifier with a High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter. HEPA filters are installed in hospitals and provide the greatest filtration you can buy, as they eliminate 99.97% of particles in the air.
HEPA filters are even more beneficial when combined with an ultraviolet (UV) germicidal light. This dynamic blend can eliminate dust, dander, pollen and mold, all of which are standard allergens. For the ultimate in air purification, consider equipment that also has a carbon-based filter to eliminate household vapors.
Avoid buying an air purifier that creates ozone, which is the top element in smog. The EPA advises ozone may aggravate respiratory troubles, even when emitted at small concentrations.
The Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America has compiled a checklist of questions to ask 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 bigger number means air will be purified faster.)
- How frequently does the filter or UV bulb need to be replaced]? Can I complete that on my own?
- How much do new filters or bulbs cost?
How to Decrease Seasonal Allergy Symptoms
Want to receive the {top|most excellent|best] performance from your new air purification equipment? The Mayo Clinic recommends taking other measures to decrease your exposure to seasonal allergy triggers.
- Stay indoors and keep windows and doors closed when pollen counts are heightened.
- Have other family members cut the lawn or pull weeds, since these jobs can aggravate symptoms. If you must do these jobs on your own, consider using a pollen mask. You should also shower right away and change your clothes once you’re done.
- Avoid stringing up laundry outside your home.
- Turn on your air conditioner while indoors or while driving. Consider adding a high efficiency air filter in your residence’s heating and cooling unit.
- Balance your home’s humidity saturation with a whole-house dehumidifier.
- Hardwood, tile or linoleum are the suggested flooring types for lowering indoor allergens. If your residence has carpet, use a HEPA filter on your vacuum cleaner.
Let Our Professionals Handle Your Indoor Air Quality Needs
Ready to progress with installing a whole-house air purifier? Give our experts a call at 414-208-9000 or contact us online to request an appointment. We’ll help you choose the best equipment for your house and budget.