We spend a good majority of our time indoors. In reality, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has determined being indoors makes up 90% of our schedule. Having said that, the EPA also says your indoor air can be three to five times more polluted than outside your home.
That’s because our houses are firmly sealed to boost energy efficiency. While this is good for your energy bills, it’s not so fantastic if you’re among the 40% of the population with respiratory allergies.
When outdoors ventilation is restricted, pollutants such as dust and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) may get stuck. Consequently, these pollutants could aggravate your allergies.
You can improve your indoor air quality with fresh air and usual dusting and vacuuming. But if you’re still struggling with symptoms during the time you’re at home, an air purifier could be able to provide assistance.
While it can’t eliminate pollutants that have landed on your furniture or carpet, it can help purify the air circulating around your residence.
And air purification has also been scientifically confirmed to help lower some allergic symptoms, according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. It may also be appropriate if you or a loved one has lung issues, such as emphysema or COPD.
There are two kinds, a portable air purifier or a whole-home air purifier. We’ll examine the advantages so you can determine what’s right for your residence.
Whole-House Air Purifier vs. Portable Air Purifiers
A portable air purifier is for a single room. A whole-house air purifier works alongside your HVAC equipment to clean your complete home. Some types can work independent when your HVAC unit isn’t on.
What’s the Best Air Purifier for Allergies?
Go after a purifier with a High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter. HEPA filters are used 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 beneficial when used 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, consider equipment that also has a carbon-based filter to eliminate household smells.
Avoid buying an air purifier that creates ozone, which is the main ingredient in smog. The EPA warns ozone may irritate respiratory issues, even when discharged at low settings.
The Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America has created a listing of questions to think over 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 better number means air will be cleaned more rapidly.)
- How regularly does the filter or UV bulb need to be replaced]? Can I do that without help?
- How much do new filters or bulbs cost?
How to Lessen Seasonal Allergy Symptoms
Want to get the {top|most excellent|best] outcome from your new air purification equipment? The Mayo Clinic suggests completing other measures to decrease your exposure to problems that can cause seasonal allergies.
- Stay in your home and keep windows and doors sealed when pollen counts are heightened.
- Have other household members cut the lawn or pull weeds, since these tasks can trigger symptoms. If you must do this work alone, consider using a pollen mask. You should also bathe immediately and put on clean clothes once you’re finished.
- Avoid drying laundry outdoors.
- Turn on air conditioning while indoors or while in the car. Consider adding a high efficiency air filter in your house’s home comfort system.
- Balance your residence’s humidity levels with a whole-house dehumidifier.
- Hardwood, tile or linoleum are the suggested flooring materials for decreasing indoor allergens. If your house has carpet, use a HEPA filter on your vacuum cleaner.
Let Our Pros Take Care of Your Indoor Air Quality Needs
Prepared to move forward with adding a whole-house air purifier? Give our experts a call at (815) 914-6197 or contact us online to get an appointment. We’ll help you choose the ideal system for your residence and budget.