We spend a lot of time in our homes. As a matter of fact, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approximated being within a building comprises 90% of our time. Having said that, 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 heating and cooling costs, it’s not so fantastic if you’re amid the 40% of the population with respiratory allergies.
When outside ventilation is limited, pollutants like dust and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) could get captured. As a result, these pollutants could worsen your allergies.
You can boost your indoor air quality with fresh air and regular dusting and vacuuming. But if you’re still struggling with symptoms when you’re at your residence, an air purifier might be able to help.
While it can’t remove pollutants that have settled on your furnishings or carpet, it could help purify the air traveling across your residence.
And air purification has also been scientifically proven to help lower some allergic symptoms, according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. It may also be appropriate if you or someone in your household has lung issues, such as emphysema or COPD.
There are two kinds, a portable air purifier or a whole-home air purifier. We’ll discuss 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 one room. A whole-house air purifier works alongside your home comfort unit to purify your complete home. Some models can work on their own when your home comfort unit isn’t operating.
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 offer the best filtration you can buy, as they eliminate 99.97% of particles in the air.
HEPA filters are even more effective when used with an ultraviolet (UV) germicidal light. This powerful blend can eliminate dust, dander, pollen and mold, all of which are common allergens. For the ultimate in air purification, consider a system that also has a carbon-based filter to take care of household odors.
Avoid purchasing an air purifier that makes ozone, which is the main ingredient in smog. The EPA warns ozone could worsen respiratory troubles, even when released at minor amounts.
The Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America has made a list of questions to think over when purchasing an air purifier.
- What can this purifier extract from the air? What doesn’t it take out?
- What’s its clean air delivery rate? (A better amount means air will be purified more quickly.)
- How regularly does the filter or UV bulb need to be replaced? Can I finish that by myself?
- How much do replacement filters or bulbs cost?
How to Lessen Seasonal Allergy Symptoms
Want to receive the most excellent outcome from your new air purification unit? 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 closed when pollen counts are elevated.
- Have other family members mow the lawn or pull weeds, since this work can irritate symptoms. If you must do this work alone, you might want to consider trying a pollen mask. You should also bathe without delay and put on new clothes once you’re done.
- Avoid hanging laundry outdoors.
- Use your air conditioner while at home or while driving. Consider installing a high-efficiency air filter in your residence’s home comfort system.
- Even out your residence’s humidity levels with a whole-house dehumidifier.
- Hardwood, tile or linoleum are the suggested flooring types for lowering indoor allergens. If your home has carpet, use a HEPA filter on your vacuum cleaner.
Let Our Pros Manage Your Indoor Air Quality Requirements
Prepared to progress with getting a whole-house air purifier? Give our experts a call at 201-579-2562 or contact us online to schedule an appointment. We’ll help you locate the ideal system for your needs and budget.