We spend a lot of time in our homes. In reality, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approximated being within a building accounts for 90% of our schedule. However, the EPA also says your indoor air can be three to five times dirtier than outside your home.
That’s because our homes are firmly sealed to increase energy efficiency. While this is fantastic for your energy costs, it’s not so great if you’re a part of the 40% of the population with respiratory allergies.
When outdoors ventilation is limited, pollutants such as dust and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) could get stuck. As a result, these pollutants may aggravate your allergies.
You can enhance your indoor air quality with clean air and routine cleaning and vacuuming. But if you’re still having problems with symptoms when you’re at your residence, an air purifier might be able to provide assistance.
While it can’t remove pollutants that have settled on your furnishings or carpeting, it could help purify the air traveling across your home.
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 could also be useful if you or someone in your household has a lung condition, 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 learn 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 HVAC unit to purify your entire house. Some kinds can purify by themselves when your HVAC system isn’t running.
What’s the Best Air Purifier for Allergies?
Seek a model with a High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter. HEPA filters are used in hospitals and deliver the most comprehensive filtration you can buy, as they trap 99.97% of particles in the air.
HEPA filters are even more powerful when used with an ultraviolet (UV) germicidal light. This dynamic blend can eliminate dust, dander, pollen and mold, all of which are common allergens. For the ultimate in air purification, evaluate a unit that also has a carbon-based filter to reduce household smells.
Avoid using an air purifier that makes ozone, which is the main ingredient in smog. The EPA advises ozone could aggravate respiratory troubles, even when discharged at small concentrations.
The Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America has created a listing of questions to think over when buying an air purifier.
- What can this purifier remove from the air? What doesn’t it remove?
- What’s its clean air delivery rate? (A bigger figure means air will be purified faster.)
- How often does the filter or UV bulb need to be switched]? Can I do that by myself?
- How much do spare filters or bulbs cost?
How to Decrease Seasonal Allergy Symptoms
Want to get the {top|most excellent|best] results from your new air purification equipment? The Mayo Clinic suggests doing other measures to reduce your exposure to things that can trigger seasonal allergies.
- Stay in your home and keep windows and doors sealed when pollen counts are heightened.
- Have other household members mow the lawn or pull weeds, since these jobs can trigger symptoms. If you have to do these chores on your own, you might want to consider using a pollen mask. You should also shower immediately and put on clean clothes once you’re completed.
- Avoid drying laundry outside.
- Use your air conditioner while at home or while in the car. Consider installing a high efficiency air filter in your residence’s home comfort unit.
- Equalize your residence’s humidity percentage with a whole-house dehumidifier.
- Hardwood, tile or linoleum are the suggested flooring types for reducing indoor allergens. If your home has carpet, use a HEPA filter on your vacuum cleaner.
Let Our Professionals Handle Your Indoor Air Quality Necessities
Prepared to progress with getting a whole-house air purifier? Give our professionals a call at 201-579-2562 or contact us online to request an appointment. We’ll help you choose the best equipment for your residence and budget.