We spend a good majority of our time inside. As a matter of fact, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has estimated being indoors comprises 90% of our schedule. Having said that, the EPA also says your indoor air can be three to five times more polluted than outdoors.
That’s since our homes are firmly sealed to boost energy efficiency. While this is good for your energy costs, it’s not so fantastic if you’re amid the 40% of the population with respiratory allergies.
When outdoors ventilation is insufficient, pollutants such as dust and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) might get trapped. Consequently, these pollutants could aggravate your allergies.
You can improve your indoor air quality with clean air and routine dusting and vacuuming. But if you’re still having issues with symptoms while you’re at home, an air purifier may be able to provide assistance.
While it can’t get rid of pollutants that have landed on your couch or carpeting, it could help clean the air moving around your residence.
And air purification has also been scientifically proven to help reduce some allergic symptoms, according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. It can also be appropriate if you or someone in your household has lung issues, such as emphysema or COPD.
There are two options, a portable air purifier or a whole-home air purifier. We’ll examine the advantages so you can determine what’s right for your home.
Whole-House Air Purifier vs. Portable Air Purifiers
A portable air purifier is for a single room. A whole-house air purifier works with your heating and cooling system to clean your complete residence. Some models can purify by themselves when your HVAC system isn’t running.
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 deliver the best 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 mixture can wipe out dust, dander, pollen and mold, all of which are general allergens. For the best in air purification, consider a unit that also has a carbon-based filter to take care of household smells.
Avoid getting an air purifier that creates ozone, which is the main ingredient in smog. The EPA warns ozone could irritate respiratory troubles, even when discharged at minor settings.
The Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America has compiled a checklist of questions to think over when purchasing 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 more rapidly.)
- How regularly does the filter or UV bulb need to be changed? Can I finish that by myself?
- How much do new filters or bulbs cost?
How to Decrease Seasonal Allergy Symptoms
Want to receive the best performance from your new air purification equipment? The Mayo Clinic suggests taking other measures to reduce your exposure to seasonal allergy triggers.
- Stay indoors and keep windows and doors shut when pollen counts are elevated.
- Have someone else cut the lawn or pull weeds, since these jobs can trigger symptoms. If you must do this work alone, consider wearing a pollen mask. You should also bathe immediately and put on clean clothes once you’re done.
- Avoid stringing up laundry outside.
- Use the AC while at home or while you’re on the road. Consider adding a high-efficiency air filter in your home’s HVAC equipment.
- Balance your residence’s humidity levels with a whole-house dehumidifier.
- Hardwood, tile or linoleum are the ideal flooring kinds for reducing indoor allergens. If your house has carpet, add a HEPA filter on your vacuum cleaner.
Let Our Pros Handle Your Indoor Air Quality Necessities
Prepared to move forward with adding a whole-house air purifier? Give our experts a call at 510-343-9841 or contact us online to request an appointment. We’ll help you locate the best system for your home and budget.