We spend lots of time inside. As a matter of fact, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has estimated being indoors accounts for 90% of our time. However, the EPA also says your indoor air can be three to five times more polluted than outdoors.
That’s since our houses are firmly sealed to enhance energy efficiency. While this is good for your heating and cooling expenses, it’s not so great if you’re amid the 40% of the population with respiratory allergies.
When outdoors ventilation is insufficient, pollutants like dust and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) could get captured. Consequently, these pollutants can irritate your allergies.
You can enhance your indoor air quality with crisp air and routine dusting and vacuuming. But if you’re still having issues with symptoms while you’re at your house, an air purifier could be able to provide relief.
While it can’t eliminate pollutants that have gotten trapped in your furnishings or carpeting, it might help clean the air circulating throughout your house.
And air purification has also been scientifically confirmed to help reduce some allergic symptoms, according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. It might also be helpful if you or a family member has a lung condition, like emphysema or COPD.
There are two kinds, a portable air purifier or a whole-home air purifier. We’ll examine the differences so you can figure out what’s right for your house.
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 equipment to purify your full residence. Some models can clean on their own 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 offer the most comprehensive filtration you can buy, as they trap 99.97% of particles in the air.
HEPA filters are even more powerful when combined with an ultraviolet (UV) germicidal light. This dynamic combination can eliminate dust, dander, pollen and mold, all of which are general allergens. For the greatest in air purification, think over equipment that also has a carbon-based filter to decrease household smells.
Avoid buying an air purifier that creates ozone, which is the main ingredient in smog. The EPA cautions ozone may irritate respiratory troubles, even when released at low concentrations.
The Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America has created a listing of questions to consider when getting 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 amount means air will be purified more quickly.)
- How frequently does the filter or UV bulb need to be replaced]? Can I complete that by myself?
- How much do replacement filters or bulbs cost?
How to Reduce Seasonal Allergy Symptoms
Want to have the {top|most excellent|best] results from your new air purification equipment? The Mayo Clinic advises taking other steps to decrease your exposure to seasonal allergy triggers.
- Stay inside and keep windows and doors sealed when pollen counts are high.
- Have someone else mow the lawn or pull weeds, since these jobs can worsen symptoms. If you must do these chores yourself, you may want to consider wearing a pollen mask. You should also rinse off without delay and change your clothes once you’re completed.
- Avoid hanging laundry outside.
- Run your air conditioner while at your house or while in the car. Consider adding a high efficiency air filter in your home’s home comfort equipment.
- 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 home has carpet, install a HEPA filter on your vacuum cleaner.
Let Our Pros Manage Your Indoor Air Quality Needs
Prepared to progress with getting a whole-house air purifier? Give our experts a call at 519-296-4437 or contact us online to get an appointment. We’ll help you choose the best system for your house and budget.