We spend a good majority of our time inside. In fact, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approximated being within a building makes up 90% of our time. Having said that, the EPA also has found your indoor air can be three to five times dirtier than outside your home.
That’s since our homes are securely sealed to increase energy efficiency. While this is fantastic for your utility costs, it’s not so good if you’re among the 40% of the population with respiratory allergies.
When outdoors ventilation is restricted, pollutants including dust and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) may get trapped. As a result, these pollutants may worsen your allergies.
You can enhance your indoor air quality with crisp air and usual housework and vacuuming. But if you’re still having issues with symptoms during the time you’re at your house, an air purifier could be able to provide assistance.
While it can’t get rid of pollutants that have settled on your couch or carpeting, it may 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 can also be appropriate if you or a family member has lung issues, including emphysema or COPD.
There are two options, a portable air purifier or a whole-home air purifier. We’ll go over the advantages so you can figure out what’s right for your home.
Whole-House Air Purifier vs. Portable Air Purifiers
A portable air purifier is for one room. A whole-house air purifier works with your heating and cooling system to purify your entire home. Some kinds can work by themselves when your heating and cooling unit isn’t running.
What’s the Best Air Purifier for Allergies?
Go after a purifier with a High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter. HEPA filters are placed in hospitals and deliver the greatest filtration you can find, as they catch 99.97% of particles in the air.
HEPA filters are even more powerful when used with an ultraviolet (UV) germicidal light. This powerful combination can eliminate dust, dander, pollen and mold, all of which are common allergens. For the greatest in air purification, consider equipment that also has a carbon-based filter to eliminate household vapors.
Avoid getting an air purifier that creates ozone, which is the main element in smog. The EPA cautions ozone may aggravate respiratory issues, even when emitted at low concentrations.
The Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America has created a list of questions to think over when buying an air purifier.
- What can this purifier take out from the air? What doesn’t it take out?
- What’s its clean air delivery rate? (A bigger amount means air will be freshened more rapidly.)
- How frequently does the filter or UV bulb need to be switched]? Can I finish that by myself?
- How much do new filters or bulbs cost?
How to Lessen Seasonal Allergy Symptoms
Want to receive the {top|most excellent|best] results from your new air purification system? The Mayo Clinic suggests taking other procedures to limit your exposure to problems that can cause seasonal allergies.
- Stay indoors and keep windows and doors sealed when pollen counts are heightened.
- Have other household members cut the lawn or pull weeds, since this work can trigger symptoms. If you are required to do these jobs yourself, consider using a pollen mask. You should also bathe right away and change your clothes once you’re done.
- Avoid stringing up laundry outdoors.
- Run air conditioning while at your house or while in the car. Consider adding a high efficiency air filter in your home’s HVAC system.
- Equalize your house’s humidity levels with a whole-house dehumidifier.
- Hardwood, tile or linoleum are the best flooring types for reducing indoor allergens. If your house has carpet, use a HEPA filter on your vacuum cleaner.
Let Our Pros Handle Your Indoor Air Quality Needs
Ready to progress with getting a whole-house air purifier? Give our experts a call at 641-812-2028 or contact us online to request an appointment. We’ll help you locate the ideal system for your residence and budget.