We spend a good majority of our time in our homes. In fact, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has estimated being indoors comprises 90% of our time. Although, the EPA also has found your indoor air can be three to five times worse than outside your home.
That’s due to the fact our houses are firmly sealed to increase energy efficiency. While this is great for your energy costs, it’s not so fantastic if you’re a part of the 40% of the population with respiratory allergies.
When outdoors ventilation is restricted, pollutants such as dust and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) might get captured. Consequently, these pollutants may irritate your allergies.
You can enhance your indoor air quality with crisp air and routine dusting and vacuuming. But if you’re still having problems with symptoms while you’re at your residence, an air purifier could be able to provide assistance.
While it can’t remove pollutants that have settled on your furnishings or flooring, it can help clean the air circulating around your residence.
And air purification has also been scientifically proven to help lessen some allergic symptoms, according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. It could also be appropriate if you or a loved one has lung issues, including emphysema or COPD.
There are two options, a portable air purifier or a whole-home air purifier. We’ll discuss 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 one room. A whole-house air purifier works alongside your home comfort system to treat your entire home. Some models can work independent when your heating and cooling equipment isn’t operating.
What’s the Best Air Purifier for Allergies?
Seek an option with a High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter. HEPA filters are installed in hospitals and deliver the best filtration you can get, as they trap 99.97% of particles in the air.
HEPA filters are even more powerful when installed with an ultraviolet (UV) germicidal light. This powerful blend can wipe out dust, dander, pollen and mold, all of which are common allergens. For the best in air purification, evaluate equipment that also has a carbon-based filter to reduce household odors.
Avoid getting an air purifier that makes ozone, which is the top component in smog. The EPA cautions ozone might worsen respiratory issues, even when released at low 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 better amount means air will be cleaned more quickly.)
- How frequently does the filter or UV bulb need to be replaced]? Can I complete that on my own?
- How much do new filters or bulbs cost?
How to Decrease Seasonal Allergy Symptoms
Want to get the {top|most excellent|best] performance from your new air purification equipment? The Mayo Clinic advises completing other measures to reduce your exposure to problems that can cause seasonal allergies.
- Stay indoors and keep windows and doors shut when pollen counts are elevated.
- Have other family members mow the lawn or pull weeds, since these tasks can worsen symptoms. If you have to do this work alone, you may want to consider wearing a pollen mask. You should also rinse off immediately and put on new clothes once you’re completed.
- Avoid hanging laundry outside.
- Turn on air conditioning while at home or while in the car. Consider installing a high efficiency air filter in your residence’s heating and cooling equipment.
- Balance your home’s humidity percentage with a whole-house dehumidifier.
- Hardwood, tile or linoleum are the ideal flooring materials for reducing indoor allergens. If your home has carpet, use a HEPA filter on your vacuum cleaner.
Let Our Pros Take Care of Your Indoor Air Quality Requirements
Want to take the next step with getting a whole-house air purifier? Give our specialists a call at 530-885-8081 or contact us online to schedule an appointment. We’ll help you choose the ideal equipment for your family and budget.
