We spend lots of time indoors. In reality, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has estimated being within a building makes up 90% of our days. Although, the EPA also says your indoor air can be three to five times worse than outside.
That’s due to the fact our homes are firmly sealed to boost energy efficiency. While this is great for your heating and cooling expenses, it’s not so fantastic if you’re a part of the 40% of the population with respiratory allergies.
When outside ventilation is limited, pollutants such as dust and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) can get captured. As a result, these pollutants could worsen your allergies.
You can enhance your indoor air quality with crisp air and routine housework and vacuuming. But if you’re still having issues with symptoms when you’re at your house, an air purifier may be able to help.
While it can’t remove pollutants that have gotten trapped in your furnishings or carpeting, it could help purify the air circulating around your home.
And air purification has also been scientifically verified to help lower 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, such as emphysema or COPD.
There are two options, a portable air purifier or a whole-home air purifier. We’ll examine the differences so you can learn what’s correct for your residence.
Whole-House Air Purifier vs. Portable Air Purifiers
A portable air purifier is for one room. A whole-house air purifier works alongside your HVAC equipment to clean your complete home. Some models can clean on their own when your heating and cooling equipment isn’t operating.
What’s the Best Air Purifier for Allergies?
Look for an option with a High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter. HEPA filters are installed in hospitals and offer the greatest filtration you can buy, as they eliminate 99.97% of particles in the air.
HEPA filters are even more useful when installed with an ultraviolet (UV) germicidal light. This dynamic blend can destroy dust, dander, pollen and mold, all of which are general allergens. For the greatest in air purification, evaluate equipment that also has a carbon-based filter to reduce household smells.
Avoid getting an air purifier that generates ozone, which is the top ingredient in smog. The EPA warns ozone might irritate respiratory issues, even when discharged at small amounts.
The Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America has compiled a checklist of questions to consider when purchasing an air purifier.
- What can this purifier extract from the air? What doesn’t it remove?
- What’s its clean air delivery rate? (A bigger figure means air will be cleaned faster.)
- 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 Reduce Seasonal Allergy Symptoms
Want to get the top results from your new air purification equipment? The Mayo Clinic suggests completing other procedures to limit your exposure to problems that can cause seasonal allergies.
- Stay indoors and keep windows and doors shut when pollen counts are elevated.
- Have someone else trim the lawn or pull weeds, since these jobs can worsen symptoms. If you have to do these jobs yourself, you may want to consider trying a pollen mask. You should also shower immediately and put on new clothes once you’re done.
- Avoid hanging laundry outside your home.
- Use the AC while indoors or while driving. Consider adding a high-efficiency air filter in your residence’s heating and cooling system.
- Even out your house’s humidity percentage with a whole-house dehumidifier.
- Hardwood, tile or linoleum are the best flooring kinds for reducing indoor allergens. If your house has carpet, use a HEPA filter on your vacuum cleaner.
Let Our Pros Take Care of Your Indoor Air Quality Necessities
Prepared to progress with installing a whole-house air purifier? Give our pros a call at 801-305-4777 or contact us online to request an appointment. We’ll help you locate the ideal unit for your residence and budget.