We spend a lot of time inside. As a matter of fact, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has determined being inside comprises 90% of our days. Although, the EPA also says your indoor air can be three to five times more polluted than outdoors.
That’s due to the fact our houses are securely sealed to boost energy efficiency. While this is great for your utility expenses, it’s not so great if you’re among the 40% of the population with respiratory allergies.
When outside ventilation is restricted, pollutants such as dust and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) might get trapped. As a consequence, these pollutants could irritate your allergies.
You can boost your indoor air quality with clean air and usual housework and vacuuming. But if you’re still struggling with symptoms while you’re at your house, an air purifier could be able to provide assistance.
While it can’t get rid of pollutants that have landed on your couch or flooring, it could help freshen the air circulating across your house.
And air purification has also been scientifically confirmed to help lower some allergic symptoms, according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. It can also be helpful if you or a loved one has lung issues, 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 learn what’s appropriate for your residence.
Whole-House Air Purifier vs. Portable Air Purifiers
A portable air purifier is for a lone room. A whole-house air purifier accompanies your HVAC equipment to clean your complete residence. Some models can clean independent when your home comfort 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 used in hospitals and provide the greatest filtration you can find, as they catch 99.97% of particles in the air.
HEPA filters are even more beneficial when used with an ultraviolet (UV) germicidal light. This powerful mixture can wipe out dust, dander, pollen and mold, all of which are standard allergens. For the ultimate 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 main ingredient in smog. The EPA advises ozone might worsen respiratory troubles, even when discharged at low amounts.
The Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America has created a list of questions to consider when getting an air purifier.
- What can this purifier remove from the air? What doesn’t it extract?
- What’s its clean air delivery rate? (A higher number means air will be freshened more rapidly.)
- How often does the filter or UV bulb need to be replaced]? Can I do that by myself?
- How much do spare filters or bulbs cost?
How to Lessen Seasonal Allergy Symptoms
Want to get the {top|most excellent|best] results from your new air purification equipment? The Mayo Clinic recommends completing other steps to decrease your exposure to problems that can cause seasonal allergies.
- Stay in your home and keep windows and doors closed when pollen counts are high.
- Have other household members trim the lawn or pull weeds, since this work can aggravate symptoms. If you must do these jobs on your own, you might want to consider wearing a pollen mask. You should also bathe immediately and put on clean clothes once you’re completed.
- Avoid hanging laundry outside your home.
- Use the AC while at your house or while driving. Consider adding a high efficiency air filter in your residence’s heating and cooling equipment.
- Balance your residence’s humidity saturation with a whole-house dehumidifier.
- Hardwood, tile or linoleum are the best flooring types for lowering indoor allergens. If your residence has carpet, install a HEPA filter on your vacuum cleaner.
Let Our Professionals Manage Your Indoor Air Quality Necessities
Want to take the next step with getting a whole-house air purifier? Give our experts a call at 816-379-3918 or contact us online to schedule an appointment. We’ll help you locate the right equipment for your home and budget.
