We spend a lot of time indoors. In fact, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has determined being inside makes up 90% of our days. However, the EPA also has found your indoor air can be three to five times more polluted than outside your home.
That’s since our houses are tightly sealed to increase energy efficiency. While this is good for your heating and cooling bills, it’s not so good if you’re a part of the 40% of the population with respiratory allergies.
When outside ventilation is restricted, pollutants such as dust and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) could get captured. As a consequence, these pollutants may irritate your allergies.
You can boost your indoor air quality with crisp air and routine cleaning and vacuuming. But if you’re still having issues with symptoms when you’re at your house, an air purifier might be able to help.
While it can’t eliminate pollutants that have settled on your furnishings or flooring, it might help clean the air traveling around your residence.
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 useful if you or a family member has a lung condition, like emphysema or COPD.
There are two models, a portable air purifier or a whole-home air purifier. We’ll examine the differences so you can learn 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 with your HVAC unit to purify your entire home. Some models can purify on their own when your HVAC unit isn’t on.
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 offer the most comprehensive filtration you can get, as they eliminate 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 wipe out dust, dander, pollen and mold, all of which are general allergens. For the ultimate in air purification, think over equipment that also has a carbon-based filter to decrease household odors.
Avoid using an air purifier that generates ozone, which is the main component in smog. The EPA warns ozone may worsen respiratory issues, even when discharged at small amounts.
The Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America has created a list of questions to consider when purchasing an air purifier.
- What can this purifier take out from the air? What doesn’t it remove?
- What’s its clean air delivery rate? (A higher amount means air will be cleaned faster.)
- How frequently does the filter or UV bulb need to be changed]? Can I do that on my own?
- How much do new filters or bulbs cost?
How to Reduce Seasonal Allergy Symptoms
Want to have the {top|most excellent|best] results from your new air purification system? The Mayo Clinic advises taking other measures to reduce your exposure to things that can trigger seasonal allergies.
- Stay in your home and keep windows and doors sealed when pollen counts are elevated.
- Have other household members trim the lawn or pull weeds, since these tasks can aggravate symptoms. If you must do this work on your own, consider trying a pollen mask. You should also rinse off without delay and put on new clothes once you’re finished.
- Avoid drying laundry outside your home.
- Use air conditioning while at your house or while in the car. Consider adding a high efficiency air filter in your home’s HVAC equipment.
- Balance your home’s humidity levels with a whole-house dehumidifier.
- Hardwood, tile or linoleum are the ideal flooring materials for lowering indoor allergens. If your house has carpet, add a HEPA filter on your vacuum cleaner.
Let Our Pros Manage Your Indoor Air Quality Requirements
Prepared to take the next step with adding a whole-house air purifier? Give our specialists a call at 302-261-3596 or contact us online to schedule an appointment. We’ll help you choose the right system for your home and budget.