We spend lots of time indoors. As a matter of fact, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approximated being inside accounts for 90% of our schedule. Having said that, the EPA also has determined your indoor air can be three to five times more polluted than outside your home.
That’s due to the fact our residences are tightly sealed to enhance energy efficiency. While this is good 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 outdoors ventilation is limited, pollutants including dust and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) might get trapped. Consequently, these pollutants can aggravate your allergies.
You can boost your indoor air quality with crisp air and regular housework and vacuuming. But if you’re still having issues with symptoms when you’re at your residence, an air purifier might be able to provide assistance.
While it can’t eliminate pollutants that have gotten trapped in your couch or flooring, it might help clean the air moving throughout your residence.
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 could also be appropriate if you or a family member has lung issues, such as 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 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 works alongside your home comfort equipment to purify your entire home. Some kinds can purify on their own when your heating and cooling unit isn’t on.
What’s the Best Air Purifier for Allergies?
Look for a model with a High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter. HEPA filters are installed in hospitals and offer the best filtration you can find, as they eliminate 99.97% of particles in the air.
HEPA filters are even more powerful when used with an ultraviolet (UV) germicidal light. This mighty combination can eliminate dust, dander, pollen and mold, all of which are general allergens. For the greatest in air purification, evaluate a unit that also has a carbon-based filter to eliminate household vapors.
Avoid buying an air purifier that makes ozone, which is the main element in smog. The EPA advises ozone might irritate respiratory problems, even when released at minor concentrations.
The Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America has made a list of questions to think over when getting 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 cleaned more quickly.)
- How frequently does the filter or UV bulb need to be replaced]? Can I complete that without help?
- How much do spare filters or bulbs cost?
How to Reduce Seasonal Allergy Symptoms
Want to have the {top|most excellent|best] performance from your new air purification system? The Mayo Clinic advises taking other steps to reduce your exposure to things that can trigger seasonal allergies.
- Stay indoors and keep windows and doors closed when pollen counts are high.
- Have other household members mow the lawn or pull weeds, since these jobs can aggravate symptoms. If you have to do these chores yourself, you may want to consider using a pollen mask. You should also bathe without delay and change your clothes once you’re done.
- Avoid drying laundry outside.
- Turn on the AC while indoors or while driving. Consider installing a high efficiency air filter in your home’s heating and cooling unit.
- Even out your house’s humidity saturation with a whole-house dehumidifier.
- Hardwood, tile or linoleum are the best flooring materials for reducing indoor allergens. If your house has carpet, add a HEPA filter on your vacuum cleaner.
Let Our Specialists Handle Your Indoor Air Quality Needs
Ready to take the next step with getting a whole-house air purifier? Give our professionals a call at 803-220-0761 or contact us online to schedule an appointment. We’ll help you choose the best system for your family and budget.