We spend lots of time in our homes. In reality, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has estimated being within a building makes up 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.
That’s due to the fact our residences are firmly sealed to boost energy efficiency. While this is fantastic for your heating and cooling costs, 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) might get trapped. As a result, these pollutants could aggravate your allergies.
You can boost your indoor air quality with crisp air and routine housework and vacuuming. But if you’re still having issues with symptoms during the time you’re at your house, an air purifier might be able to provide assistance.
While it can’t remove pollutants that have landed on your furnishings or flooring, it may help purify the air moving throughout your residence.
And air purification has also been scientifically proven to help lower some allergic symptoms, according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. It may also be appropriate if you or a loved one has a lung condition, like emphysema or COPD.
There are two models, a portable air purifier or a whole-home air purifier. We’ll go over the advantages so you can figure out 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 heating and cooling equipment to clean your full house. Some types can purify by themselves when your home comfort unit isn’t on.
What’s the Best Air Purifier for Allergies?
Go after a purifier 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 catch 99.97% of particles in the air.
HEPA filters are even more powerful when installed with an ultraviolet (UV) germicidal light. This powerful mixture can wipe out dust, dander, pollen and mold, all of which are common allergens. For the ultimate in air purification, consider equipment that also has a carbon-based filter to reduce household vapors.
Avoid getting an air purifier that makes ozone, which is the top ingredient in smog. The EPA warns ozone could worsen respiratory problems, even when emitted at low concentrations.
The Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America has compiled a list of questions to think over when buying an air purifier.
- What can this purifier extract from the air? What doesn’t it take out?
- What’s its clean air delivery rate? (A higher figure means air will be freshened more quickly.)
- How often does the filter or UV bulb need to be replaced? Can I finish that on my own?
- How much do spare filters or bulbs cost?
How to Reduce Seasonal Allergy Symptoms
Want to have the best results from your new air purification system? The Mayo Clinic advises taking other procedures to reduce your exposure to problems that can cause seasonal allergies.
- Stay inside and keep windows and doors closed when pollen counts are high.
- Have someone else mow the lawn or pull weeds, since these jobs can trigger symptoms. If you are required to do this work yourself, you might want to consider using a pollen mask. You should also bathe immediately and change your clothes once you’re completed.
- Avoid hanging laundry outside.
- Run your air conditioner while indoors or while in the car. Consider adding a high-efficiency air filter in your residence’s heating and cooling equipment.
- Even out your house’s humidity saturation with a whole-house dehumidifier.
- Hardwood, tile or linoleum are the ideal flooring types for reducing indoor allergens. If your residence has carpet, use a HEPA filter on your vacuum cleaner.
Let Our Pros Handle Your Indoor Air Quality Requirements
Ready to take the next step with installing a whole-house air purifier? Give our experts a call at 951-299-9853 or contact us online to schedule an appointment. We’ll help you find the right equipment for your needs and budget.