We spend a lot of time indoors. In fact, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has determined being within a building comprises 90% of our schedule. Although, the EPA also has found your indoor air can be three to five times worse than outdoors.
That’s because our houses are securely sealed to increase energy efficiency. While this is good for your energy expenses, 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 like dust and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) can get captured. As a consequence, these pollutants may irritate your allergies.
You can improve your indoor air quality with clean air and usual cleaning and vacuuming. But if you’re still having issues with symptoms while you’re at home, an air purifier might be able to provide relief.
While it can’t remove pollutants that have landed on your couch or carpet, it can help clean the air circulating around your house.
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 may also be useful if you or someone in your household has a lung condition, such as emphysema or COPD.
There are two models, a portable air purifier or a whole-home air purifier. We’ll examine the advantages so you can figure out 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 alongside your home comfort unit to purify your entire residence. Some types can work on their own when your HVAC equipment isn’t operating.
What’s the Best Air Purifier for Allergies?
Seek a purifier with a High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter. HEPA filters are placed in hospitals and provide the best filtration you can buy, 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 dynamic combination can destroy dust, dander, pollen and mold, all of which are common allergens. For the greatest in air purification, consider a unit that also has a carbon-based filter to reduce household smells.
Avoid using an air purifier that makes ozone, which is the top element in smog. The EPA advises ozone might irritate respiratory troubles, even when released at minor amounts.
The Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America has made a list of questions to consider 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 better amount means air will be freshened more quickly.)
- How frequently does the filter or UV bulb need to be changed]? Can I complete that on my own?
- How much do replacement filters or bulbs cost?
How to Decrease Seasonal Allergy Symptoms
Want to receive the {top|most excellent|best] outcome from your new air purification system? The Mayo Clinic advises doing other measures to reduce your exposure to things that can trigger seasonal allergies.
- Stay in your home and keep windows and doors shut when pollen counts are heightened.
- Have someone else trim the lawn or pull weeds, since these tasks can aggravate symptoms. If you must do these jobs alone, you may want to consider using a pollen mask. You should also rinse off immediately and change your clothes once you’re finished.
- Avoid drying laundry outside.
- Use the AC while at your house or while you’re on the road. Consider installing a high efficiency air filter in your residence’s home comfort system.
- Equalize your home’s humidity percentage with a whole-house dehumidifier.
- Hardwood, tile or linoleum are the best flooring materials for lowering indoor allergens. If your residence has carpet, add a HEPA filter on your vacuum cleaner.
Let Our Specialists Manage Your Indoor Air Quality Necessities
Want to progress with installing a whole-house air purifier? Give our professionals a call at 713-322-4318 or contact us online to get an appointment. We’ll help you choose the ideal equipment for your residence and budget.