We spend a lot of time in our homes. As a matter of fact, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approximated being inside makes up 90% of our schedule. However, the EPA also says your indoor air can be three to five times worse than outside your home.
That’s since our houses are securely sealed to increase energy efficiency. While this is good for your energy costs, it’s not so great if you’re amid the 40% of the population with respiratory allergies.
When outdoors ventilation is restricted, pollutants such as dust and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) may get captured. As a result, these pollutants might aggravate your allergies.
You can improve your indoor air quality with fresh air and usual dusting and vacuuming. But if you’re still having issues with symptoms while you’re at home, an air purifier could be able to provide assistance.
While it can’t remove pollutants that have landed on your couch or carpeting, it can help clean the air circulating throughout your home.
And air purification has also been scientifically verified to help lessen some allergic symptoms, according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. It may also be appropriate if you or someone in your household has lung trouble, like emphysema or COPD.
There are two kinds, a portable air purifier or a whole-home air purifier. We’ll discuss the differences so you can learn what’s right for your residence.
Whole-House Air Purifier vs. Portable Air Purifiers
A portable air purifier is for a single room. A whole-house air purifier accompanies your HVAC system to clean your entire residence. Some kinds can clean on their own when your home comfort system isn’t on.
What’s the Best Air Purifier for Allergies?
Go after an option with a High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter. HEPA filters are placed in hospitals and deliver the greatest filtration you can find, as they trap 99.97% of particles in the air.
HEPA filters are even more useful when installed with an ultraviolet (UV) germicidal light. This powerful mixture can destroy dust, dander, pollen and mold, all of which are general allergens. For the greatest in air purification, think over equipment that also has a carbon-based filter to reduce household vapors.
Avoid getting an air purifier that generates ozone, which is the primary element in smog. The EPA cautions ozone could aggravate respiratory issues, even when released at low settings.
The Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America has made a checklist of questions to think over when getting an air purifier.
- What can this purifier extract from the air? What doesn’t it remove?
- What’s its clean air delivery rate? (A higher number means air will be purified more rapidly.)
- How frequently does the filter or UV bulb need to be changed]? Can I do that without help?
- How much do replacement filters or bulbs cost?
How to Lessen Seasonal Allergy Symptoms
Want to have the {top|most excellent|best] outcome from your new air purification equipment? The Mayo Clinic advises doing other procedures to reduce your exposure to problems that can cause seasonal allergies.
- Stay indoors and keep windows and doors sealed when pollen counts are elevated.
- Have other family members mow the lawn or pull weeds, since these jobs can irritate symptoms. If you have to do this work on your own, you might want to consider wearing a pollen mask. You should also shower right away and put on clean clothes once you’re completed.
- Avoid drying laundry outdoors.
- Use air conditioning while indoors or while in the car. Consider installing a high efficiency air filter in your house’s home comfort unit.
- Equalize your house’s humidity levels with a whole-house dehumidifier.
- Hardwood, tile or linoleum are the ideal flooring materials for reducing indoor allergens. If your home has carpet, use a HEPA filter on your vacuum cleaner.
Let Our Professionals Handle Your Indoor Air Quality Requirements
Prepared to move forward with getting a whole-house air purifier? Give our specialists a call at 601-736-7362 or contact us online to schedule an appointment. We’ll help you locate the right unit for your residence and budget.