We spend lots of time inside. In reality, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has estimated being within a building accounts for 90% of our days. Having said that, the EPA also has found your indoor air can be three to five times dirtier than outside your home.
That’s since our homes are firmly sealed to boost energy efficiency. While this is good for your energy expenses, it’s not so good if you’re amid the 40% of the population with respiratory allergies.
When outdoor ventilation is limited, pollutants including dust and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) might get captured. As a result, these pollutants might aggravate your allergies.
You can improve your indoor air quality with crisp air and usual dusting and vacuuming. But if you’re still having problems with symptoms while you’re at your residence, an air purifier may be able to help.
While it can’t remove pollutants that have settled on your furnishings or carpeting, it may help freshen the air circulating throughout your residence.
And air purification has also been scientifically confirmed to help lessen some allergic symptoms, according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. It could also be appropriate if you or a loved one has a lung condition, like emphysema or COPD.
There are two kinds, a portable air purifier or a whole-home air purifier. We’ll go over the distinctions 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 alongside your heating and cooling equipment to clean your complete house. Some types can work independently when your heating and cooling system isn’t running.
What’s the Best Air Purifier for Allergies?
Seek a purifier with a High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter. HEPA filters are installed in hospitals and offer 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 dynamic combination can wipe out dust, dander, pollen and mold, all of which are general allergens. For the greatest in air purification, consider a system that also has a carbon-based filter to decrease household smells.
Avoid getting an air purifier that creates ozone, which is the main component in smog. The EPA cautions ozone could aggravate respiratory symptoms, even when emitted at low settings.
The Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America has created a list 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 better number means air will be purified more quickly.)
- How regularly 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 Decrease Seasonal Allergy Symptoms
Want to receive the best results from your new air purification system? The Mayo Clinic recommends doing other measures to decrease your exposure to problems that can cause seasonal allergies.
- Stay inside and keep windows and doors sealed when pollen counts are heightened.
- Have someone else trim the lawn or pull weeds, since these tasks can irritate symptoms. If you have to do these chores yourself, consider wearing a pollen mask. You should also shower right away and put on clean clothes once you’re finished.
- Avoid hanging laundry outdoors.
- Run the AC while at your house or while driving. Consider using a high-efficiency air filter in your house’s home comfort system.
- Balance your house’s humidity levels with a whole-house dehumidifier.
- Hardwood, tile or linoleum are the best flooring kinds for lowering indoor allergens. If your home has carpet, install a HEPA filter on your vacuum cleaner.
Let Our Specialists Handle Your Indoor Air Quality Requirements
Want to progress with getting a whole-house air purifier? Give our specialists a call at 204-272-8128 or contact us online to get an appointment. We’ll help you choose the ideal system for your house and budget.