We spend a good majority of our time in our homes. In reality, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has estimated being indoors accounts for 90% of our days. Having said that, the EPA also says your indoor air can be three to five times more polluted than outside your home.
That’s because our houses are tightly sealed to enhance energy efficiency. While this is great for your energy bills, it’s not so fantastic if you’re a part of the 40% of the population with respiratory allergies.
When outdoor ventilation is restricted, pollutants like dust and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) might get captured. As a result, these pollutants can aggravate your allergies.
You can improve your indoor air quality with clean air and regular cleaning and vacuuming. But if you’re still having issues with symptoms when you’re at your residence, an air purifier may be able to provide relief.
While it can’t eliminate pollutants that have landed on your furnishings or carpeting, it could help freshen the air moving across your home.
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 appropriate if you or a loved one has lung trouble, like emphysema or COPD.
There are two options, a portable air purifier or a whole-home air purifier. We’ll discuss the advantages so you can figure out what’s appropriate for your home.
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 unit to clean your full home. Some kinds can clean by themselves when your home comfort equipment isn’t on.
What’s the Best Air Purifier for Allergies?
Seek a purifier with a High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter. HEPA filters are used in hospitals and deliver the best filtration you can buy, as they remove 99.97% of particles in the air.
HEPA filters are even more useful when used with an ultraviolet (UV) germicidal light. This mighty mixture can eliminate dust, dander, pollen and mold, all of which are common allergens. For the best in air purification, think over a unit that also has a carbon-based filter to eliminate household smells.
Avoid using an air purifier that makes ozone, which is the primary component in smog. The EPA cautions ozone may worsen respiratory symptoms, even when emitted at small concentrations.
The Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America has created a list of questions to ask when purchasing an air purifier.
- What can this purifier remove from the air? What doesn’t it remove?
- What’s its clean air delivery rate? (A higher amount means air will be cleaned more rapidly.)
- How frequently does the filter or UV bulb need to be replaced? Can I finish that without help?
- How much do replacement filters or bulbs cost?
How to Decrease Seasonal Allergy Symptoms
Want to have the most excellent performance from your new air purification unit? The Mayo Clinic suggests taking other procedures to reduce your exposure to seasonal allergy triggers.
- Stay indoors and keep windows and doors closed when pollen counts are elevated.
- Have other household members trim the lawn or pull weeds, since these jobs can worsen symptoms. If you have to do this work alone, you might want to consider wearing a pollen mask. You should also shower right away and change your clothes once you’re finished.
- Avoid drying laundry outside your home.
- Run air conditioning while at your house or while you’re on the road. Consider adding a high-efficiency air filter in your home’s HVAC equipment.
- Balance your house’s humidity percentage with a whole-house dehumidifier.
- Hardwood, tile or linoleum are the suggested flooring materials for lowering indoor allergens. If your home has carpet, add a HEPA filter on your vacuum cleaner.
Let Our Pros Handle Your Indoor Air Quality Needs
Ready to take the next step with installing a whole-house air purifier? Give our professionals a call at 717-216-0846 or contact us online to schedule an appointment. We’ll help you locate the ideal equipment for your family and budget.