We spend a good majority of our time in our homes. As a matter of fact, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approximated being inside comprises 90% of our time. Although, the EPA also says your indoor air can be three to five times more polluted than outside.
That’s because our houses are securely sealed to enhance energy efficiency. While this is fantastic for your heating and cooling costs, it’s not so fantastic if you’re among the 40% of the population with respiratory allergies.
When outdoors ventilation is insufficient, pollutants like dust and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) might get trapped. As a consequence, these pollutants might irritate your allergies.
You can boost your indoor air quality with fresh air and routine dusting and vacuuming. But if you’re still struggling with symptoms during the time you’re at home, an air purifier may be able to provide assistance.
While it can’t eliminate pollutants that have settled on your furnishings or carpeting, it may help clean the air circulating throughout your house.
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 may also be useful if you or someone in your household has lung issues, including emphysema or COPD.
There are two models, a portable air purifier or a whole-home air purifier. We’ll examine the distinctions so you can learn what’s correct for your residence.
Whole-House Air Purifier vs. Portable Air Purifiers
A portable air purifier is for a lone room. A whole-house air purifier accompanies your HVAC equipment to clean your entire home. Some models can work on their own when your home comfort unit isn’t running.
What’s the Best Air Purifier for Allergies?
Go after a model with a High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter. HEPA filters are used in hospitals and provide the best filtration you can find, as they eliminate 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 eliminate dust, dander, pollen and mold, all of which are common allergens. For the best in air purification, consider a unit that also has a carbon-based filter to decrease household vapors.
Avoid using an air purifier that creates ozone, which is the top ingredient in smog. The EPA cautions ozone might worsen respiratory issues, even when emitted at small concentrations.
The Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America has made a checklist 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 bigger amount means air will be cleaned faster.)
- How often does the filter or UV bulb need to be changed? Can I finish that on my own?
- How much do replacement filters or bulbs cost?
How to Lessen Seasonal Allergy Symptoms
Want to receive the best performance from your new air purification unit? The Mayo Clinic advises completing other measures to decrease your exposure to problems that can cause seasonal allergies.
- Stay indoors and keep windows and doors sealed when pollen counts are high.
- Have someone else mow the lawn or pull weeds, since these tasks can aggravate symptoms. If you must do these jobs on your own, consider using a pollen mask. You should also rinse off immediately and put on clean clothes once you’re finished.
- Avoid hanging laundry outside.
- Use the AC while at your house or while driving. Consider adding a high-efficiency air filter in your house’s home comfort system.
- Even out your home’s humidity saturation with a whole-house dehumidifier.
- Hardwood, tile or linoleum are the best flooring materials for lowering indoor allergens. If your house has carpet, install a HEPA filter on your vacuum cleaner.
Let Our Professionals Manage Your Indoor Air Quality Needs
Ready to move forward with getting a whole-house air purifier? Give our specialists a call at 703-278-2036 or contact us online to schedule an appointment. We’ll help you choose the best equipment for your needs and budget.