We spend lots of time indoors. As a matter of fact, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has determined being within a building accounts for 90% of our schedule. Although, the EPA also says your indoor air can be three to five times dirtier than outside your home.
That’s because our houses are firmly sealed to increase energy efficiency. While this is good for your heating and cooling costs, it’s not so good if you’re among the 40% of the population with respiratory allergies.
When outdoors ventilation is limited, pollutants including dust and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) might get stuck. Consequently, these pollutants might aggravate your allergies.
You can boost your indoor air quality with crisp air and usual housework and vacuuming. But if you’re still having problems with symptoms during the time you’re at your house, an air purifier may be able to provide relief.
While it can’t remove pollutants that have gotten trapped in your furniture or carpet, it may help clean the air moving throughout your residence.
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 can also be helpful if you or someone in your household has lung issues, including emphysema or COPD.
There are two options, a portable air purifier or a whole-home air purifier. We’ll discuss the differences so you can figure out what’s correct for your residence.
Whole-House Air Purifier vs. Portable Air Purifiers
A portable air purifier is for one room. A whole-house air purifier works with your HVAC equipment to clean your full residence. Some types can work on their own when your home comfort equipment isn’t operating.
What’s the Best Air Purifier for Allergies?
Go after an option with a High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter. HEPA filters are used in hospitals and deliver the best filtration you can buy, as they trap 99.97% of particles in the air.
HEPA filters are even more beneficial when combined with an ultraviolet (UV) germicidal light. This mighty mixture can eliminate dust, dander, pollen and mold, all of which are common allergens. For the ultimate in air purification, evaluate equipment that also has a carbon-based filter to take care of household odors.
Avoid purchasing an air purifier that creates ozone, which is the primary component in smog. The EPA advises ozone might worsen respiratory troubles, even when released at minor 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 take out?
- What’s its clean air delivery rate? (A higher number means air will be cleaned faster.)
- How often does the filter or UV bulb need to be switched? Can I finish that without help?
- How much do spare filters or bulbs cost?
How to Decrease Seasonal Allergy Symptoms
Want to have the top performance from your new air purification equipment? The Mayo Clinic advises completing other procedures to decrease 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 cut the lawn or pull weeds, since these tasks can irritate symptoms. If you have to do these jobs alone, consider using a pollen mask. You should also bathe immediately and change your clothes once you’re finished.
- Avoid drying laundry outside.
- Turn on air conditioning while at home or while driving. Consider installing a high-efficiency air filter in your house’s HVAC 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 residence has carpet, install a HEPA filter on your vacuum cleaner.
Let Our Pros Manage Your Indoor Air Quality Needs
Ready to move forward with installing a whole-house air purifier? Give our professionals a call at 512-355-1482 or contact us online to schedule an appointment. We’ll help you choose the best equipment for your house and budget.