Is there a lot of sneezing, sniffling, and coughing going on in your home like there is in mine? Especially when the season changes? If your kids, or anyone else in your family, have allergies you’re probably wondering what you can do to make life easier for them and luckily, there are some simple steps you can take to improve air quality, which is great!
But First…How Does Indoor Air Quality Actually Affect Allergies?
When we think of allergies, we usually think of things like pollen, plants, animals, and other irritants found outside. And yet there are actually a number of air pollutants inside your house that can be just as bad at aggravating allergies, which was news to me!
So, just what is negatively affecting your indoor air quality?
Mould, mildew, bacteria, viruses, pollen, dust mites, and animal dander (if you have pets) are the most common indoor pollutants. You may be surprised to learn that you’re also at risk of being exposed to harmful chemicals and gases, such as radon and formaldehyde, found in common household items.
If anyone in your family suffers from allergies you’ll need to be mindful of the quality of your air. Poor indoor air quality can lead to allergic reactions, respiratory problems, cardiovascular issues, and more. This is an especially important concern for those who have kids, as their immune systems generally aren’t as strong as an adult’s.
Air Purifiers for Allergies: Do They Work?
So, do air purifiers really improve home air quality and help with allergies? Simply put…yes, an air purifier can definitely help reduce the number of allergic reactions you and your family suffer from inside your home.
Indoor allergens are hard to spot and often not visible to the naked eye. They can also get trapped in your carpet, furniture, bedding, and other areas of your home, staying hidden until they’re disturbed. Once in the air, they can cause a number of health problems if inhaled. A good air purifier can remove these allergens from the air and keep them out of your lungs. In fact, air purifiers can even help remove unpleasant odours from your home, which is a bonus in and of itself!
However, not all air purifiers are created equal. While some can be extremely effective, others might not do much at all and still leave plenty of pollutants inside your home. So, it’s important for you to do your research and find an air purifier that’s actually going to improve your air quality.
What Kind of Air Purifier Should You Get to Help With Allergies?
In order to make sure your air purifier is able to properly remove all allergens from your home, you need to ensure it has the right kind of filter.
Air purifiers that have a True HEPA filter will remove 99.97% of in-air pollutants, including mould, dust, pet dander, and other allergens. In fact, a HEPA filter can catch items as small as 0.3 microns, ensuring even the smaller irritants get removed from your air.
How Many Air Purifiers Do You Need?
If you have a high-quality air purifier in one room of your house, you’ll enjoy allergy relief in that room. However, you and your kids will likely still be exposed to a number of allergens throughout the rest of the home.
Air purifiers are great at cleaning the air, but their range is usually limited to the room they’re in. So, to improve the indoor air quality in your entire house you’ll likely want to place a device in all the rooms you spend the most time in.
You may also want to focus on areas of your home that produce the most allergens. For example, if there’s a particular room that your pet spends a lot of time in, or a spot that seems to attract a lot of dust, you might want to consider placing an air purifier in that area. Personally, that’s our bedroom since both our dogs like to sleep there all day long! Lazy!
When it comes down to it, the more air purifiers you have in your home, the more allergy relief you’ll experience.
The Size of Your Air Purifier Also Matters
To get true allergy relief in your home you’re also going to want to consider the size of your air purifier. You may have the best air purifier available, but if it’s too small for the room it’s in then it’s not going to be very effective at removing allergens from the air.
Every air purifier is designed to treat a specific size of room, which means you’ll need to make sure your device is the right size for the room it’s in.
The first step is to determine the square footage of the room you plan to place the air purifier in. If you don’t know the square footage already it’s fairly easy to find out. Simply measure the length and width and then multiply those two numbers together.
So, if your room is 30’ long and 20’ wide, the square footage would be 600’.
When looking for an air purifier, it’s a good idea to find one that can handle a square footage that’s a little bigger than your room just to be sure every allergen is caught.
For the Best Results, Talk to an HVAC Expert
The above information is all well and good, but when it comes to you and your children’s health you likely don’t want to take any chances.
For the best results, it’s best to talk to an HVAC expert. These specialists can assess your home and identify any potential allergens. They can then recommend a solution that’s optimized for you and your home.
Other Ways to Improve Your Indoor Air Quality
In addition to adding an air purifier to your home, there are a number of other things you can do to help keep your home free from indoor pollutants.
- Clean Regularly: Regularly cleaning your floors, walls, and furniture is a great way to get rid of a number of different allergens. Vacuuming, dusting, and mopping will remove all kinds of harmful particles from your home to keep you and your children breathing easier.
- Wash Your Bedding: Bedding is one of the most common places to find a number of different allergens, so washing your bedding on a regular basis will greatly improve your home air quality.
- Control Your Humidity: Mould and mildew are some of the most harmful allergens found in homes, and they thrive in a moist and humid environment. To prevent mould from forming its best to keep your humidity between 30-50%. To do this, open your doors and windows to improve circulation, use exhaust fans, or get a dehumidifier.
- Maintain Your HVAC System: If you have an air conditioner or furnace in your home, make sure it’s properly maintained and kept clean. Otherwise, these devices may be spreading allergens throughout your home.
- Add In Purifying Plants: There are a number of simple plants you can add to your home that will help keep your air quality clean and the great thing is that a lot of them don’t require a lot of upkeep. So black thumbs like me can still keep them alive…hopefully!
