This is the worst time of year for allergy sufferers. Many of us just accept the sneezing, itching, and sniffling as a part of life during the spring. We may stock up on allergy pills or try to stay indoors on days with high pollen counts, but some of those allergens are actually circulating in your home as well.
Indoor air quality should be of concern to you if anyone in the household suffers from allergies, asthma, or even an immune system disorder. The quality of the air inside of your home might be even worse than the air outside, but choosing between these common installations can make a difference.
A quality air conditioner
First, to control the flow of particulate throughout the household, you also need to control the flow of air. A quality air conditioning system can do this for you, provided it’s installed properly and is the right size for your home, with a filter that is changed every few months.
When an air conditioner is the wrong size for your home, it’s not pulling in the amount of air it is designed for. And that means you’re not getting the level of filtration your home needs. Make sure your system is properly installed by calling in trained professionals only, and ask about installing a filter with a high MERV (minimum efficiency reporting value) so that you start getting cleaner air right away.
Dehumidifier
Most air conditioners are dehumidifiers, to an extent, but they cannot do the job as smoothly as a dehumidifier. This installation is available as a portable unit, but we recommend keeping one within your air conditioning system. A whole-house dehumidifier works along with your cooling equipment to remove moisture from the air.
How can this help to relieve your allergy symptoms? Less moisture in the air means fewer mold spores. Your air conditioning system is likely to develop mold and mildew over time, moving pollutants straight into your living space, so it’s a good investment to make in such a humid climate.
UV light air cleaning
A UV light air cleaning system is fairly simple: it’s a bulb of ultraviolet light that cleans the air naturally. Ultraviolet light is able to kill off and sterilize germs like bacteria and viruses. When germs are unable to reproduce, they are safe to breathe in. As air moves through your HVAC system and past the UV light, it is sterilized, like the air in hospitals and research laboratories.
Air filtration systems and air purifiers
An air filtration system is separate from your air filter. You’ll still need to change your filter regularly and replace the filtration media from time to time. But it has a larger surface area to catch more of the particulate that you’d like out of your airflow.
Alternatively, an electronic air cleaner could offer the purification you need. This system is innovative in that it poses no risk of blocking air from moving into your home. Rather, it uses ionization to give particles a charge. Then, they can cling to a surface with the opposite charge. Ask your technician which system is right for your home!