We spend a good majority of our time inside. As a matter of fact, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approximated being inside makes up 90% of our schedule. However, the EPA also has found your indoor air can be three to five times dirtier than outside your home.

That’s since our homes are firmly sealed to increase energy efficiency. While this is good for your utility bills, it’s not so fantastic if you’re among the 40% of the population with respiratory allergies.

When outdoors ventilation is restricted, pollutants such as dust and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) might get trapped. Consequently, these pollutants can worsen your allergies.

You can improve your indoor air quality with fresh air and regular housework and vacuuming. But if you’re still having problems with symptoms while you’re at your house, an air purifier may be able to provide assistance.

While it can’t get rid of pollutants that have settled on your furniture or flooring, it can help purify the air circulating around your home.

And air purification has also been scientifically proven to help reduce some allergic symptoms, according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. It can also be helpful if you or a family member has lung trouble, such as emphysema or COPD.

There are two options, a portable air purifier or a whole-home air purifier. We’ll discuss the distinctions so you can learn what’s appropriate 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 works alongside your heating and cooling system to clean your full residence. Some types can work on their own when your HVAC system 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 get, as they trap 99.97% of particles in the air.

HEPA filters are even more powerful when installed with an ultraviolet (UV) germicidal light. This mighty mixture can eliminate dust, dander, pollen and mold, all of which are standard allergens. For the best in air purification, think over equipment that also has a carbon-based filter to reduce household odors.

Avoid getting an air purifier that makes ozone, which is the main ingredient in smog. The EPA cautions ozone could worsen respiratory problems, even when discharged at minor concentrations.

The Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America has created a list of questions to think over when buying an air purifier.

  • What can this purifier extract from the air? What doesn’t it remove?
  • What’s its clean air delivery rate? (A bigger figure means air will be cleaned more quickly.)
  • How regularly does the filter or UV bulb need to be changed]? Can I finish that by myself?
  • How much do spare filters or bulbs cost?

How to Decrease Seasonal Allergy Symptoms

Want to receive the {top|most excellent|best] performance from your new air purification unit? The Mayo Clinic suggests doing other procedures to limit your exposure to seasonal allergy triggers.

  1. Stay inside and keep windows and doors closed when pollen counts are heightened.
  2. Have someone else mow the lawn or pull weeds, since these jobs can aggravate symptoms. If you are required to do these jobs yourself, you may want to consider trying a pollen mask. You should also bathe immediately and change your clothes once you’re completed.
  3. Avoid hanging laundry outdoors.
  4. Run air conditioning while at your house or while you’re on the road. Consider installing a high efficiency air filter in your home’s home comfort unit.
  5. Balance your house’s humidity percentage with a whole-house dehumidifier.
  6. Hardwood, tile or linoleum are the ideal flooring types for reducing indoor allergens. If your home has carpet, install a HEPA filter on your vacuum cleaner.

Let Our Professionals Take Care of Your Indoor Air Quality Necessities

Ready to move forward with getting a whole-house air purifier? Give our professionals a call at 800-296-5088 or contact us online to schedule an appointment. We’ll help you choose the ideal unit for your residence and budget.