We spend a lot of time in our homes. As a matter of fact, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has determined being inside makes up 90% of our time. Although, the EPA also has found your indoor air can be three to five times worse than outdoors.

That’s since our residences are tightly sealed to increase energy efficiency. While this is good for your energy expenses, it’s not so good if you’re a part of the 40% of the population with respiratory allergies.

When outdoor ventilation is limited, pollutants such as dust and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) could get trapped. Consequently, these pollutants could aggravate your allergies.

You can improve your indoor air quality with clean air and usual dusting and vacuuming. But if you’re still having issues with symptoms when you’re at home, an air purifier might be able to provide relief.

While it can’t get rid of pollutants that have landed on your furnishings or flooring, it might help freshen the air traveling across your residence.

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 might also be appropriate if you or a family member has lung issues, like emphysema or COPD.

There are two kinds, a portable air purifier or a whole-home air purifier. We’ll examine the distinctions so you can learn what’s right for your home.

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 HVAC system to purify your full house. Some kinds can work on their own when your HVAC unit isn’t running.

What’s the Best Air Purifier for Allergies?

Seek a purifier with a High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter. HEPA filters are placed in hospitals and offer 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 mighty blend can wipe out dust, dander, pollen and mold, all of which are common allergens. For the ultimate in air purification, think over a system that also has a carbon-based filter to eliminate household smells.

Avoid using an air purifier that makes ozone, which is the main ingredient in smog. The EPA cautions ozone may worsen respiratory issues, even when emitted at low amounts.

The Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America has created a list of questions to think over when getting 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 number means air will be purified more quickly.)
  • How frequently 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 Reduce Seasonal Allergy Symptoms

Want to get the {top|most excellent|best] results from your new air purification system? The Mayo Clinic suggests doing other steps to reduce your exposure to problems that can cause seasonal allergies.

  1. Stay indoors and keep windows and doors sealed when pollen counts are elevated.
  2. Have other household members cut the lawn or pull weeds, since this work can worsen symptoms. If you are required to do this work yourself, you might want to consider trying a pollen mask. You should also rinse off immediately and change your clothes once you’re finished.
  3. Avoid hanging laundry outdoors.
  4. Run your air conditioner while at home or while in the car. Consider using a high efficiency air filter in your home’s home comfort unit.
  5. Even out your home’s humidity saturation with a whole-house dehumidifier.
  6. Hardwood, tile or linoleum are the suggested flooring materials for lowering indoor allergens. If your residence has carpet, add a HEPA filter on your vacuum cleaner.

Let Our Professionals Take Care of Your Indoor Air Quality Requirements

Ready to move forward with installing a whole-house air purifier? Give our specialists a call at 641-628-3621 or contact us online to get an appointment. We’ll help you locate the ideal system for your house and budget.