We spend a good majority of our time indoors. In reality, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approximated being within a building makes up 90% of our days. Although, the EPA also has determined your indoor air can be three to five times more polluted than outside your home.

That’s because our residences are securely sealed to boost energy efficiency. While this is fantastic for your heating and cooling bills, it’s not so fantastic if you’re among the 40% of the population with respiratory allergies.

When outside ventilation is insufficient, pollutants such as dust and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) can get stuck. As a consequence, these pollutants might worsen your allergies.

You can improve your indoor air quality with fresh air and routine dusting and vacuuming. But if you’re still having problems with symptoms when you’re at your house, an air purifier could be able to provide assistance.

While it can’t remove pollutants that have landed on your furniture or carpet, it may help freshen the air circulating around your home.

And air purification has also been scientifically confirmed to help lower some allergic symptoms, according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. It might also be useful if you or a family member has lung issues, including emphysema or COPD.

There are two models, a portable air purifier or a whole-home air purifier. We’ll discuss the differences so you can determine what’s appropriate for your home.

Whole-House Air Purifier vs. Portable Air Purifiers

A portable air purifier is for a single room. A whole-house air purifier accompanies your HVAC unit to treat your entire home. Some models can purify on their own when your HVAC equipment isn’t operating.

What’s the Best Air Purifier for Allergies?

Seek an option with a High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter. HEPA filters are installed in hospitals and offer the best filtration you can get, as they eliminate 99.97% of particles in the air.

HEPA filters are even more beneficial when used with an ultraviolet (UV) germicidal light. This mighty combination can eliminate dust, dander, pollen and mold, all of which are common allergens. For the greatest in air purification, think over a system that also has a carbon-based filter to reduce household smells.

Avoid buying an air purifier that generates ozone, which is the primary element in smog. The EPA advises ozone could worsen respiratory troubles, even when released at low settings.

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

  • What can this purifier extract from the air? What doesn’t it extract?
  • What’s its clean air delivery rate? (A bigger number means air will be purified faster.)
  • How regularly does the filter or UV bulb need to be switched]? Can I complete that without help?
  • How much do new filters or bulbs cost?

How to Reduce Seasonal Allergy Symptoms

Want to get the {top|most excellent|best] results from your new air purification equipment? The Mayo Clinic recommends doing other measures to decrease your exposure to problems that can cause seasonal allergies.

  1. Stay inside and keep windows and doors closed when pollen counts are heightened.
  2. Have other family members cut the lawn or pull weeds, since this work can irritate symptoms. If you have to do this work yourself, you may want to consider trying a pollen mask. You should also rinse off right away and change your clothes once you’re done.
  3. Avoid hanging laundry outdoors.
  4. Turn on your air conditioner while indoors or while you’re on the road. Consider using a high efficiency air filter in your home’s home comfort equipment.
  5. Balance your home’s humidity percentage with a whole-house dehumidifier.
  6. Hardwood, tile or linoleum are the ideal flooring types for lowering indoor allergens. If your residence has carpet, add a HEPA filter on your vacuum cleaner.

Let Our Pros Take Care of Your Indoor Air Quality Needs

Want to progress with getting a whole-house air purifier? Give our professionals a call at 386-313-8766 or contact us online to request an appointment. We’ll help you choose the ideal equipment for your home and budget.