We spend a good majority of our time indoors. In fact, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approximated being inside accounts for 90% of our schedule. Having said that, the EPA also says your indoor air can be three to five times worse than outside your home.

That’s since our residences are firmly sealed to boost energy efficiency. While this is great for your energy bills, it’s not so good if you’re amid the 40% of the population with respiratory allergies.

When outdoors ventilation is insufficient, pollutants such as dust and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) could get stuck. As a result, these pollutants may irritate your allergies.

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

While it can’t eliminate pollutants that have gotten trapped in your furnishings or carpet, it can help purify the air circulating around your residence.

And air purification has also been scientifically proven to help lower some allergic symptoms, according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. It might also be appropriate if you or someone in your household has lung issues, including 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 figure out what’s right 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 home comfort unit to purify your full home. Some models can work independent when your HVAC equipment isn’t running.

What’s the Best Air Purifier for Allergies?

Look for a purifier with a High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter. HEPA filters are placed in hospitals and deliver the best filtration you can get, as they catch 99.97% of particles in the air.

HEPA filters are even more useful when combined with an ultraviolet (UV) germicidal light. This dynamic mixture can wipe out dust, dander, pollen and mold, all of which are common allergens. For the ultimate in air purification, evaluate a system that also has a carbon-based filter to decrease household smells.

Avoid getting an air purifier that creates ozone, which is the primary ingredient in smog. The EPA cautions ozone may irritate respiratory troubles, even when discharged at low amounts.

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 take out from the air? What doesn’t it take out?
  • What’s its clean air delivery rate? (A higher amount means air will be purified faster.)
  • How often does the filter or UV bulb need to be switched]? Can I complete that by myself?
  • How much do new filters or bulbs cost?

How to Lessen Seasonal Allergy Symptoms

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

  1. Stay indoors and keep windows and doors closed when pollen counts are elevated.
  2. Have other household members cut the lawn or pull weeds, since this work can irritate symptoms. If you must do these jobs on your own, you may want to consider using a pollen mask. You should also shower without delay and put on clean clothes once you’re done.
  3. Avoid stringing up laundry outside your home.
  4. Turn on air conditioning while at your house or while driving. Consider adding a high efficiency air filter in your home’s heating and cooling equipment.
  5. Equalize your home’s humidity levels with a whole-house dehumidifier.
  6. Hardwood, tile or linoleum are the suggested flooring kinds for reducing indoor allergens. If your home has carpet, install a HEPA filter on your vacuum cleaner.

Let Our Pros Handle Your Indoor Air Quality Necessities

Want to take the next step with installing a whole-house air purifier? Give our professionals a call at 641-812-2028 or contact us online to schedule an appointment. We’ll help you choose the best unit for your house and budget.