We spend a lot of time inside. In fact, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approximated being within a building comprises 90% of our time. However, the EPA also has determined your indoor air can be three to five times more polluted than outdoors.

That’s due to the fact our homes are tightly sealed to increase energy efficiency. While this is good for your heating and cooling costs, it’s not so good if you’re amid the 40% of the population with respiratory allergies.

When outside ventilation is restricted, pollutants such as dust and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) can get trapped. As a consequence, these pollutants may aggravate your allergies.

You can improve your indoor air quality with clean air and routine housework and vacuuming. But if you’re still having problems with symptoms when you’re at home, an air purifier may be able to provide assistance.

While it can’t eliminate pollutants that have landed on your furniture or flooring, it can help clean the air moving across your house.

And air purification has also been scientifically verified to help lessen some allergic symptoms, according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. It can also be helpful if you or a loved one has lung issues, including emphysema or COPD.

There are two kinds, a portable air purifier or a whole-home air purifier. We’ll discuss the advantages so you can learn what’s correct for your residence.

Whole-House Air Purifier vs. Portable Air Purifiers

A portable air purifier is for a single room. A whole-house air purifier works alongside your HVAC system to clean your entire home. Some models can work on their own when your HVAC unit isn’t on.

What’s the Best Air Purifier for Allergies?

Go after an option with a High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter. HEPA filters are installed in hospitals and deliver the greatest 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 mighty blend can eliminate dust, dander, pollen and mold, all of which are standard allergens. For the best in air purification, consider a unit that also has a carbon-based filter to reduce household smells.

Avoid buying an air purifier that creates ozone, which is the main ingredient in smog. The EPA cautions ozone may aggravate respiratory issues, even when released at minor amounts.

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

  • What can this purifier extract from the air? What doesn’t it extract?
  • What’s its clean air delivery rate? (A better amount means air will be purified more quickly.)
  • How frequently does the filter or UV bulb need to be switched]? Can I do that on my own?
  • How much do replacement 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 completing other measures to decrease your exposure to seasonal allergy triggers.

  1. Stay inside and keep windows and doors sealed when pollen counts are high.
  2. Have someone else mow the lawn or pull weeds, since these jobs can worsen symptoms. If you must do this work on your own, you might want to consider trying a pollen mask. You should also rinse off right away and put on new clothes once you’re done.
  3. Avoid stringing up laundry outside.
  4. Turn on the AC while indoors or while driving. Consider using a high efficiency air filter in your house’s home comfort equipment.
  5. Even out your house’s humidity levels with a whole-house dehumidifier.
  6. Hardwood, tile or linoleum are the suggested flooring types for lowering indoor allergens. If your house has carpet, use a HEPA filter on your vacuum cleaner.

Let Our Professionals Take Care of Your Indoor Air Quality Needs

Want to take the next step with getting a whole-house air purifier? Give our specialists a call at 734-284-1224 or contact us online to request an appointment. We’ll help you locate the ideal unit for your family and budget.