We spend lots of time indoors. In fact, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has determined being inside makes up 90% of our days. Having said that, the EPA also has found your indoor air can be three to five times worse than outdoors.

That’s because our homes are firmly sealed to enhance energy efficiency. While this is great for your energy expenses, it’s not so great if you’re a part of the 40% of the population with respiratory allergies.

When outdoor ventilation is restricted, pollutants such as dust and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) may get captured. Consequently, these pollutants could irritate your allergies.

You can enhance your indoor air quality with clean air and usual cleaning and vacuuming. But if you’re still having issues with symptoms while you’re at your house, an air purifier could be able to help.

While it can’t eliminate pollutants that have settled on your couch or flooring, it may help clean the air traveling across your residence.

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 might also be appropriate if you or a loved one has lung trouble, such as emphysema or COPD.

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

Whole-House Air Purifier vs. Portable Air Purifiers

A portable air purifier is for a single room. A whole-house air purifier works with your heating and cooling system to treat your full house. Some models can work by themselves 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 provide the greatest filtration you can buy, as they eliminate 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 eliminate dust, dander, pollen and mold, all of which are standard allergens. For the greatest in air purification, consider a system that also has a carbon-based filter to reduce household vapors.

Avoid using an air purifier that makes ozone, which is the main component in smog. The EPA warns ozone may worsen respiratory problems, even when emitted at low settings.

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

  • What can this purifier extract from the air? What doesn’t it take out?
  • What’s its clean air delivery rate? (A bigger amount means air will be freshened more rapidly.)
  • How often does the filter or UV bulb need to be replaced]? 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] outcome from your new air purification equipment? The Mayo Clinic suggests taking other measures to decrease your exposure to problems that can cause seasonal allergies.

  1. Stay inside and keep windows and doors sealed when pollen counts are elevated.
  2. Have other household members mow the lawn or pull weeds, since these jobs can worsen symptoms. If you have to do these jobs on your own, you might want to consider wearing a pollen mask. You should also bathe without delay and put on new clothes once you’re done.
  3. Avoid hanging laundry outside your home.
  4. Run your air conditioner while at home or while in the car. Consider installing a high efficiency air filter in your house’s heating and cooling unit.
  5. Balance your residence’s humidity saturation with a whole-house dehumidifier.
  6. Hardwood, tile or linoleum are the best flooring types for lowering indoor allergens. If your home has carpet, use a HEPA filter on your vacuum cleaner.

Let Our Specialists Take Care of Your Indoor Air Quality Needs

Want to progress with installing a whole-house air purifier? Give our professionals a call at 478-200-5689 or contact us online to schedule an appointment. We’ll help you find the best equipment for your home and budget.