We spend a good majority of our time in our homes. As a matter of fact, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has determined being inside makes up 90% of our days. However, the EPA also has found your indoor air can be three to five times dirtier than outside your home.

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

When outdoor ventilation is insufficient, pollutants like dust and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) may get captured. As a consequence, these pollutants can worsen your allergies.

You can improve your indoor air quality with fresh air and routine housework and vacuuming. But if you’re still struggling with symptoms during the time you’re at your residence, an air purifier might be able to provide relief.

While it can’t eliminate pollutants that have settled on your furniture or flooring, it may help purify the air circulating around your house.

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 someone in your household has lung trouble, including emphysema or COPD.

There are two models, a portable air purifier or a whole-home air purifier. We’ll go over the differences so you can determine 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 accompanies your home comfort equipment to purify your full house. Some types can purify on their own when your heating and cooling unit isn’t on.

What’s the Best Air Purifier for Allergies?

Seek a purifier with a High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter. HEPA filters are used in hospitals and deliver the greatest filtration you can buy, as they catch 99.97% of particles in the air.

HEPA filters are even more beneficial when used with an ultraviolet (UV) germicidal light. This powerful combination can destroy dust, dander, pollen and mold, all of which are general allergens. For the best in air purification, consider a unit that also has a carbon-based filter to reduce household odors.

Avoid getting an air purifier that makes ozone, which is the top ingredient in smog. The EPA advises ozone could irritate respiratory issues, even when released at low amounts.

The Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America has compiled a list 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 higher figure means air will be purified more quickly.)
  • How often does the filter or UV bulb need to be switched]? Can I complete that without help?
  • How much do replacement filters or bulbs cost?

How to Decrease Seasonal Allergy Symptoms

Want to have the {top|most excellent|best] performance from your new air purification unit? The Mayo Clinic suggests taking other measures to limit your exposure to things that can trigger seasonal allergies.

  1. Stay indoors and keep windows and doors shut when pollen counts are high.
  2. Have someone else trim the lawn or pull weeds, since these tasks can irritate symptoms. If you must do these chores on your own, you may want to consider trying a pollen mask. You should also rinse off immediately and put on new clothes once you’re finished.
  3. Avoid hanging laundry outside your home.
  4. Turn on your air conditioner while at your house or while driving. Consider using a high efficiency air filter in your residence’s HVAC equipment.
  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 home has carpet, add a HEPA filter on your vacuum cleaner.

Let Our Pros Manage Your Indoor Air Quality Needs

Ready to move forward with installing a whole-house air purifier? Give our experts a call at 478-200-5689 or contact us online to request an appointment. We’ll help you find the best system for your house and budget.