We spend a lot of time inside. As a matter of fact, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approximated being indoors makes up 90% of our days. Although, the EPA also has found your indoor air can be three to five times worse than outside your home.

That’s because our houses are firmly sealed to enhance energy efficiency. While this is good for your energy expenses, it’s not so good 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) might get captured. Consequently, these pollutants may aggravate your allergies.

You can boost your indoor air quality with crisp air and regular housework and vacuuming. But if you’re still having problems with symptoms during the time you’re at your residence, an air purifier could be able to provide assistance.

While it can’t get rid of pollutants that have gotten trapped in your furnishings or carpeting, it could help freshen the air moving around your home.

And air purification has also been scientifically verified to help reduce some allergic symptoms, according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. It can 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 advantages so you can learn what’s appropriate 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 works with your home comfort system to clean your full home. Some models can clean independent when your heating and cooling system 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 provide the most comprehensive filtration you can find, 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 powerful blend can wipe out dust, dander, pollen and mold, all of which are standard allergens. For the ultimate in air purification, think over a system that also has a carbon-based filter to decrease household odors.

Avoid buying an air purifier that makes ozone, which is the primary ingredient in smog. The EPA cautions ozone could irritate respiratory problems, even when released at low amounts.

The Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America has created a listing of questions to consider when buying an air purifier.

  • What can this purifier remove from the air? What doesn’t it extract?
  • What’s its clean air delivery rate? (A bigger figure means air will be cleaned more quickly.)
  • How frequently does the filter or UV bulb need to be replaced]? Can I finish that on my own?
  • How much do new filters or bulbs cost?

How to Lessen Seasonal Allergy Symptoms

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

  1. Stay inside and keep windows and doors shut when pollen counts are elevated.
  2. Have someone else mow the lawn or pull weeds, since these jobs 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 right away and put on clean clothes once you’re completed.
  3. Avoid stringing up laundry outside.
  4. Turn on your air conditioner while at your house or while in the car. Consider adding a high efficiency air filter in your residence’s home comfort equipment.
  5. Balance your residence’s humidity saturation with a whole-house dehumidifier.
  6. Hardwood, tile or linoleum are the ideal flooring types for reducing indoor allergens. If your residence has carpet, install a HEPA filter on your vacuum cleaner.

Let Our Professionals Take Care of Your Indoor Air Quality Needs

Want to move forward with getting a whole-house air purifier? Give our specialists a call at 641-243-4654 or contact us online to schedule an appointment. We’ll help you find the best system for your home and budget.