We spend lots of time indoors. In fact, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has determined being within a building comprises 90% of our days. Although, the EPA also has determined your indoor air can be three to five times dirtier than outside your home.

That’s because our residences are securely sealed to enhance energy efficiency. While this is great for your utility expenses, it’s not so fantastic if you’re amid the 40% of the population with respiratory allergies.

When outdoors ventilation is restricted, pollutants including dust and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) may get trapped. Consequently, these pollutants may aggravate your allergies.

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

While it can’t remove pollutants that have gotten trapped in your furniture or carpet, it may help freshen the air circulating across your home.

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

There are two options, a portable air purifier or a whole-home air purifier. We’ll examine the distinctions so you can determine what’s correct for your residence.

Whole-House Air Purifier vs. Portable Air Purifiers

A portable air purifier is for a lone room. A whole-house air purifier works alongside your heating and cooling unit to treat your complete home. Some kinds can clean by themselves when your home comfort 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 installed in hospitals and provide the greatest filtration you can find, 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 wipe out dust, dander, pollen and mold, all of which are general allergens. For the greatest in air purification, evaluate equipment that also has a carbon-based filter to decrease household smells.

Avoid getting an air purifier that makes ozone, which is the primary element in smog. The EPA warns ozone could irritate respiratory troubles, even when discharged at small settings.

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

  • What can this purifier extract from the air? What doesn’t it extract?
  • What’s its clean air delivery rate? (A bigger number means air will be freshened more rapidly.)
  • How frequently does the filter or UV bulb need to be replaced]? Can I finish 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] outcome from your new air purification unit? The Mayo Clinic advises taking other steps to reduce your exposure to problems that can cause seasonal allergies.

  1. Stay indoors and keep windows and doors shut when pollen counts are elevated.
  2. Have other household members cut the lawn or pull weeds, since these jobs can aggravate symptoms. If you have to do these chores on your own, you may want to consider wearing a pollen mask. You should also bathe right away and put on new clothes once you’re completed.
  3. Avoid drying laundry outside your home.
  4. Turn on air conditioning while at home or while driving. Consider installing a high efficiency air filter in your home’s heating and cooling equipment.
  5. Even out your house’s humidity percentage with a whole-house dehumidifier.
  6. Hardwood, tile or linoleum are the suggested flooring kinds for decreasing indoor allergens. If your home has carpet, use a HEPA filter on your vacuum cleaner.

Let Our Pros Manage Your Indoor Air Quality Necessities

Want to move forward with adding a whole-house air purifier? Give our specialists a call at 979-335-4262 or contact us online to request an appointment. We’ll help you choose the ideal equipment for your house and budget.