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

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

When outdoors ventilation is restricted, pollutants such as dust and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) could get trapped. As a consequence, these pollutants might irritate your allergies.

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

While it can’t remove pollutants that have landed on your couch or flooring, it might help purify the air traveling around your home.

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 could also be helpful if you or a loved one has a lung condition, 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 residence.

Whole-House Air Purifier vs. Portable Air Purifiers

A portable air purifier is for a lone room. A whole-house air purifier accompanies your heating and cooling system to clean your complete residence. Some models can work independent when your HVAC equipment isn’t on.

What’s the Best Air Purifier for Allergies?

Go after a purifier with a High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter. HEPA filters are installed in hospitals and offer the greatest filtration you can find, as they catch 99.97% of particles in the air.

HEPA filters are even more beneficial when combined with an ultraviolet (UV) germicidal light. This powerful mixture can eliminate dust, dander, pollen and mold, all of which are standard allergens. For the best in air purification, consider a system that also has a carbon-based filter to eliminate household smells.

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

The Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America has made a checklist of questions to consider 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 bigger amount means air will be purified more quickly.)
  • How regularly does the filter or UV bulb need to be replaced]? Can I complete that by myself?
  • How much do replacement filters or bulbs cost?

How to Lessen Seasonal Allergy Symptoms

Want to have the {top|most excellent|best] results from your new air purification system? The Mayo Clinic suggests completing other measures to limit your exposure to problems that can cause seasonal allergies.

  1. Stay inside and keep windows and doors closed when pollen counts are elevated.
  2. Have other household members trim the lawn or pull weeds, since these jobs can worsen symptoms. If you must do this work on your own, consider trying a pollen mask. You should also shower right away and change your clothes once you’re finished.
  3. Avoid hanging laundry outside.
  4. Run air conditioning while at home or while you’re on the road. Consider adding a high efficiency air filter in your house’s home comfort unit.
  5. Even out your home’s humidity levels with a whole-house dehumidifier.
  6. Hardwood, tile or linoleum are the suggested flooring kinds for reducing indoor allergens. If your home has carpet, add a HEPA filter on your vacuum cleaner.

Let Our Professionals Manage Your Indoor Air Quality Needs

Ready to take the next step with adding a whole-house air purifier? Give our experts a call at 920-347-8495 or contact us online to get an appointment. We’ll help you locate the right unit for your home and budget.