We spend a good majority of our time indoors. As a matter of fact, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approximated being indoors accounts for 90% of our days. Having said that, the EPA also has determined your indoor air can be three to five times more polluted than outdoors.

That’s since our residences are tightly sealed to enhance energy efficiency. While this is good for your energy bills, it’s not so fantastic if you’re among the 40% of the population with respiratory allergies.

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

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

While it can’t eliminate pollutants that have gotten trapped in your furnishings or carpet, it may help purify the air traveling around your residence.

And air purification has also been scientifically proven to help lessen some allergic symptoms, according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. It might also be helpful 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 go over the distinctions so you can figure out what’s correct for your residence.

Whole-House Air Purifier vs. Portable Air Purifiers

A portable air purifier is for a single room. A whole-house air purifier works alongside your heating and cooling equipment to treat your entire house. Some types can purify independent when your HVAC unit 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 deliver the best filtration you can find, as they trap 99.97% of particles in the air.

HEPA filters are even more useful when used with an ultraviolet (UV) germicidal light. This mighty combination can destroy dust, dander, pollen and mold, all of which are common allergens. For the greatest in air purification, evaluate a system that also has a carbon-based filter to eliminate household smells.

Avoid using an air purifier that generates ozone, which is the top component in smog. The EPA cautions ozone may irritate respiratory troubles, even when emitted at low amounts.

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

  • What can this purifier take out from the air? What doesn’t it take out?
  • What’s its clean air delivery rate? (A higher amount means air will be freshened more quickly.)
  • How frequently does the filter or UV bulb need to be replaced]? Can I do that by myself?
  • How much do new filters or bulbs cost?

How to Decrease Seasonal Allergy Symptoms

Want to get the {top|most excellent|best] results from your new air purification unit? The Mayo Clinic suggests taking other steps to reduce 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 other family members cut the lawn or pull weeds, since these jobs can trigger symptoms. If you must do these chores yourself, consider using a pollen mask. You should also bathe without delay and put on new clothes once you’re done.
  3. Avoid hanging laundry outdoors.
  4. Run the AC while indoors or while in the car. Consider using a high efficiency air filter in your house’s home comfort system.
  5. Balance your residence’s humidity percentage with a whole-house dehumidifier.
  6. Hardwood, tile or linoleum are the suggested flooring kinds for lowering indoor allergens. If your residence has carpet, install a HEPA filter on your vacuum cleaner.

Let Our Specialists Handle Your Indoor Air Quality Necessities

Ready to progress with adding a whole-house air purifier? Give our experts a call at 432-237-0168 or contact us online to get an appointment. We’ll help you locate the ideal unit for your residence and budget.