We spend a lot of time in our homes. In fact, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approximated being within a building comprises 90% of our days. However, the EPA also has found your indoor air can be three to five times dirtier than outdoors.

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

When outdoors ventilation is insufficient, pollutants including dust and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) could get trapped. As a consequence, these pollutants may irritate your allergies.

You can enhance your indoor air quality with clean air and usual housework and vacuuming. But if you’re still having problems with symptoms while you’re at your residence, an air purifier may be able to provide assistance.

While it can’t get rid of pollutants that have gotten trapped in your furnishings or carpeting, it can help freshen the air circulating across your residence.

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 may also be helpful if you or a family member has a lung condition, like emphysema or COPD.

There are two models, a portable air purifier or a whole-home air purifier. We’ll examine the advantages so you can figure out what’s right for your house.

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 HVAC equipment to treat your entire home. Some models can work on their own when your heating and cooling system isn’t on.

What’s the Best Air Purifier for Allergies?

Look for a model with a High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter. HEPA filters are installed in hospitals and offer the most comprehensive filtration you can find, as they trap 99.97% of particles in the air.

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

Avoid using an air purifier that generates ozone, which is the primary ingredient in smog. The EPA cautions ozone could irritate respiratory issues, even when emitted at small settings.

The Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America has compiled a checklist of questions to ask 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 higher number means air will be cleaned more rapidly.)
  • How regularly does the filter or UV bulb need to be changed]? Can I complete that by myself?
  • How much do replacement filters or bulbs cost?

How to Reduce Seasonal Allergy Symptoms

Want to get the {top|most excellent|best] outcome from your new air purification equipment? The Mayo Clinic suggests taking other procedures to limit your exposure to seasonal allergy triggers.

  1. Stay indoors and keep windows and doors sealed when pollen counts are heightened.
  2. Have other family members cut the lawn or pull weeds, since this work can trigger symptoms. If you must do these chores alone, you might want to consider trying a pollen mask. You should also shower immediately and change your clothes once you’re done.
  3. Avoid drying laundry outdoors.
  4. Use your air conditioner while indoors or while driving. Consider using a high efficiency air filter in your home’s heating and cooling system.
  5. Balance your residence’s humidity percentage with a whole-house dehumidifier.
  6. Hardwood, tile or linoleum are the ideal flooring types for decreasing indoor allergens. If your residence has carpet, add a HEPA filter on your vacuum cleaner.

Let Our Pros Take Care of Your Indoor Air Quality Requirements

Prepared to progress with installing a whole-house air purifier? Give our professionals a call at 803-265-4208 or contact us online to schedule an appointment. We’ll help you choose the ideal system for your family and budget.