We spend a good majority of our time in our homes. In reality, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has determined being inside accounts for 90% of our days. Although, the EPA also has determined your indoor air can be three to five times more polluted than outside your home.

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

When outdoors ventilation is limited, pollutants including dust and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) might get captured. Consequently, 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 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 landed on your couch or flooring, it could help freshen the air moving throughout 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 can also be useful if you or someone in your household has lung trouble, including emphysema or COPD.

There are two kinds, a portable air purifier or a whole-home air purifier. We’ll go over the advantages so you can determine 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 heating and cooling unit to clean your complete house. Some kinds can clean on their own when your HVAC system isn’t operating.

What’s the Best Air Purifier for Allergies?

Look for a model with a High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter. HEPA filters are used in hospitals and deliver the greatest filtration you can find, as they eliminate 99.97% of particles in the air.

HEPA filters are even more useful when installed with an ultraviolet (UV) germicidal light. This powerful blend can wipe out dust, dander, pollen and mold, all of which are common allergens. For the greatest in air purification, consider a system that also has a carbon-based filter to decrease household vapors.

Avoid buying an air purifier that creates ozone, which is the main element in smog. The EPA warns ozone could worsen respiratory troubles, even when released at minor amounts.

The Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America has created a listing of questions to ask 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 higher number means air will be purified more quickly.)
  • How regularly does the filter or UV bulb need to be changed]? Can I finish that by myself?
  • How much do new filters or bulbs cost?

How to Lessen Seasonal Allergy Symptoms

Want to have the {top|most excellent|best] outcome 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 indoors and keep windows and doors shut when pollen counts are high.
  2. Have someone else mow the lawn or pull weeds, since these jobs can trigger symptoms. If you are required to do these jobs on your own, you may want to consider trying a pollen mask. You should also bathe immediately and change your clothes once you’re done.
  3. Avoid drying laundry outside.
  4. Turn on the AC while indoors or while driving. Consider using a high efficiency air filter in your residence’s home comfort system.
  5. Equalize your home’s humidity saturation with a whole-house dehumidifier.
  6. Hardwood, tile or linoleum are the suggested flooring kinds for decreasing indoor allergens. If your residence has carpet, install a HEPA filter on your vacuum cleaner.

Let Our Pros Handle Your Indoor Air Quality Necessities

Ready to take the next step with adding a whole-house air purifier? Give our professionals a call at 918-212-8943 or contact us online to schedule an appointment. We’ll help you choose the best system for your residence and budget.