We spend a lot of time inside. In fact, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has determined being indoors comprises 90% of our schedule. Although, the EPA also has determined your indoor air can be three to five times dirtier than outdoors.

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

When outside ventilation is limited, pollutants including dust and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) can get captured. Consequently, these pollutants might worsen your allergies.

You can enhance your indoor air quality with crisp air and routine cleaning and vacuuming. But if you’re still having issues with symptoms when you’re at home, an air purifier could be able to help.

While it can’t eliminate pollutants that have gotten trapped in your couch or flooring, it could help freshen the air traveling throughout your residence.

And air purification has also been scientifically verified to help reduce 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 a lung condition, like emphysema or COPD.

There are two kinds, a portable air purifier or a whole-home air purifier. We’ll discuss the differences so you can learn what’s correct for your home.

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 clean your complete home. Some models can clean on their own when your HVAC unit isn’t operating.

What’s the Best Air Purifier for Allergies?

Look for an option with a High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter. HEPA filters are used in hospitals and provide the best filtration you can buy, 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 powerful mixture can destroy dust, dander, pollen and mold, all of which are common allergens. For the greatest in air purification, evaluate equipment that also has a carbon-based filter to decrease household odors.

Avoid getting an air purifier that generates ozone, which is the primary ingredient in smog. The EPA warns ozone may worsen respiratory troubles, even when discharged at minor amounts.

The Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America has created a listing of questions to think over 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 better number means air will be freshened more rapidly.)
  • How regularly does the filter or UV bulb need to be changed]? Can I do that on my own?
  • How much do new filters or bulbs cost?

How to Decrease Seasonal Allergy Symptoms

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

  1. Stay indoors and keep windows and doors sealed when pollen counts are heightened.
  2. Have someone else cut the lawn or pull weeds, since this work can aggravate symptoms. If you are required to do these chores alone, you may want to consider trying a pollen mask. You should also shower without delay and change your clothes once you’re done.
  3. Avoid hanging laundry outside your home.
  4. Use your air conditioner while at your house or while in the car. Consider using a high efficiency air filter in your house’s HVAC system.
  5. Even out your house’s humidity saturation with a whole-house dehumidifier.
  6. Hardwood, tile or linoleum are the ideal flooring types for lowering indoor allergens. If your house has carpet, use a HEPA filter on your vacuum cleaner.

Let Our Specialists Take Care of Your Indoor Air Quality Requirements

Want to move forward with adding a whole-house air purifier? Give our specialists a call at 208-561-1226 or contact us online to request an appointment. We’ll help you find the ideal equipment for your residence and budget.