We spend lots of time in our homes. As a matter of fact, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approximated being inside comprises 90% of our time. Although, the EPA also has found your indoor air can be three to five times more polluted than outside your home.

That’s because our residences are tightly sealed to increase energy efficiency. While this is good for your utility expenses, it’s not so great if you’re among the 40% of the population with respiratory allergies.

When outdoor ventilation is insufficient, pollutants like dust and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) might get trapped. Consequently, these pollutants may aggravate your allergies.

You can improve your indoor air quality with fresh air and routine dusting and vacuuming. But if you’re still having issues with symptoms when you’re at your house, an air purifier could be able to provide assistance.

While it can’t eliminate pollutants that have landed on your furniture or carpet, it could help clean the air traveling around your house.

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 could also be appropriate if you or someone in your household has lung trouble, like emphysema or COPD.

There are two kinds, a portable air purifier or a whole-home air purifier. We’ll go over the differences so you can learn what’s appropriate 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 with your HVAC system to purify your entire house. Some models can work by themselves when your heating and cooling system isn’t running.

What’s the Best Air Purifier for Allergies?

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

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

Avoid getting an air purifier that makes ozone, which is the main ingredient in smog. The EPA cautions ozone could irritate respiratory troubles, even when discharged at minor amounts.

The Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America has compiled a checklist of questions to ask when getting an air purifier.

  • What can this purifier remove from the air? What doesn’t it extract?
  • What’s its clean air delivery rate? (A bigger amount means air will be freshened more quickly.)
  • How often does the filter or UV bulb need to be switched]? Can I finish 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] performance from your new air purification unit? The Mayo Clinic suggests taking other measures to limit your exposure to things that can trigger seasonal allergies.

  1. Stay inside and keep windows and doors shut when pollen counts are elevated.
  2. Have other household members trim the lawn or pull weeds, since this work can worsen symptoms. If you must do this work alone, consider using a pollen mask. You should also bathe without delay and put on clean clothes once you’re finished.
  3. Avoid stringing up laundry outside your home.
  4. Run the AC while indoors or while you’re on the road. Consider installing a high efficiency air filter in your residence’s home comfort system.
  5. Balance your residence’s humidity percentage with a whole-house dehumidifier.
  6. Hardwood, tile or linoleum are the ideal flooring materials for lowering indoor allergens. If your residence has carpet, install a HEPA filter on your vacuum cleaner.

Let Our Pros Take Care of Your Indoor Air Quality Necessities

Ready to progress with adding a whole-house air purifier? Give our specialists a call at 570-648-0748 or contact us online to schedule an appointment. We’ll help you choose the best equipment for your home and budget.