We spend a good majority of our time indoors. In reality, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approximated being within a building comprises 90% of our days. Having said that, the EPA also has found your indoor air can be three to five times dirtier than outdoors.

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

When outside ventilation is insufficient, pollutants including dust and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) might get trapped. Consequently, these pollutants could aggravate your allergies.

You can boost your indoor air quality with fresh air and routine housework and vacuuming. But if you’re still struggling with symptoms during the time you’re at your house, an air purifier might be able to provide relief.

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

And air purification has also been scientifically confirmed to help reduce some allergic symptoms, according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. It might also be helpful if you or a family member 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 differences so you can determine what’s appropriate 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 accompanies your heating and cooling unit to purify your full house. Some models can work by themselves when your heating and cooling unit isn’t running.

What’s the Best Air Purifier for Allergies?

Seek an option with a High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter. HEPA filters are installed in hospitals and provide the greatest filtration you can buy, as they catch 99.97% of particles in the air.

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

Avoid getting an air purifier that makes ozone, which is the top component in smog. The EPA advises ozone might irritate respiratory issues, even when discharged at small concentrations.

The Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America has made a list of questions to consider when getting an air purifier.

  • What can this purifier remove from the air? What doesn’t it remove?
  • What’s its clean air delivery rate? (A higher number means air will be freshened faster.)
  • How regularly does the filter or UV bulb need to be changed]? Can I finish that on my own?
  • How much do replacement filters or bulbs cost?

How to Decrease Seasonal Allergy Symptoms

Want to have the {top|most excellent|best] results from your new air purification equipment? The Mayo Clinic recommends taking other steps to reduce your exposure to problems that can cause seasonal allergies.

  1. Stay in your home and keep windows and doors closed when pollen counts are high.
  2. Have other family members cut the lawn or pull weeds, since this work can trigger symptoms. If you are required to do these jobs alone, you might want to consider wearing a pollen mask. You should also bathe immediately and put on clean clothes once you’re finished.
  3. Avoid hanging laundry outside.
  4. Run your air conditioner while at your house or while you’re on the road. Consider adding a high efficiency air filter in your home’s HVAC unit.
  5. Balance your home’s humidity saturation with a whole-house dehumidifier.
  6. Hardwood, tile or linoleum are the suggested flooring kinds for reducing indoor allergens. If your house has carpet, use a HEPA filter on your vacuum cleaner.

Let Our Pros Manage Your Indoor Air Quality Requirements

Want to take the next step with installing a whole-house air purifier? Give our experts a call at 281-231-8768 or contact us online to get an appointment. We’ll help you choose the best unit for your house and budget.