We spend lots of time inside. In fact, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has determined being indoors accounts for 90% of our time. Although, the EPA also says your indoor air can be three to five times dirtier than outside your home.

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

When outdoor ventilation is restricted, pollutants like dust and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) might get captured. As a consequence, these pollutants may irritate your allergies.

You can enhance your indoor air quality with crisp air and usual housework and vacuuming. But if you’re still struggling with symptoms when you’re at your residence, an air purifier could be able to help.

While it can’t remove pollutants that have landed on your furniture or flooring, it might help purify the air circulating across your house.

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

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

Whole-House Air Purifier vs. Portable Air Purifiers

A portable air purifier is for a lone room. A whole-house air purifier works with your HVAC system to purify your complete house. Some models can clean by themselves when your heating and cooling unit isn’t operating.

What’s the Best Air Purifier for Allergies?

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

HEPA filters are even more powerful when used with an ultraviolet (UV) germicidal light. This mighty blend can eliminate dust, dander, pollen and mold, all of which are common allergens. For the ultimate in air purification, evaluate a unit that also has a carbon-based filter to eliminate household odors.

Avoid buying an air purifier that generates ozone, which is the main ingredient in smog. The EPA advises ozone may irritate respiratory issues, even when emitted at small concentrations.

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

  • What can this purifier remove from the air? What doesn’t it take out?
  • What’s its clean air delivery rate? (A bigger amount means air will be purified faster.)
  • How frequently does the filter or UV bulb need to be changed]? Can I do that without help?
  • How much do new filters or bulbs cost?

How to Decrease Seasonal Allergy Symptoms

Want to receive the {top|most excellent|best] outcome from your new air purification unit? The Mayo Clinic advises doing other measures to reduce your exposure to things that can trigger seasonal allergies.

  1. Stay in your home and keep windows and doors shut when pollen counts are elevated.
  2. Have someone else trim the lawn or pull weeds, since these jobs can trigger symptoms. If you have to do this work yourself, you might want to consider trying a pollen mask. You should also shower without delay and change your clothes once you’re completed.
  3. Avoid drying laundry outdoors.
  4. Run air conditioning while at your house or while driving. Consider adding a high efficiency air filter in your residence’s home comfort system.
  5. Equalize your residence’s humidity levels with a whole-house dehumidifier.
  6. Hardwood, tile or linoleum are the suggested flooring kinds for decreasing indoor allergens. If your residence has carpet, add a HEPA filter on your vacuum cleaner.

Let Our Pros Handle Your Indoor Air Quality Necessities

Prepared to move forward with adding a whole-house air purifier? Give our specialists a call at 512-355-1482 or contact us online to schedule an appointment. We’ll help you find the right equipment for your home and budget.