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

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

When outdoor ventilation is insufficient, pollutants such as dust and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) could get stuck. As a result, these pollutants could irritate your allergies.

You can enhance your indoor air quality with crisp air and routine dusting and vacuuming. But if you’re still having problems with symptoms while you’re at your house, an air purifier may be able to provide assistance.

While it can’t get rid of pollutants that have gotten trapped in your furnishings or carpeting, it could help purify the air traveling throughout your residence.

And air purification has also been scientifically verified to help lower some allergic symptoms, according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. It might also be useful if you or a loved one has a lung condition, like emphysema or COPD.

There are two options, a portable air purifier or a whole-home air purifier. We’ll go over 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 single room. A whole-house air purifier works with your HVAC equipment to treat your entire house. Some types can purify by themselves when your home comfort equipment 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 installed in hospitals and offer the greatest filtration you can buy, as they trap 99.97% of particles in the air.

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

Avoid using an air purifier that makes ozone, which is the top ingredient in smog. The EPA advises ozone may worsen respiratory problems, even when emitted at minor concentrations.

The Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America has compiled 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 bigger number means air will be cleaned more rapidly.)
  • How frequently does the filter or UV bulb need to be switched]? Can I finish that on my own?
  • How much do new filters or bulbs cost?

How to Reduce Seasonal Allergy Symptoms

Want to receive the {top|most excellent|best] performance from your new air purification equipment? The Mayo Clinic advises completing other procedures to decrease your exposure to things that can trigger seasonal allergies.

  1. Stay inside and keep windows and doors sealed when pollen counts are heightened.
  2. Have other family members trim the lawn or pull weeds, since these tasks can irritate symptoms. If you are required to do this work yourself, you might want to consider using a pollen mask. You should also shower without delay and put on clean clothes once you’re completed.
  3. Avoid hanging laundry outdoors.
  4. Run the AC while indoors or while you’re on the road. Consider using a high efficiency air filter in your residence’s HVAC equipment.
  5. Even out your residence’s humidity saturation with a whole-house dehumidifier.
  6. Hardwood, tile or linoleum are the suggested flooring kinds for lowering indoor allergens. If your house has carpet, use a HEPA filter on your vacuum cleaner.

Let Our Professionals Manage Your Indoor Air Quality Needs

Ready to move forward with adding a whole-house air purifier? Give our experts a call at 715-384-3163 or contact us online to request an appointment. We’ll help you find the best system for your family and budget.