We spend a lot of time in our homes. In reality, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has estimated being inside comprises 90% of our schedule. Having said that, the EPA also has found 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 good for your utility costs, it’s not so fantastic if you’re among the 40% of the population with respiratory allergies.

When outdoors ventilation is restricted, pollutants such as dust and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) may get trapped. As a consequence, these pollutants can irritate your allergies.

You can boost your indoor air quality with clean air and regular cleaning and vacuuming. But if you’re still having issues with symptoms while you’re at your house, an air purifier could be able to provide relief.

While it can’t eliminate pollutants that have gotten trapped in your furnishings or carpeting, it might help clean the air circulating across 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 helpful if you or a family member has a lung condition, such as emphysema or COPD.

There are two kinds, a portable air purifier or a whole-home air purifier. We’ll examine the advantages 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 one room. A whole-house air purifier works with your heating and cooling equipment to purify your entire home. Some kinds can purify independent when your home comfort equipment isn’t operating.

What’s the Best Air Purifier for Allergies?

Go after an option with a High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter. HEPA filters are installed in hospitals and offer the greatest 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 combination can destroy dust, dander, pollen and mold, all of which are common allergens. For the best in air purification, think over a system that also has a carbon-based filter to reduce household odors.

Avoid getting an air purifier that makes ozone, which is the primary element in smog. The EPA advises ozone may irritate respiratory problems, even when released at minor concentrations.

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

  • What can this purifier extract from the air? What doesn’t it remove?
  • What’s its clean air delivery rate? (A bigger figure means air will be purified faster.)
  • How frequently does the filter or UV bulb need to be replaced]? Can I do that by myself?
  • How much do new filters or bulbs cost?

How to Decrease Seasonal Allergy Symptoms

Want to have the {top|most excellent|best] outcome from your new air purification unit? The Mayo Clinic advises completing other steps to limit your exposure to seasonal allergy triggers.

  1. Stay indoors and keep windows and doors closed when pollen counts are heightened.
  2. Have other household members trim the lawn or pull weeds, since these jobs can trigger symptoms. If you have to do these jobs on your own, consider trying a pollen mask. You should also shower right away and change your clothes once you’re done.
  3. Avoid hanging laundry outside your home.
  4. Turn on air conditioning while at home or while in the car. Consider using a high efficiency air filter in your residence’s home comfort system.
  5. Even out your home’s humidity levels with a whole-house dehumidifier.
  6. Hardwood, tile or linoleum are the best flooring types for decreasing indoor allergens. If your home has carpet, add a HEPA filter on your vacuum cleaner.

Let Our Professionals Manage Your Indoor Air Quality Necessities

Ready to move forward with getting a whole-house air purifier? Give our experts a call at 952-373-0377 or contact us online to schedule an appointment. We’ll help you locate the right unit for your residence and budget.