We spend a lot of time indoors. In reality, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has estimated being indoors comprises 90% of our time. Having said that, the EPA also has determined your indoor air can be three to five times worse than outdoors.

That’s since our residences are firmly 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 outdoors ventilation is limited, pollutants such as dust and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) could get trapped. Consequently, these pollutants may irritate your allergies.

You can boost 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 relief.

While it can’t get rid of pollutants that have settled on your couch or carpet, it may help freshen the air traveling across 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 might also be appropriate if you or a family member has lung trouble, such as emphysema or COPD.

There are two models, a portable air purifier or a whole-home air purifier. We’ll discuss the distinctions so you can figure out 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 alongside your HVAC equipment to treat your entire residence. Some models can purify by themselves when your heating and cooling equipment isn’t on.

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 provide the greatest filtration you can buy, as they trap 99.97% of particles in the air.

HEPA filters are even more useful when combined with an ultraviolet (UV) germicidal light. This powerful mixture can destroy dust, dander, pollen and mold, all of which are standard allergens. For the ultimate in air purification, evaluate a unit that also has a carbon-based filter to reduce household vapors.

Avoid getting an air purifier that generates ozone, which is the top element in smog. The EPA warns ozone could aggravate respiratory issues, even when discharged at low concentrations.

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

  • What can this purifier take out from the air? What doesn’t it remove?
  • What’s its clean air delivery rate? (A bigger number means air will be freshened more rapidly.)
  • How frequently does the filter or UV bulb need to be switched]? Can I finish that by myself?
  • How much do spare filters or bulbs cost?

How to Lessen Seasonal Allergy Symptoms

Want to have the {top|most excellent|best] results from your new air purification unit? The Mayo Clinic suggests completing other measures to decrease your exposure to things that can trigger seasonal allergies.

  1. Stay in your home and keep windows and doors closed when pollen counts are high.
  2. Have other household members trim the lawn or pull weeds, since these tasks can aggravate symptoms. If you have to do this work alone, consider wearing a pollen mask. You should also rinse off right away and put on clean clothes once you’re finished.
  3. Avoid stringing up laundry outside your home.
  4. Use your air conditioner while indoors or while in the car. Consider using a high efficiency air filter in your house’s home comfort system.
  5. Balance your home’s humidity percentage with a whole-house dehumidifier.
  6. Hardwood, tile or linoleum are the suggested flooring types for reducing indoor allergens. If your residence has carpet, use a HEPA filter on your vacuum cleaner.

Let Our Specialists Take Care of Your Indoor Air Quality Necessities

Want to progress with installing a whole-house air purifier? Give our specialists a call at 505-445-1250 or contact us online to request an appointment. We’ll help you locate the right unit for your home and budget.