We spend a good majority of our time in our homes. In reality, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has estimated being within a building accounts for 90% of our time. Having said that, the EPA also has found your indoor air can be three to five times more polluted than outdoors.

That’s due to the fact our houses are firmly sealed to enhance energy efficiency. While this is great for your utility expenses, it’s not so good if you’re amid the 40% of the population with respiratory allergies.

When outdoors ventilation is limited, pollutants such as dust and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) might get stuck. Consequently, these pollutants might aggravate your allergies.

You can improve your indoor air quality with clean air and routine dusting and vacuuming. But if you’re still having issues with symptoms while you’re at your house, an air purifier may be able to provide relief.

While it can’t get rid of pollutants that have gotten trapped in your furnishings or carpet, it may help purify the air moving around your residence.

And air purification has also been scientifically proven to help reduce some allergic symptoms, according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. It may also be useful if you or a family member has lung issues, like emphysema or COPD.

There are two kinds, a portable air purifier or a whole-home air purifier. We’ll discuss the differences so you can learn what’s right for your home.

Whole-House Air Purifier vs. Portable Air Purifiers

A portable air purifier is for one room. A whole-house air purifier accompanies your heating and cooling equipment to purify your entire residence. Some types can work on their own when your home comfort equipment isn’t on.

What’s the Best Air Purifier for Allergies?

Go after a purifier with a High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter. HEPA filters are installed in hospitals and provide the greatest filtration you can get, as they trap 99.97% of particles in the air.

HEPA filters are even more beneficial when installed with an ultraviolet (UV) germicidal light. This powerful mixture can destroy dust, dander, pollen and mold, all of which are general allergens. For the best in air purification, think over a system that also has a carbon-based filter to eliminate household smells.

Avoid buying an air purifier that creates ozone, which is the main ingredient in smog. The EPA cautions ozone could aggravate respiratory issues, even when discharged at minor concentrations.

The Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America has compiled a listing of questions to think over 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 cleaned more quickly.)
  • How frequently does the filter or UV bulb need to be replaced]? Can I complete that without help?
  • How much do spare 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 advises completing other measures to decrease your exposure to things that can trigger seasonal allergies.

  1. Stay indoors and keep windows and doors closed when pollen counts are heightened.
  2. Have someone else trim the lawn or pull weeds, since this work can aggravate symptoms. If you must do this work on your own, consider trying a pollen mask. You should also shower right away and change your clothes once you’re finished.
  3. Avoid hanging laundry outside your home.
  4. Turn on the AC while indoors or while in the car. Consider installing a high efficiency air filter in your house’s HVAC unit.
  5. Equalize your home’s humidity saturation with a whole-house dehumidifier.
  6. Hardwood, tile or linoleum are the best flooring materials for lowering indoor allergens. If your home has carpet, install a HEPA filter on your vacuum cleaner.

Let Our Specialists Manage Your Indoor Air Quality Requirements

Ready to move forward with adding a whole-house air purifier? Give our experts a call at 540-636-3396 or contact us online to get an appointment. We’ll help you find the right system for your house and budget.