We spend a good majority of our time in our homes. In reality, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has estimated being indoors makes up 90% of our schedule. Although, the EPA also has found your indoor air can be three to five times dirtier than outside your home.

That’s because our residences are securely sealed to boost energy efficiency. While this is great for your energy expenses, it’s not so fantastic if you’re amid the 40% of the population with respiratory allergies.

When outdoors ventilation is restricted, pollutants including dust and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) might get stuck. As a consequence, these pollutants might irritate your allergies.

You can improve your indoor air quality with clean air and regular housework and vacuuming. But if you’re still having problems with symptoms while you’re at your house, an air purifier may be able to help.

While it can’t get rid of pollutants that have landed on your couch or carpet, it could help purify the air circulating around 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 appropriate if you or a family member has lung trouble, like emphysema or COPD.

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

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 heating and cooling unit to treat your entire house. Some kinds can clean on their own when your heating and cooling system isn’t running.

What’s the Best Air Purifier for Allergies?

Look for a model with a High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter. HEPA filters are installed in hospitals and provide the best filtration you can buy, as they trap 99.97% of particles in the air.

HEPA filters are even more useful 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, consider a system that also has a carbon-based filter to reduce household vapors.

Avoid getting an air purifier that makes ozone, which is the main component in smog. The EPA cautions ozone might worsen respiratory problems, even when released at low settings.

The Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America has created a listing of questions to consider 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 freshened faster.)
  • How frequently does the filter or UV bulb need to be changed]? Can I do that by myself?
  • How much do replacement filters or bulbs cost?

How to Reduce Seasonal Allergy Symptoms

Want to get the {top|most excellent|best] performance from your new air purification equipment? The Mayo Clinic suggests completing other procedures to reduce your exposure to problems that can cause seasonal allergies.

  1. Stay in your home and keep windows and doors sealed when pollen counts are heightened.
  2. Have other family members cut the lawn or pull weeds, since these jobs can aggravate symptoms. If you must do this work on your own, you may want to consider using a pollen mask. You should also bathe immediately and put on clean clothes once you’re done.
  3. Avoid hanging laundry outside your home.
  4. Run the AC while at home or while in the car. Consider adding a high efficiency air filter in your house’s heating and cooling system.
  5. Balance your house’s humidity percentage with a whole-house dehumidifier.
  6. Hardwood, tile or linoleum are the best flooring materials for lowering indoor allergens. If your home has carpet, use a HEPA filter on your vacuum cleaner.

Let Our Pros Handle Your Indoor Air Quality Necessities

Prepared to progress with installing a whole-house air purifier? Give our specialists a call at 361-265-4371 or contact us online to get an appointment. We’ll help you find the right unit for your home and budget.