We spend lots of time inside. As a matter of fact, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has determined being within a building comprises 90% of our schedule. Although, the EPA also has found your indoor air can be three to five times more polluted than outside your home.

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

When outside ventilation is limited, pollutants including dust and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) might get captured. Consequently, these pollutants might aggravate 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 home, an air purifier could be able to help.

While it can’t get rid of pollutants that have landed on your couch or carpeting, it may help freshen the air circulating around your home.

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

There are two models, a portable air purifier or a whole-home air purifier. We’ll examine the distinctions so you can learn what’s appropriate 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 home comfort unit to purify your entire home. Some kinds can purify independent when your HVAC unit isn’t running.

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 find, as they trap 99.97% of particles in the air.

HEPA filters are even more useful when used with an ultraviolet (UV) germicidal light. This powerful mixture can wipe out dust, dander, pollen and mold, all of which are general allergens. For the greatest in air purification, evaluate equipment that also has a carbon-based filter to reduce household smells.

Avoid getting an air purifier that creates ozone, which is the top component in smog. The EPA cautions ozone may worsen respiratory issues, even when emitted at small amounts.

The Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America has created a list of questions to think over when buying an air purifier.

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

How to Lessen Seasonal Allergy Symptoms

Want to receive the {top|most excellent|best] performance from your new air purification system? The Mayo Clinic advises doing other measures to decrease your exposure to seasonal allergy triggers.

  1. Stay in your home and keep windows and doors sealed when pollen counts are high.
  2. Have someone else mow the lawn or pull weeds, since this work can irritate symptoms. If you are required to do these chores on your own, consider trying a pollen mask. You should also bathe right away and put on new clothes once you’re done.
  3. Avoid hanging laundry outside.
  4. Turn on air conditioning while indoors or while driving. Consider installing a high efficiency air filter in your home’s heating and cooling system.
  5. Balance your home’s humidity saturation with a whole-house dehumidifier.
  6. Hardwood, tile or linoleum are the suggested flooring materials for decreasing indoor allergens. If your home has carpet, install a HEPA filter on your vacuum cleaner.

Let Our Specialists Handle Your Indoor Air Quality Needs

Prepared to move forward with installing a whole-house air purifier? Give our professionals a call at 204-272-8128 or contact us online to request an appointment. We’ll help you find the best equipment for your family and budget.