We spend a good majority of our time indoors. In fact, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approximated being within a building makes up 90% of our days. Although, the EPA also says your indoor air can be three to five times dirtier than outside your home.

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

When outdoors ventilation is limited, pollutants such as dust and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) could get stuck. As a result, these pollutants might worsen your allergies.

You can enhance your indoor air quality with clean air and regular dusting and vacuuming. But if you’re still struggling with symptoms during the time you’re at home, an air purifier might be able to provide relief.

While it can’t get rid of pollutants that have landed on your furniture or flooring, it might help purify the air moving across your residence.

And air purification has also been scientifically confirmed to help lower some allergic symptoms, according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. It may 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 differences so you can figure out 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 accompanies your HVAC equipment to clean your full home. Some models can purify independent when your HVAC system isn’t operating.

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 offer the most comprehensive 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 mighty combination can eliminate dust, dander, pollen and mold, all of which are common allergens. For the greatest in air purification, think over a unit that also has a carbon-based filter to reduce household vapors.

Avoid getting an air purifier that creates ozone, which is the top ingredient in smog. The EPA advises ozone might irritate respiratory issues, even when emitted at minor settings.

The Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America has compiled a listing of questions to think over when buying 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 cleaned faster.)
  • How regularly does the filter or UV bulb need to be changed]? Can I complete that on my own?
  • How much do new filters or bulbs cost?

How to Reduce Seasonal Allergy Symptoms

Want to receive the {top|most excellent|best] outcome from your new air purification equipment? The Mayo Clinic recommends doing other steps to reduce your exposure to things that can trigger seasonal allergies.

  1. Stay indoors and keep windows and doors shut when pollen counts are heightened.
  2. Have someone else mow the lawn or pull weeds, since this work can aggravate symptoms. If you must do these jobs yourself, you might want to consider wearing a pollen mask. You should also rinse off right away and put on clean clothes once you’re finished.
  3. Avoid hanging laundry outdoors.
  4. Run the AC while at home or while you’re on the road. Consider installing a high efficiency air filter in your house’s heating and cooling unit.
  5. Even out your residence’s humidity percentage with a whole-house dehumidifier.
  6. Hardwood, tile or linoleum are the suggested flooring materials for reducing indoor allergens. If your residence has carpet, add a HEPA filter on your vacuum cleaner.

Let Our Specialists Handle Your Indoor Air Quality Necessities

Ready to progress with installing a whole-house air purifier? Give our specialists a call at 812-825-8695 or contact us online to get an appointment. We’ll help you locate the best unit for your house and budget.