We spend a lot of time inside. As a matter of fact, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approximated being indoors makes up 90% of our time. Although, the EPA also has found your indoor air can be three to five times worse than outside your home.

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

When outdoor ventilation is insufficient, pollutants including dust and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) could get captured. As a result, these pollutants can irritate your allergies.

You can enhance your indoor air quality with clean air and routine housework and vacuuming. But if you’re still struggling with symptoms while you’re at your residence, an air purifier may be able to provide assistance.

While it can’t eliminate pollutants that have landed on your couch or flooring, it could help clean the air moving throughout your residence.

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 may also be helpful if you or a loved one has lung trouble, including emphysema or COPD.

There are two options, a portable air purifier or a whole-home air purifier. We’ll go over the distinctions so you can learn what’s correct for your residence.

Whole-House Air Purifier vs. Portable Air Purifiers

A portable air purifier is for one room. A whole-house air purifier works alongside your HVAC system to purify your complete house. Some kinds can work on their own when your HVAC equipment isn’t operating.

What’s the Best Air Purifier for Allergies?

Look for an option with a High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter. HEPA filters are used in hospitals and deliver the most comprehensive filtration you can find, as they trap 99.97% of particles in the air.

HEPA filters are even more powerful when used with an ultraviolet (UV) germicidal light. This mighty combination can eliminate dust, dander, pollen and mold, all of which are general allergens. For the ultimate in air purification, consider a system that also has a carbon-based filter to eliminate household vapors.

Avoid buying an air purifier that makes ozone, which is the top component in smog. The EPA warns ozone might irritate respiratory problems, even when emitted at small concentrations.

The Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America has compiled a listing of questions to think over when purchasing an air purifier.

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

How to Lessen Seasonal Allergy Symptoms

Want to get the {top|most excellent|best] results from your new air purification unit? The Mayo Clinic suggests doing other steps to reduce your exposure to problems that can cause seasonal allergies.

  1. Stay indoors and keep windows and doors sealed when pollen counts are high.
  2. Have other household members cut the lawn or pull weeds, since this work can irritate symptoms. If you are required to do these chores yourself, you may want to consider using a pollen mask. You should also rinse off immediately and put on new clothes once you’re finished.
  3. Avoid stringing up laundry outside.
  4. Run the AC while at your house or while driving. Consider using a high efficiency air filter in your residence’s heating and cooling unit.
  5. Equalize your house’s humidity levels with a whole-house dehumidifier.
  6. Hardwood, tile or linoleum are the best flooring kinds for reducing indoor allergens. If your residence has carpet, use a HEPA filter on your vacuum cleaner.

Let Our Pros Handle Your Indoor Air Quality Necessities

Ready to progress with getting a whole-house air purifier? Give our experts a call at 949-204-0859 or contact us online to get an appointment. We’ll help you find the ideal unit for your family and budget.