We spend a lot of time inside. In reality, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has estimated being inside accounts for 90% of our schedule. However, 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 homes are tightly sealed to boost energy efficiency. While this is great for your energy expenses, it’s not so good if you’re amid the 40% of the population with respiratory allergies.

When outside ventilation is restricted, pollutants such as dust and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) could get stuck. As a consequence, these pollutants may aggravate your allergies.

You can boost your indoor air quality with crisp air and regular dusting and vacuuming. But if you’re still having issues with symptoms during the time you’re at home, an air purifier might be able to help.

While it can’t eliminate pollutants that have landed on your couch or carpet, it may help freshen the air circulating around 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 could also be helpful if you or someone in your household has lung trouble, like emphysema or COPD.

There are two kinds, a portable air purifier or a whole-home air purifier. We’ll go over the advantages so you can determine what’s correct for your house.

Whole-House Air Purifier vs. Portable Air Purifiers

A portable air purifier is for a single room. A whole-house air purifier works alongside your heating and cooling equipment to treat your entire house. Some types can work by themselves when your HVAC unit isn’t running.

What’s the Best Air Purifier for Allergies?

Go after an option with a High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter. HEPA filters are installed in hospitals and deliver the most comprehensive filtration you can get, as they eliminate 99.97% of particles in the air.

HEPA filters are even more beneficial when combined with an ultraviolet (UV) germicidal light. This powerful combination can eliminate dust, dander, pollen and mold, all of which are common allergens. For the ultimate in air purification, think over equipment that also has a carbon-based filter to reduce household odors.

Avoid getting an air purifier that generates ozone, which is the top component in smog. The EPA cautions ozone may irritate respiratory troubles, even when emitted at small settings.

The Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America has made a list of questions to ask 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 better figure means air will be purified more quickly.)
  • How regularly does the filter or UV bulb need to be replaced]? Can I finish that on my own?
  • How much do replacement filters or bulbs cost?

How to Reduce Seasonal Allergy Symptoms

Want to have the {top|most excellent|best] outcome from your new air purification system? The Mayo Clinic suggests completing other steps to limit your exposure to things that can trigger seasonal allergies.

  1. Stay indoors and keep windows and doors sealed when pollen counts are heightened.
  2. Have other family members mow the lawn or pull weeds, since these tasks can aggravate symptoms. If you must do this work yourself, you might want to consider trying a pollen mask. You should also bathe right away and put on new clothes once you’re done.
  3. Avoid drying laundry outdoors.
  4. Turn on your air conditioner while at home or while you’re on the road. Consider adding a high efficiency air filter in your home’s heating and cooling system.
  5. Equalize your home’s humidity percentage 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 Take Care of Your Indoor Air Quality Necessities

Prepared to progress with installing a whole-house air purifier? Give our specialists a call at 608-447-0555 or contact us online to schedule an appointment. We’ll help you choose the best equipment for your home and budget.