We spend a lot of time inside. As a matter of fact, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has determined being within a building accounts for 90% of our time. However, the EPA also says your indoor air can be three to five times worse than outside your home.

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

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

You can improve 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 house, an air purifier might be able to provide relief.

While it can’t eliminate pollutants that have landed on your couch or carpet, it can help clean the air circulating around your residence.

And air purification has also been scientifically proven to help reduce some allergic symptoms, according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. It might also be helpful if you or a loved one has lung trouble, including 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 figure out what’s right 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 home comfort system to clean your complete house. Some types can purify on their own when your home comfort equipment 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 deliver the best filtration you can buy, as they eliminate 99.97% of particles in the air.

HEPA filters are even more powerful when installed with an ultraviolet (UV) germicidal light. This dynamic combination can wipe out dust, dander, pollen and mold, all of which are standard allergens. For the best in air purification, consider a unit that also has a carbon-based filter to reduce household vapors.

Avoid using an air purifier that makes ozone, which is the top element in smog. The EPA warns ozone may aggravate respiratory troubles, even when emitted at minor concentrations.

The Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America has created a list of questions to ask when purchasing an air purifier.

  • What can this purifier take out from the air? What doesn’t it remove?
  • What’s its clean air delivery rate? (A higher figure means air will be cleaned more quickly.)
  • How regularly does the filter or UV bulb need to be switched]? Can I finish that without help?
  • How much do new filters or bulbs cost?

How to Reduce Seasonal Allergy Symptoms

Want to get the {top|most excellent|best] performance from your new air purification system? The Mayo Clinic advises taking other measures to limit 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 these jobs can irritate symptoms. If you must do these chores yourself, you may want to consider wearing a pollen mask. You should also shower right away and put on clean clothes once you’re completed.
  3. Avoid drying laundry outdoors.
  4. Run the AC while at your house or while driving. Consider using a high efficiency air filter in your home’s home comfort unit.
  5. Even out your house’s humidity saturation with a whole-house dehumidifier.
  6. Hardwood, tile or linoleum are the ideal flooring materials for reducing indoor allergens. If your house has carpet, use a HEPA filter on your vacuum cleaner.

Let Our Pros Handle Your Indoor Air Quality Necessities

Ready to progress with installing a whole-house air purifier? Give our experts a call at 636-456-5041 or contact us online to get an appointment. We’ll help you find the ideal system for your family and budget.