We spend lots of time in our homes. In fact, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has estimated being indoors makes up 90% of our days. However, the EPA also has found your indoor air can be three to five times worse than outdoors.

That’s due to the fact our homes are securely sealed to boost energy efficiency. While this is fantastic for your utility bills, it’s not so good if you’re amid the 40% of the population with respiratory allergies.

When outdoor ventilation is limited, pollutants including dust and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) can get trapped. Consequently, these pollutants might worsen your allergies.

You can enhance your indoor air quality with clean air and usual cleaning and vacuuming. But if you’re still having problems with symptoms when you’re at your residence, an air purifier could be able to provide assistance.

While it can’t get rid of pollutants that have landed on your furnishings or carpeting, it could help purify the air traveling 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 useful 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 go over the distinctions so you can determine what’s correct for your home.

Whole-House Air Purifier vs. Portable Air Purifiers

A portable air purifier is for a single room. A whole-house air purifier accompanies your HVAC equipment to purify your full house. Some types can work by themselves when your home comfort system isn’t operating.

What’s the Best Air Purifier for Allergies?

Seek a model with a High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter. HEPA filters are used 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 installed with an ultraviolet (UV) germicidal light. This dynamic blend can destroy dust, dander, pollen and mold, all of which are common allergens. For the greatest in air purification, think over a system that also has a carbon-based filter to eliminate household smells.

Avoid using an air purifier that creates ozone, which is the top ingredient in smog. The EPA warns ozone could aggravate respiratory troubles, even when emitted at small settings.

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

  • What can this purifier extract from the air? What doesn’t it extract?
  • What’s its clean air delivery rate? (A higher number means air will be freshened more quickly.)
  • How regularly does the filter or UV bulb need to be changed]? Can I complete that without help?
  • How much do spare filters or bulbs cost?

How to Decrease Seasonal Allergy Symptoms

Want to have the {top|most excellent|best] results from your new air purification equipment? The Mayo Clinic suggests taking other measures to limit your exposure to things that can trigger seasonal allergies.

  1. Stay in your home and keep windows and doors sealed when pollen counts are high.
  2. Have other family members mow the lawn or pull weeds, since these jobs can worsen symptoms. If you are required to do this work yourself, you may want to consider wearing a pollen mask. You should also shower without delay and put on clean clothes once you’re done.
  3. Avoid drying laundry outside.
  4. Run the AC while indoors or while you’re on the road. Consider using a high efficiency air filter in your house’s heating and cooling equipment.
  5. Equalize your home’s humidity saturation with a whole-house dehumidifier.
  6. Hardwood, tile or linoleum are the ideal flooring types for reducing indoor allergens. If your house has carpet, add a HEPA filter on your vacuum cleaner.

Let Our Pros Handle Your Indoor Air Quality Necessities

Ready to take the next step with adding a whole-house air purifier? Give our specialists a call at 918-333-0376 or contact us online to schedule an appointment. We’ll help you find the ideal system for your home and budget.