We spend a lot of time in our homes. As a matter of fact, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approximated being indoors makes up 90% of our days. Having said that, the EPA also has determined your indoor air can be three to five times worse than outdoors.

That’s due to the fact our houses are tightly sealed to boost energy efficiency. While this is good for your heating and cooling costs, it’s not so great if you’re a part of the 40% of the population with respiratory allergies.

When outdoors ventilation is insufficient, pollutants including dust and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) can get stuck. As a consequence, these pollutants can aggravate your allergies.

You can improve your indoor air quality with fresh air and routine cleaning and vacuuming. But if you’re still having issues with symptoms while you’re at your residence, an air purifier may be able to help.

While it can’t eliminate pollutants that have landed on your furnishings or carpet, it may help purify the air traveling around your home.

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 could also be helpful if you or a family member has a lung condition, such as emphysema or COPD.

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

Whole-House Air Purifier vs. Portable Air Purifiers

A portable air purifier is for a lone room. A whole-house air purifier accompanies your heating and cooling unit to treat your complete house. Some kinds can clean on their own when your heating and cooling equipment isn’t on.

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 offer the greatest filtration you can buy, as they trap 99.97% of particles in the air.

HEPA filters are even more beneficial when used with an ultraviolet (UV) germicidal light. This mighty combination can wipe out dust, dander, pollen and mold, all of which are common allergens. For the ultimate in air purification, think over a unit that also has a carbon-based filter to decrease household vapors.

Avoid using an air purifier that creates ozone, which is the primary ingredient in smog. The EPA cautions ozone might aggravate respiratory troubles, even when discharged at low amounts.

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

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

How to Decrease Seasonal Allergy Symptoms

Want to have the {top|most excellent|best] results from your new air purification unit? The Mayo Clinic suggests taking other measures to limit your exposure to seasonal allergy triggers.

  1. Stay indoors and keep windows and doors shut when pollen counts are elevated.
  2. Have someone else cut the lawn or pull weeds, since these tasks can aggravate symptoms. If you are required to do this work yourself, you may want to consider using a pollen mask. You should also bathe immediately and put on new clothes once you’re finished.
  3. Avoid drying laundry outside.
  4. Use the AC while at home or while driving. Consider using a high efficiency air filter in your house’s heating and cooling system.
  5. Balance your home’s humidity saturation with a whole-house dehumidifier.
  6. Hardwood, tile or linoleum are the best flooring materials for decreasing indoor allergens. If your house has carpet, use a HEPA filter on your vacuum cleaner.

Let Our Professionals Take Care of Your Indoor Air Quality Requirements

Ready to move forward with adding a whole-house air purifier? Give our professionals a call at 732-806-5536 or contact us online to get an appointment. We’ll help you locate the right system for your residence and budget.