We spend lots of time in our homes. In fact, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approximated being indoors comprises 90% of our days. Although, the EPA also says your indoor air can be three to five times worse than outside your home.

That’s since our residences are tightly sealed to increase energy efficiency. While this is good for your utility bills, it’s not so good if you’re a part of the 40% of the population with respiratory allergies.

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

You can boost your indoor air quality with crisp air and routine housework and vacuuming. But if you’re still having issues with symptoms when you’re at your residence, an air purifier might be able to provide assistance.

While it can’t eliminate pollutants that have settled on your furniture or flooring, it may help freshen the air traveling around your house.

And air purification has also been scientifically proven to help lower some allergic symptoms, according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. It might also be appropriate if you or a loved one has a lung condition, like emphysema or COPD.

There are two models, a portable air purifier or a whole-home air purifier. We’ll go over the differences so you can figure out 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 HVAC unit to treat your entire house. Some models can purify by themselves when your HVAC unit isn’t running.

What’s the Best Air Purifier for Allergies?

Go after a model with a High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter. HEPA filters are placed in hospitals and provide the most comprehensive filtration you can buy, as they eliminate 99.97% of particles in the air.

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

Avoid using an air purifier that creates ozone, which is the primary element in smog. The EPA warns ozone may worsen respiratory issues, even when discharged at minor concentrations.

The Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America has created a listing of questions to consider when getting 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 number means air will be purified faster.)
  • How frequently does the filter or UV bulb need to be changed]? 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 system? The Mayo Clinic advises completing other procedures to reduce your exposure to problems that can cause seasonal allergies.

  1. Stay inside and keep windows and doors closed when pollen counts are elevated.
  2. Have other family members trim the lawn or pull weeds, since these jobs can trigger symptoms. If you are required to do these jobs yourself, you may want to consider trying a pollen mask. You should also rinse off immediately and put on new clothes once you’re finished.
  3. Avoid hanging laundry outside your home.
  4. Run the AC while at your house or while you’re on the road. Consider adding a high efficiency air filter in your residence’s home comfort equipment.
  5. Balance your house’s humidity percentage with a whole-house dehumidifier.
  6. Hardwood, tile or linoleum are the ideal flooring materials for lowering indoor allergens. If your home has carpet, use a HEPA filter on your vacuum cleaner.

Let Our Pros Take Care of Your Indoor Air Quality Requirements

Prepared to progress with getting a whole-house air purifier? Give our experts a call at (337) 234-2345 or contact us online to schedule an appointment. We’ll help you locate the best equipment for your residence and budget.