We spend a good majority of our time in our homes. As a matter of fact, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approximated being within a building comprises 90% of our days. However, the EPA also has found your indoor air can be three to five times dirtier than outside your home.

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

When outdoor ventilation is insufficient, pollutants including dust and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) may get captured. As a result, these pollutants could aggravate your allergies.

You can boost your indoor air quality with fresh air and routine dusting and vacuuming. But if you’re still having problems with symptoms during the time you’re at home, an air purifier could be able to provide relief.

While it can’t remove pollutants that have landed on your furnishings or carpet, it might help clean the air circulating throughout 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 might also be helpful if you or a loved one has lung issues, 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 right 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 home comfort equipment to clean your entire house. Some kinds can work by themselves when your home comfort unit isn’t running.

What’s the Best Air Purifier for Allergies?

Look for a purifier with a High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter. HEPA filters are installed in hospitals and provide the best filtration you can find, as they eliminate 99.97% of particles in the air.

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

Avoid getting an air purifier that generates ozone, which is the primary element in smog. The EPA cautions ozone could aggravate respiratory troubles, even when discharged at low concentrations.

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

  • What can this purifier extract from the air? What doesn’t it take out?
  • What’s its clean air delivery rate? (A higher number means air will be freshened more rapidly.)
  • How regularly does the filter or UV bulb need to be replaced]? Can I complete that on my own?
  • How much do new filters or bulbs cost?

How to Lessen Seasonal Allergy Symptoms

Want to receive the {top|most excellent|best] performance from your new air purification unit? The Mayo Clinic recommends taking other measures to limit your exposure to problems that can cause seasonal allergies.

  1. Stay in your home and keep windows and doors closed when pollen counts are elevated.
  2. Have other household members mow the lawn or pull weeds, since these jobs can irritate symptoms. If you must do these chores on your own, you might want to consider wearing a pollen mask. You should also bathe without delay and put on new clothes once you’re completed.
  3. Avoid drying laundry outside.
  4. Turn on your air conditioner while indoors or while you’re on the road. Consider using a high efficiency air filter in your house’s heating and cooling system.
  5. Balance your house’s humidity levels with a whole-house dehumidifier.
  6. Hardwood, tile or linoleum are the ideal flooring types for decreasing indoor allergens. If your home has carpet, install a HEPA filter on your vacuum cleaner.

Let Our Professionals Take Care of Your Indoor Air Quality Requirements

Want to take the next step with installing a whole-house air purifier? Give our specialists a call at 203-772-8319 or contact us online to schedule an appointment. We’ll help you choose the ideal unit for your residence and budget.