We spend a good majority of our time indoors. In fact, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has estimated being inside comprises 90% of our schedule. Although, the EPA also has determined your indoor air can be three to five times more polluted than outside your home.

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

When outdoors ventilation is insufficient, pollutants including dust and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) may get captured. Consequently, these pollutants may irritate your allergies.

You can improve your indoor air quality with fresh air and routine cleaning and vacuuming. But if you’re still struggling with symptoms while you’re at home, an air purifier might be able to provide relief.

While it can’t get rid of pollutants that have landed on your couch or carpeting, it can help freshen the air moving around your home.

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 could also be helpful if you or a loved one has a lung condition, including emphysema or COPD.

There are two models, a portable air purifier or a whole-home air purifier. We’ll discuss the differences 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 works alongside your heating and cooling unit to treat your full residence. Some models can work on their own when your HVAC equipment isn’t on.

What’s the Best Air Purifier for Allergies?

Seek a model with a High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter. HEPA filters are installed in hospitals and deliver the best filtration you can get, as they catch 99.97% of particles in the air.

HEPA filters are even more useful when installed with an ultraviolet (UV) germicidal light. This dynamic blend can eliminate dust, dander, pollen and mold, all of which are general allergens. For the ultimate in air purification, evaluate a system that also has a carbon-based filter to eliminate household odors.

Avoid buying an air purifier that generates ozone, which is the primary component in smog. The EPA advises ozone might irritate respiratory troubles, even when emitted at minor concentrations.

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

  • What can this purifier remove from the air? What doesn’t it remove?
  • What’s its clean air delivery rate? (A better figure means air will be cleaned faster.)
  • How regularly does the filter or UV bulb need to be changed]? Can I finish that by myself?
  • How much do new filters or bulbs cost?

How to Reduce Seasonal Allergy Symptoms

Want to have the {top|most excellent|best] performance from your new air purification equipment? The Mayo Clinic recommends doing other measures to limit your exposure to seasonal allergy triggers.

  1. Stay inside and keep windows and doors shut when pollen counts are elevated.
  2. Have other household members mow the lawn or pull weeds, since this work can irritate symptoms. If you are required to do this work alone, you may want to consider using a pollen mask. You should also rinse off without delay and change your clothes once you’re finished.
  3. Avoid drying laundry outside your home.
  4. Use the AC while at home or while driving. Consider adding a high efficiency air filter in your house’s home comfort unit.
  5. Balance your house’s humidity saturation with a whole-house dehumidifier.
  6. Hardwood, tile or linoleum are the suggested flooring kinds for reducing indoor allergens. If your house has carpet, add a HEPA filter on your vacuum cleaner.

Let Our Pros Take Care of Your Indoor Air Quality Needs

Prepared to move forward with installing a whole-house air purifier? Give our professionals a call at 703-260-1148 or contact us online to request an appointment. We’ll help you find the right unit for your residence and budget.