We spend lots of time in our homes. In reality, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has determined being inside makes up 90% of our days. However, the EPA also says your indoor air can be three to five times more polluted than outside your home.

That’s since our residences are firmly sealed to increase energy efficiency. While this is great 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 limited, pollutants such as dust and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) can get captured. As a result, these pollutants could worsen your allergies.

You can enhance your indoor air quality with clean air and regular dusting 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 relief.

While it can’t eliminate pollutants that have gotten trapped in your furniture or flooring, it may help freshen the air moving across 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 may also be helpful if you or a family member has lung issues, including emphysema or COPD.

There are two models, a portable air purifier or a whole-home air purifier. We’ll examine the advantages so you can learn what’s appropriate 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 works alongside your HVAC unit to purify your complete home. Some kinds can purify independent when your HVAC system isn’t on.

What’s the Best Air Purifier for Allergies?

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

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

Avoid using an air purifier that creates ozone, which is the top ingredient in smog. The EPA cautions ozone may worsen respiratory problems, even when released at minor settings.

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

  • What can this purifier take out from the air? What doesn’t it take out?
  • What’s its clean air delivery rate? (A higher amount means air will be purified more quickly.)
  • How frequently does the filter or UV bulb need to be changed]? Can I complete that by myself?
  • How much do replacement filters or bulbs cost?

How to Reduce Seasonal Allergy Symptoms

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

  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 this work can trigger symptoms. If you must do this work yourself, consider using a pollen mask. You should also shower immediately and put on new clothes once you’re done.
  3. Avoid stringing up laundry outside.
  4. Run air conditioning while at your house or while you’re on the road. Consider installing a high efficiency air filter in your home’s home comfort equipment.
  5. Equalize your residence’s humidity levels with a whole-house dehumidifier.
  6. Hardwood, tile or linoleum are the best flooring kinds for lowering indoor allergens. If your house has carpet, use a HEPA filter on your vacuum cleaner.

Let Our Pros Manage Your Indoor Air Quality Needs

Ready to take the next step with getting a whole-house air purifier? Give our professionals a call at 703-278-2036 or contact us online to get an appointment. We’ll help you find the best equipment for your residence and budget.