Categories: hvac

Air Purifiers vs. Allergy Season: What You Need to Know

Spring will arrive soon. While we’ll all be thankful to have made it through another winter—which has been brutal this year in many parts of the United States–an old enemy is sure to once again make an appearance: allergies. Pollen is in full force in the spring, and what can you do but retreat to your home and sniffle?

But fear not! Making sure your indoor air quality is as pristine and allergen-free as possible is our promise at TJ Fannon & Sons. In today’s post, we discuss how an air purifier can be your first line of defense against this airborne threat.

Seasonal Allergy Symptoms

Before we tell you whether you need an air purifier, it pays to know whether you’re just coming down with the flu or are actually suffering from seasonal allergies (which are mostly associated with spring). Here’s a list of symptoms, though it’s by no means exhaustive:

Eyes, ears, nose and throat irritation
Nasal congestion
Headaches
Loss of smell and/or taste
Watery and/or red eyes
Swelling around the eyes
Sneezing
Runny nose

If you’re experiencing all or most of these symptoms, consult your medical professional.

Can an Air Purifier Help?

Save an antihistamine shot from your doctor, there’s not much you can do to treat your allergy symptoms. Even changing the air conditioner filter won’t do much.

Air purifiers can’t prevent seasonal allergies, but they can alleviate some symptoms associated with allergies. Most air purifiers have stringent filters that capture airborne particles, some as small as 2.5 microns. These include “bigger” particles such as dust, but also small contaminants like bacteria. Pollen is huge by comparison, so an air purifier with a PM2.5 rating may help relieve the worst of the symptoms.

What Qualities Should I Look for in an Air Purifier?

Look for these details on the box:

A HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) filter. This is more effective than other types of filters. A good thing to note is that some air purifiers have “HEPA-like” filters. These are a waste of time and money.
CADR (clean air delivery rate). A CADR of at least 300 is more than enough for most purposes, but if you can find a 350 CADR air purifier, you’ve hit the jackpot.
Most air purifiers have sizing. Buy an air purifier that can purify the size of the room you’re planning to use it in.

Thomas J. Fannon & Sons is the area’s premier HVAC specialist, and we can install residential and commercial ductless split systems as well. Talk to us for more advice regarding your IAQ at (703) 549-5700. You can also fill out our form to get started.

Thomas Fannon