More than 50 million Americans suffer from allergies each year, according to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI). From just the slightest irritant like pollen or dust, allergy sufferers experience itchy eyes, a dripping nose, and unavoidable, uncontrollable sneezing. 

Unfortunately there’s nothing you can do to avoid this misery… just kidding, there totally is!

As a heating and cooling repair company with over a century of experience, we know a thing or two about combating airborne allergens and improving indoor air quality. The fact of the matter is that there are plenty of things you can do to alleviate allergy symptoms. Things like checking local allergy alerts, making sure to get enough sleep, and investing in air purifiers and air cleaners for allergies are a great start. The key is to get the air cleaner that meets your unique needs, whether that means getting a HEPA filter, or the right size depending on whether you have small or large rooms

This post will introduce you to some of the best air cleaners on the market and then offer some helpful must-have tips to accompany those cleaners on your journey toward safer, easier breathing.

What are the best air cleaners for allergies?

Averaging around $400, air cleaners like the ones listed below are a small price to pay for priceless relief. Not sure which air cleaner is right for your home? Here are our recommendations for the best air cleaners and air purifiers for allergies and allergy sufferers.

Trane CleanEffects Electronic Air Cleaner

With the Trane CleanEffects electronic air cleaner, your family can minimize the number of irritants and allergens that circulate throughout your home. This whole-house, electronic air cleaner works in conjunction with your heating and cooling system to clean up to 99.98% of allergens from air. It’s capable of trapping airborne particles down to 0.3 microns in size, including dust, soot, and mold spores. In addition, this air cleaner’s patented filtration process doesn’t reduce airflow, providing you with long-lasting, consistent performance.

Aprilaire Central Air Cleaner

High-efficiency Aprilaire central air cleaners are installed as a part of your home’s heating and cooling system—completely silent and out of sight. As a result, it’s able to distribute clean air throughout your home via your heating and cooling system’s ductwork. As a high-efficiency cleaner, certain models can trap everything from dander and dust to smoke and bacteria.

Lennox Healthy Climate® 16 Media Air Cleaner

The Lennox Healthy Climate® 16 Media Air Cleaner is one of the industry’s highest-rated whole-house air cleaner and filtration systems. With a Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value (MERV) rating of 16, this media air cleaner removes more than 95% of allergy-aggravating particles down to 0.3 microns and over 90% of bioaerosols and microorganisms down to 0.01 microns.

What can I do to better survive allergy season?

Making sure the air inside your home is easier to breathe with help from one of the air cleaners listed above is only the first step. Next we have some helpful tips for countering allergy symptoms in general, no matter what they are.

• Check pollen counts. Check the pollen counts for your neighborhood’s allergy forecast every morning. And as a general rule of thumb, pollen counts are usually at their highest between 5 a.m. and 10 a.m. so plan accordingly. According to the AAAAI, the best times to exercise outdoors are early evening, when pollen counts are down, or on damp, cloudy days, when rain has temporarily washed pollen and pollutants out of the air.
• Get enough sleep. A common side-effect of allergies is low energy, which often correlates to low-grade depression. Because allergies affect the immune system, it’s natural to feel physically low as your immune system fights allergens and pollen. Getting enough sleep can help combat this. You can take steps to secure better sleep by giving up stimulants like coffee or depressants like alcohol during high pollen count months.
• Drink a lot of water. Allergy symptoms are often confused with a cold or the flu because the immune response for both is similar. When your immune system is sluggish, drinking plenty of fluids is essential when keeping pollutants from clogging up your lymphatic system.

For more tips on how to ensure your home’s indoor air is squeaky clean, view our tips for improving indoor air quality.

Ready to remove allergens from your life? Contact us for information on installing an air purifying or air cleaning system in your home.