If you’re looking for an air purifier, you might be finding that some manufacturers are making a lot of claims. And most of those claims could seem too good to be true. So, it’s only natural that you could be questioning are air purifiers a waste of money.
They’re useful, according to the EPA, since they’re a fantastic way to enhance your Rockford residence’s indoor air quality. Today’s homes are tightly sealed and heavily insulated, which is fantastic for energy efficiency, but not so fantastic for indoor air quality.
Since updated houses don’t normally let in as much outdoor air as older houses, irritants including dust, pet dander and cleaning products can build up indoors. The outcome? Air that’s dirtier than the outdoors, which is bad news if you are dealing with allergies, asthma or are vulnerable to respiratory irritation.
Our indoor air quality professionals at Temperature Doctors Heating & Cooling, Inc can help you cut through the clutter and select the best home air purifier. Just contact us at (815)914-6197 and we’ll be happy to assist you. In the meantime, find out more about how air purifiers work, their pluses and our suggestions to help you find the ideal air purifier.
How Do Air Purifiers Work?
Most home air purifiers rely on a fan to draw in air. Then, the air is pushed through one or more filters to trap pollutants before being recirculated.
These filters can include a charcoal filter, to eliminate odors, and a HEPA, or high efficiency particulate air, filter. A HEPA filter is at least 99.7% effective at catching miniscule particles as small as .3 microns, such as dust, pollen, mold and some bacteria.
An air purifier can be movable and used to filter one space. Or they can be added to your HVAC system, giving effective filtration for your total residence.
The EPA says it’s important to know that air purifiers can’t remove 100% of the contaminants from your home’s air. But when used along with an improved filter for your HVAC system, they can significantly reduce the amount of indoor air pollution.
4 Advantages of an Air Purifier
Getting an air purifier for your home can give lots of great health benefits. Here are just a couple of them.
1. Lowers Allergy and Asthma Triggers
Air purifiers reduce pollutants in your home, such as some of these standard triggers:
- Dust
- Pollen
- Mold
- Volatile organic compounds, including cleaners, air fresheners and personal care products
2. Alleviates Other Symptoms Linked to Poor Indoor Air Quality
Even if you or someone in your home doesn’t struggle with allergies or asthma, an air purifier can lower other troubles related to bad indoor air quality. These involve:
- Scratchy throat, eyes, nose or skin
- Headaches
- Sneezing and coughing
- Fatigue
- Dizziness
- Nausea
It can be difficult to pinpoint issues related to indoor air quality, since they can be triggered by many other illnesses. However, if you’re observing that symptoms lessen after you leave home, your indoor air quality is possibly causing the issue.
3. Eliminates Odors
Persistent odors, like cigarette smoke or cooking smells, can be tough to get rid of. If you having issues with getting rid of strong smells in your house, we advise purchasing an air purifier with a charcoal or activated carbon filter.
4. Can Decrease Your Probability of Being Sick
An air purifier can remove some bacteria and viruses under certain airflow conditions, keeping you and your loved ones in better health especially during winter months. To take complete advantage of this perk, our professionals suggest a UV air purifier. Disinfecting ultraviolet light provides an additional layer of safeguard against airborne pathogens.
Air Purifiers to Avoid
You’re better off without some air purifiers. Here are a few styles to stay away from when selecting a system for your house:
- Produces ozone. Some air purifiers produce ozone, which can bother your lungs. The EPA recommends staying away from ozone air purifiers.
- Doesn’t have HEPA filters. For the best results, you’ll want a HEPA air purifier. Known as the gold standard for clean air, HEPA filters are used in the majority of healthcare settings, such as hospitals.
- Only purifies one room. We advise installing a whole-house air purifier, which filters the air in every room. This style operates with your home comfort system.
When you call the indoor air quality specialists at Temperature Doctors Heating & Cooling, Inc, we make it simple to select the best air purifier for your residence. Reach us at (815)914-6197 to get started breathing cleaner air right away!