If you’re shopping for an air purifier, you might be noticing that some brands are producing a lot of claims. And most of those claims might appear too good to be true. So, it’s only typical that you might be questioning are air purifiers a waste of money.
They’re useful, according to the EPA, because they’re a great approach to enhance your Marshalltown house’s indoor air quality. Newer houses are securely sealed and heavily insulated, which is excellent for energy efficiency, but not so excellent for indoor air quality.
As newer houses don’t typically allow in as much fresh air as old residences, pollutants like dust, pet dander and cleaning products can build up indoors. The result? Air that’s dirtier than the outdoors, which is bad news if you have allergies, asthma or are sensitive to respiratory irritation.
Our indoor air quality professionals at B & G HVAC can help you cut through the clutter and find the best home air purifier. Just call us at 641-316-3360 and we’ll be happy to help. Meanwhile, learn more about how air purifiers clean the air, their perks and our suggestions to help you select the right air purifier.
How Do Air Purifiers Work?
Most home air purifiers use a fan to draw in air. Then, the air is pushed through one or more filters to collect irritants before being recirculated.
These filters may incorporate a charcoal filter, to remove odors, and a HEPA, or high efficiency particulate air, filter. A HEPA filter is at least 99.7% effective at capturing microscopic particles down to .3 microns, like dust, pollen, mold and some bacteria.
An air purifier can be portable and used to purify a single area. Or they can be installed inside your HVAC system, delivering strong filtration for your complete home.
The EPA says you should know that air purifiers can’t remove 100% of the contaminants from your home’s air. But when used in combination with an enhanced filter for your HVAC system, they can significantly reduce the amount of indoor air pollution.
4 Perks of an Air Purifier
Adding an air purifier to your home can offer lots of great health pluses. Here are several of them.
1. Alleviates Allergy and Asthma Triggers
Air purifiers lower pollutants in your house, like some of these typical triggers:
- Dust
- Pollen
- Mold
- Volatile organic compounds, such as cleaners, air fresheners and personal care products
2. Lowers Other Issues Associated with Poor Indoor Air Quality
Even if you or someone in your home doesn’t experience allergies or asthma, an air purifier can lower other symptoms associated with bad indoor air quality. These entail:
- Itchy throat, eyes, nose or skin
- Headaches
- Sneezing and coughing
- Fatigue
- Dizziness
- Nausea
It can be hard to pinpoint issues related to indoor air quality, because they can be triggered by many other illnesses. However, if you’re observing that symptoms lessen after you leave your residence, your indoor air quality is likely causing the issue.
3. Removes Odors
Lingering odors, such as cigarette smoke or cooking smells, can be difficult to eliminate. If you having difficulties with removing persistent smells in your house, our pros recommend purchasing an air purifier with a charcoal or activated carbon filter.
4. May Decrease Your Probability of Being Sick
An air purifier can eliminate some bacteria and viruses under certain airflow conditions, keeping you and your family healthier especially during cold months. To get complete advantage of this plus, we recommend a UV air purifier. Disinfecting ultraviolet light delivers an additional layer of defense against airborne pathogens.
Air Purifiers to Skip
You’re better off without certain air purifiers. Here are a few options to stay away from when choosing a system for your house:
- Creates ozone. Some air purifiers make ozone, which can irritate your lungs. The EPA recommends skipping ozone air purifiers.
- Doesn’t have HEPA filters. For the best results, you’ll want a HEPA air purifier. Considered the gold standard for pure air, HEPA filters are used in many healthcare settings, like hospitals.
- Only purifies a single room. We advise getting a whole-house air purifier, which purifies the air across your home. This style runs alongside your home comfort system.
When you partner with the indoor air quality experts at B & G HVAC, we make it easy to select the best air purifier for your house. Give us a call at 641-316-3360 to begin breathing cleaner air today!