If you’re shopping for an air purifier, you might be noticing that some brands are making lots of claims. And most of those claims could feel too good to be true. So, it’s only typical that you might be wondering are air purifiers a waste of money.
They’re worthwhile, according to the EPA, as they’re a fantastic way to enhance your Ballwin and St. Charles house’s indoor air quality. Modern houses are securely sealed and deeply insulated, which is fantastic for energy efficiency, but not so excellent for indoor air quality.
Because updated homes don’t typically bring in as much fresh air as older homes, irritants including dust, pet dander and cleaning products can concentrate inside. The consequence? Air that’s more polluted than the outdoors, which is a problem if you struggle with allergies, asthma or are vulnerable to respiratory irritation.
Our indoor air quality pros at Air Alliance Team can help you cut through the clutter and choose the best home air purifier. Just contact us at 636-206-4250 and we’ll be happy to help. For now, learn more about how air purifiers clean the air, their advantages and our suggestions to help you find the right air purifier.
How Do Air Purifiers Work?
Most home air purifiers have a fan to collect air. Then, the air moves through one or more filters to catch contaminants before being sent out again.
These filters may include 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 miniscule particles as small as .3 microns, including dust, pollen, mold and some bacteria.
An air purifier can be lightweight and used to purify one area. Or they can be added to your HVAC system, delivering strong filtration for your complete house.
The EPA says you should be aware 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 lower the level of indoor air pollution.
4 Benefits of an Air Purifier
Adding an air purifier to your house can deliver a lot of good health advantages. Here are several of them.
1. Decreases Allergy and Asthma Triggers
Air purifiers lower pollutants in your home, like some of these common triggers:
- Dust
- Pollen
- Mold
- Volatile organic compounds, like cleaners, air fresheners and personal care products
2. Alleviates Other Symptoms Associated with Poor Indoor Air Quality
Even if you or someone in your home doesn’t struggle with allergies or asthma, an air purifier can reduce other troubles associated with bad indoor air quality. These include:
- Itchy throat, eyes, nose or skin
- Headaches
- Sneezing and coughing
- Fatigue
- Dizziness
- Nausea
It can be hard to pinpoint symptoms associated with indoor air quality, since they can be triggered by a lot of other illnesses. However, if you’re aware that symptoms are better after you leave your residence, your indoor air quality is probably causing a problem.
3. Gets Rid of Odors
Persistent odors, like cigarette smoke or cooking smells, can be tough to remove. If you are having a hard time with removing heavy smells in your residence, our pros suggest getting an air purifier with a charcoal or activated carbon filter.
4. Might Reduce Your Probability of Being Sick
An air purifier can inactivate some bacteria and viruses under certain airflow conditions, keeping you and your household in good health especially during cold months. To get total advantage of this perk, our professionals recommend a UV air purifier. Disinfecting ultraviolet light gives an additional layer of protection against airborne pathogens.
Air Purifiers to Skip
You’re better off without certain air purifiers. Here are a couple of styles to stay away from when selecting a system for your home:
- Makes ozone. Some air purifiers create ozone, which can bother your lungs. The EPA advises skipping ozone air purifiers.
- Doesn’t include HEPA filters. For the best filtration, you’ll want a HEPA air purifier. Known as the gold standard for clean air, HEPA filters are used in most healthcare settings, like hospitals.
- Only purifies an individual room. We advise using a whole-house air purifier, which purifies the air in every room. This option operates with your HVAC system.
When you call the indoor air quality professionals at Air Alliance Team, we make it easy to select the best air purifier for your residence. Contact us at 636-206-4250 to begin breathing fresher air now!