If you’re in the market for an air purifier, you may be finding that some brands are making a lot of claims. And some of those claims might appear too good to be true. So, it’s only typical that you could be questioning are air purifiers a waste of money.
They’re useful, according to the EPA, since they’re a fantastic method to improve your Newton house’s indoor air quality. Newer homes are solidly sealed and heavily insulated, which is excellent for energy efficiency, but not so fantastic for indoor air quality.
Since updated houses don’t typically let in as much outdoor air as aging houses, contaminants such as dust, pet dander and cleaning products can accumulate inside. The outcome? Air that’s more polluted than the outdoors, which is bad news if you have allergies, asthma or are sensitive to respiratory irritation.
Our indoor air quality pros at Brookwood Inc can help you cut through the clutter and select the best home air purifier. Just contact us at 641-316-9803 and we’ll be happy to provide support. For now, discover more about how air purifiers work, their perks and our suggestions to help you find the ideal air purifier.
How Do Air Purifiers Work?
Most home air purifiers have a fan to draw in air. Then, the air passes through one or more filters to trap pollutants before being sent out again.
These filters can include a charcoal filter, to get rid of odors, and a HEPA, or high efficiency particulate air, filter. A HEPA filter is at least 99.7% effective at capturing miniscule particles down to .3 microns, including dust, pollen, mold and some bacteria.
An air purifier can be compact and used to purify one space. Or they can be fitted to your HVAC system, delivering strong filtration for your entire house.
The EPA says it’s important to know that air purifiers can’t remove 100% of the contaminants from your residence’s air. But when used along with an improved filter for your HVAC system, they can considerably reduce the level of indoor air pollution.
4 Pluses of an Air Purifier
Getting an air purifier for your home can deliver a lot of good health pluses. Here are just a few of them.
1. Reduces 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. Lowers Other Symptoms Related to Poor Indoor Air Quality
Even if you or someone in your residence doesn’t have allergies or asthma, an air purifier can lower other issues linked to bad indoor air quality. These involve:
- Itchy throat, eyes, nose or skin
- Headaches
- Sneezing and coughing
- Fatigue
- Dizziness
- Nausea
It can be difficult to distinguish troubles related to indoor air quality, as they can be triggered by many other illnesses. However, if you’re observing that symptoms are better after you leave your house, your indoor air quality is possibly causing the issue.
3. Removes Odors
Lingering odors, like cigarette smoke or cooking smells, can be difficult to eliminate. If you are having a hard time with removing persistent smells in your residence, our professionals suggest purchasing an air purifier with a charcoal or activated carbon filter.
4. May Reduce Your Likelihood of Becoming Sick
An air purifier can eliminate some bacteria and viruses under certain airflow conditions, keeping you and your family in good health even more so during colder months. To take full advantage of this plus, our pros suggest a UV air purifier. Disinfecting ultraviolet light gives an extra layer of defense against airborne pathogens.
Air Purifiers to Stay Away From
You’re better off without some air purifiers. Here are a few options to skip when choosing a system for your house:
- Makes ozone. Some air purifiers produce ozone, which can bother your lungs. The EPA advises skipping ozone air purifiers.
- Doesn’t use HEPA filters. For the best results, you’ll want a HEPA air purifier. Considered the gold standard for healthy air, HEPA filters are used in most healthcare settings, such as hospitals.
- Only purifies one room. We recommend getting a whole-house air purifier, which purifies the air in every room. This option works in tandem with your home comfort system.
When you call the indoor air quality specialists at Brookwood Inc, we make it simple to select the best air purifier for your house. Give us a call at 641-316-9803 to begin breathing cleaner air right away!