If you’re looking for an air purifier, you could be noticing that some manufacturers are spouting lots of claims. And most of those claims may appear too good to be true. So, it’s only typical that you might be wondering are air purifiers a waste of money.

They’re useful, according to the EPA, because they’re a fantastic way to improve your Newton home’s indoor air quality. Newer homes are securely sealed and thoroughly insulated, which is good for energy efficiency, but not so good for indoor air quality.

Since modern homes don’t normally bring in as much fresh air as older houses, contaminants such as 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 are dealing with allergies, asthma or are susceptible to respiratory irritation.

Our indoor air quality professionals at Brookwood Inc can help you cut through the clutter and find the best home air purifier. Just call us at 641-316-9803 and we’ll be happy to help. In the meantime, find out more about how air purifiers work, their pluses and our advice to help you choose the right air purifier.

How Do Air Purifiers Work?

Most home air purifiers use a fan to pull in air. Then, the air is pushed through one or more filters to trap contaminants before being recirculated.

These filters can 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 as small as .3 microns, including dust, pollen, mold and some bacteria.

An air purifier can be lightweight and used to filter an individual room. Or they can be fitted to your HVAC system, providing powerful filtration for your total house.

The EPA says it’s important to know that air purifiers can’t eliminate every contaminant from your residence’s air. But when used along with an enhanced filter for your HVAC system, they can considerably reduce the concentration of indoor air pollution.

4 Benefits of an Air Purifier

Getting an air purifier for your residence can deliver lots of great health perks. Here are just a couple of them.

1. Decreases Allergy and Asthma Triggers

Air purifiers lower irritants in your residence, like some of these typical triggers:

  • Dust
  • Pollen
  • Mold
  • Volatile organic compounds, including cleaners, air fresheners and personal care products

2. Alleviates Other Issues Associated with Poor Indoor Air Quality

Even if you or someone in your household doesn’t experience allergies or asthma, an air purifier can reduce other symptoms linked to bad indoor air quality. These include:

  • Itchy throat, eyes, nose or skin
  • Headaches
  • Sneezing and coughing
  • Fatigue
  • Dizziness
  • Nausea

It can be tricky to identify troubles related to indoor air quality, since they can be triggered by lots of other illnesses. However, if you’re observing that you feel better after you leave your residence, your indoor air quality is probably causing the issue.

3. Eliminates Odors

Persistent odors, like cigarette smoke or cooking smells, can be tricky to eliminate. If you having problems with removing heavy smells in your house, our professionals recommend buying an air purifier with a charcoal or activated carbon filter.

4. Can Reduce Your Probability of Becoming Sick

An air purifier can remove some bacteria and viruses under certain airflow conditions, keeping you and your household healthier even more so during winter months. To get full advantage of this benefit, our professionals suggest a UV air purifier. Disinfecting ultraviolet light gives an additional layer of defense against airborne pathogens.

Air Purifiers to Stay Away From

You’re better off without certain air purifiers. Here are several features to stay away from when selecting a system for your residence:

  • Produces ozone. Some air purifiers produce ozone, which can irritate your lungs. The EPA recommends staying away from ozone air purifiers.
  • Doesn’t include HEPA filters. For the best outcome, you’ll want a HEPA air purifier. Considered the gold standard for clean air, HEPA filters are used in most healthcare settings, including hospitals.
  • Only purifies a single room. We recommend getting a whole-house air purifier, which cleans the air in every room. This solution operates with your HVAC system.

When you call the indoor air quality specialists at Brookwood Inc, we make it easy to buy the best air purifier for your home. Contact us at 641-316-9803 to get started breathing cleaner air now!