If you’re shopping for an air purifier, you might be finding that some brands are producing lots of claims. And most of those claims might 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 worth it, according to the EPA, because they’re an excellent approach to enhance your Thedford home’s indoor air quality. Newer residences are tightly sealed and deeply insulated, which is fantastic for energy efficiency, but not so good for indoor air quality.
Since newer residences don’t naturally let in as much outside air as old homes, contaminants such as dust, pet dander and cleaning products can build up inside. The outcome? Air that’s more polluted than the outdoors, which is a problem if you have allergies, asthma or are vulnerable to respiratory irritation.
Our indoor air quality professionals at Taylor's Heating & Air Conditioning can help you cut through the clutter and choose the best home air purifier. Just call us at 519-296-4437 and we’ll be happy to provide support. For now, learn more about how air purifiers work, their advantages and our advice to help you find the ideal air purifier.
How Do Air Purifiers Work?
Most home air purifiers rely on a fan to collect air. Then, the air is pushed through one or more filters to catch irritants before being recirculated.
These filters may have 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 tiny particles as small as .3 microns, like dust, pollen, mold and some bacteria.
An air purifier can be lightweight and used to treat a single room. Or they can be fitted to your HVAC system, giving effective filtration for your total house.
The EPA says you should know that air purifiers can’t get rid of 100% of the contaminants from your residence’s air. But when used in tandem with a better filter for your HVAC system, they can greatly decrease the level of indoor air pollution.
4 Pluses of an Air Purifier
Getting an air purifier for your residence can offer lots of outstanding health perks. Here are several of them.
1. Decreases Allergy and Asthma Triggers
Air purifiers decrease irritants in your home, including some of these typical triggers:
- Dust
- Pollen
- Mold
- Volatile organic compounds, such as 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 experience allergies or asthma, an air purifier can lower other issues associated with low indoor air quality. These involve:
- Dry throat, eyes, nose or skin
- Headaches
- Sneezing and coughing
- Fatigue
- Dizziness
- Nausea
It can be hard to determine issues associated with indoor air quality, since they can be linked to a lot of other illnesses. However, if you’re noticing that symptoms lessen after you leave your residence, your indoor air quality is likely causing a problem.
3. Eliminates Odors
Odors that hang around, like cigarette smoke or cooking smells, can be tricky to get rid of. If you having problems with getting rid of heavy smells in your residence, we recommend buying an air purifier with a charcoal or activated carbon filter.
4. Might Decrease Your Probability of Getting Sick
An air purifier can remove some bacteria and viruses under certain airflow conditions, keeping you and your household in better health particularly during winter months. To get complete advantage of this plus, our pros recommend a UV air purifier. Disinfecting ultraviolet light gives an extra layer of safeguard against airborne pathogens.
Air Purifiers to Avoid
You’re better off without select air purifiers. Here are a couple of features to stay away from when picking a system for your home:
- Creates ozone. Some air purifiers create ozone, which can irritate 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. Regarded as the gold standard for clean air, HEPA filters are used in the majority of healthcare settings, including hospitals.
- Only purifies an individual room. We recommend using a whole-house air purifier, which filters the air across your home. This style works alongside your heating and cooling system.
When you call the indoor air quality specialists at Taylor's Heating & Air Conditioning, we make it uncomplicated to buy the best air purifier for your house. Give us a call at 519-296-4437 to start breathing cleaner air right away!