If you’re shopping for an air purifier, you might be noticing that some brands are making a lot of claims. And some of those claims might feel too good to be true. So, it’s only expected that you could be thinking are air purifiers a waste of money.
They’re useful, according to the EPA, as they’re a fantastic approach to improve your Ames home’s indoor air quality. Newer homes are solidly sealed and deeply insulated, which is good for energy efficiency, but not so fantastic for indoor air quality.
As updated homes don’t typically allow in as much fresh air as older homes, contaminants including dust, pet dander and cleaning products can accumulate inside. The outcome? Air that’s more contaminated than the outdoors, which is a problem if you are dealing with allergies, asthma or are sensitive to respiratory irritation.
Our indoor air quality professionals at Haselhoff Air Solutions can help you cut through the clutter and select the best home air purifier. Just call us at 515-450-8739 and we’ll be happy to provide support. Meanwhile, discover more about how air purifiers work, their pluses and our recommendations to help you find the right air purifier.
How Do Air Purifiers Work?
Most home air purifiers use a fan to pull in air. Then, the air passes through one or more filters to catch pollutants before being recirculated.
These filters might incorporate a charcoal filter, to eliminate odors, and a HEPA, or high efficiency particulate air, filter. A HEPA filter is at least 99.7% effective at catching microscopic particles down to .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 fitted to your HVAC system, providing strong filtration for your entire residence.
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 tandem with an enhanced filter for your HVAC system, they can greatly lower the amount of indoor air pollution.
4 Perks of an Air Purifier
Adding an air purifier to your home can give many great health pluses. Here are several of them.
1. Lowers Allergy and Asthma Triggers
Air purifiers decrease contaminants in your residence, like some of these common triggers:
- Dust
- Pollen
- Mold
- Volatile organic compounds, like cleaners, air fresheners and personal care products
2. Reduces Other Symptoms Related to Poor Indoor Air Quality
Even if you or someone in your residence doesn’t experience allergies or asthma, an air purifier can reduce other symptoms associated with low indoor air quality. These involve:
- Itchy throat, eyes, nose or skin
- Headaches
- Sneezing and coughing
- Fatigue
- Dizziness
- Nausea
It can be hard to determine symptoms related to indoor air quality, as they can be linked to lots of other illnesses. However, if you’re aware that symptoms are better after you leave your house, your indoor air quality is probably causing trouble.
3. Eliminates Odors
Odors that hang around, including cigarette smoke or cooking smells, can be difficult to remove. If you having issues with eliminating heavy smells in your residence, our professionals recommend buying 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 loved ones in better health particularly during colder months. To take full advantage of this perk, our professionals suggest 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 several features to avoid when selecting a system for your home:
- Creates ozone. Some air purifiers make ozone, which can aggravate your lungs. The EPA recommends skipping ozone air purifiers.
- Doesn’t use HEPA filters. For the best filtration, you’ll want a HEPA air purifier. Regarded as the gold standard for pure air, HEPA filters are used in the majority of healthcare settings, including hospitals.
- Only purifies a single room. We recommend getting a whole-house air purifier, which filters the air in every room. This solution works alongside your HVAC system.
When you work with the indoor air quality experts at Haselhoff Air Solutions, we make it simple to choose the best air purifier for your home. Give us a call at 515-450-8739 to begin breathing cleaner air right away!