If you’re shopping for an air purifier, you could be realizing that some brands are spouting lots of claims. And many of those claims could feel too good to be true. So, it’s only expected that you could be wondering are air purifiers a waste of money.
They’re worth it, according to the EPA, because they’re a great approach to enhance your Carson City home’s indoor air quality. Today’s homes are solidly sealed and heavily insulated, which is excellent for energy efficiency, but not so excellent for indoor air quality.
Since newer homes don’t naturally bring in as much fresh air as older residences, pollutants including dust, pet dander and cleaning products can concentrate in your home. The result? Air that’s dirtier than the outdoors, which is not good if you have allergies, asthma or are vulnerable to respiratory irritation.
Our indoor air quality pros at Anderson Heating & A/C can help you cut through the clutter and select the best home air purifier. Just give us a call at 775-230-7628 and we’ll be happy to assist you. Meanwhile, learn more about how air purifiers clean the air, their perks and our suggestions to help you choose the right air purifier.
How Do Air Purifiers Work?
Most home air purifiers rely on a fan to pull in air. Then, the air is pushed through one or more filters to trap pollutants before being redistributed.
These filters might 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 catching tiny particles as small as .3 microns, including dust, pollen, mold and some bacteria.
An air purifier can be lightweight and used to purify a single area. Or they can be installed inside your HVAC system, delivering effective filtration for your total residence.
The EPA says you should know that air purifiers can’t get rid of all the contaminants from your house’s air. But when used in combination with a better filter for your HVAC system, they can greatly lower the level of indoor air pollution.
4 Benefits of an Air Purifier
Installing an air purifier in your house can offer a lot of outstanding health pluses. Here are just a few of them.
1. Reduces Allergy and Asthma Triggers
Air purifiers reduce contaminants in your house, such as some of these typical triggers:
- Dust
- Pollen
- Mold
- Volatile organic compounds, such as cleaners, air fresheners and personal care products
2. Decreases Other Problems Associated with Poor Indoor Air Quality
Even if you or someone in your household doesn’t experience allergies or asthma, an air purifier can decrease other troubles related to poor indoor air quality. These include:
- Dry throat, eyes, nose or skin
- Headaches
- Sneezing and coughing
- Fatigue
- Dizziness
- Nausea
It can be tricky to determine issues linked to indoor air quality, since they can be linked to a lot of other illnesses. However, if you’re observing that symptoms lessen after you leave your residence, your indoor air quality is probably causing a problem.
3. Removes Odors
Odors that hang around, such as cigarette smoke or cooking smells, can be tough to eliminate. If you struggle with removing strong smells in your residence, our professionals recommend purchasing an air purifier with a charcoal or activated carbon filter.
4. May Lower Your Chance of Getting Sick
An air purifier can eliminate some bacteria and viruses under certain airflow conditions, keeping you and your loved ones in good health especially during winter months. To take complete advantage of this perk, we recommend a UV air purifier. Disinfecting ultraviolet light provides an extra layer of protection against airborne pathogens.
Air Purifiers to Skip
You’re better off without some air purifiers. Here are a couple of options to avoid when selecting a system for your residence:
- Makes ozone. Some air purifiers make ozone, which can aggravate your lungs. The EPA advises avoiding ozone air purifiers.
- Doesn’t use HEPA filters. For the best outcome, you’ll want a HEPA air purifier. Known as the gold standard for healthy air, HEPA filters are used in the majority of healthcare settings, like hospitals.
- Only purifies one room. We advise using a whole-house air purifier, which purifies the air in every room. This option works in tandem with your HVAC system.
When you work with the indoor air quality specialists at Anderson Heating & A/C, we make it easy to choose the best air purifier for your residence. Contact us at 775-230-7628 to begin breathing cleaner air right away!