If you’re shopping for an air purifier, you could be finding that some kinds are spouting lots of claims. And some of those claims may feel too good to be true. So, it’s only typical that you could be questioning are air purifiers a waste of money.
They’re worth it, according to the EPA, since they’re a fantastic method to improve your Mankato area residence’s indoor air quality. Today’s houses are solidly sealed and heavily insulated, which is fantastic for energy efficiency, but not so excellent for indoor air quality.
Because newer houses don’t typically allow in as much outside air as old houses, contaminants like dust, pet dander and cleaning products can build up in your home. The consequence? Air that’s dirtier than the outdoors, which is bad news if you have allergies, asthma or are susceptible to respiratory irritation.
Our indoor air quality specialists at Northern Comfort Inc can help you cut through the clutter and choose the best home air purifier. Just give us a call at 507-387-6596 and we’ll be happy to assist you. For now, discover more about how air purifiers work, their advantages and our suggestions to help you select the best air purifier.
How Do Air Purifiers Work?
Most home air purifiers have a fan to collect air. Then, the air passes through one or more filters to trap pollutants before being recirculated.
These filters may 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 catching tiny particles as small as .3 microns, including dust, pollen, mold and some bacteria.
An air purifier can be movable and used to treat a single area. Or they can be fitted to your HVAC system, giving effective filtration for your entire residence.
The EPA says it’s important to know that air purifiers can’t remove every contaminant from your residence’s air. But when used in combination with a better filter for your HVAC system, they can considerably reduce the concentration of indoor air pollution.
4 Benefits of an Air Purifier
Installing an air purifier in your house can offer lots of good health perks. Here are several of them.
1. Reduces Allergy and Asthma Triggers
Air purifiers lower pollutants in your home, such as some of these standard triggers:
- Dust
- Pollen
- Mold
- Volatile organic compounds, such as cleaners, air fresheners and personal care products
2. Reduces Other Symptoms Linked to Poor Indoor Air Quality
Even if you or someone in your residence doesn’t struggle with allergies or asthma, an air purifier can lower other symptoms linked to bad indoor air quality. These entail:
- Scratchy throat, eyes, nose or skin
- Headaches
- Sneezing and coughing
- Fatigue
- Dizziness
- Nausea
It can be difficult to identify troubles linked to indoor air quality, since they can be linked to many other illnesses. However, if you’re noticing that you feel better after you leave your house, your indoor air quality is likely causing the issue.
3. Removes Odors
Lingering odors, including cigarette smoke or cooking smells, can be tricky to eliminate. If you having issues with removing strong smells in your home, our professionals advise purchasing an air purifier with a charcoal or activated carbon filter.
4. Can Decrease Your Chance of Getting Sick
An air purifier can eliminate some bacteria and viruses under certain airflow conditions, keeping you and your household healthier especially during winter months. To take complete advantage of this benefit, our professionals recommend a UV air purifier. Disinfecting ultraviolet light gives an extra layer of defense against airborne pathogens.
Air Purifiers to Skip
You’re better off without some air purifiers. Here are a few features to avoid when selecting a system for your residence:
- Produces ozone. Some air purifiers create ozone, which can bother your lungs. The EPA suggests staying away from ozone air purifiers.
- Doesn’t use HEPA filters. For the best results, 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, such as hospitals.
- Only purifies one room. We advise installing a whole-house air purifier, which cleans the air in every room. This style operates alongside your HVAC system.
When you work with the indoor air quality experts at Northern Comfort Inc, we make it easy to select the best air purifier for your house. Give us a call at 507-387-6596 to start breathing cleaner air today!
