If you’re in the market for an air purifier, you may be realizing that some kinds are producing many claims. And most of those claims could seem too good to be true. So, it’s only natural that you could be wondering are air purifiers a waste of money.
They’re useful, according to the EPA, as they’re an excellent approach to enhance your Arlington house’s indoor air quality. Today’s residences are securely sealed and thoroughly insulated, which is fantastic for energy efficiency, but not so fantastic for indoor air quality.
Because newer houses don’t normally allow in as much fresh air as aging houses, contaminants including dust, pet dander and cleaning products can accumulate indoors. 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 professionals at Service Max Heating & Air Conditioning can help you cut through the clutter and find the best home air purifier. Just give us a call at 360-255-5857 and we’ll be happy to help. For now, find out more about how air purifiers operate, their advantages and our recommendations to help you select the best air purifier.
How Does an Air Purification System Improve Indoor Air Quality?
Most home air purifiers use a fan to pull in air. Then, the air passes through one or more filters to trap contaminants before being recirculated.
These filters might include 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 miniscule particles as small as .3 microns, like dust, pollen, mold and some bacteria.
An air purifier can be lightweight and used to filter an individual room. Or they can be installed inside your HVAC system, providing effective filtration for your complete house.
The EPA says you should be aware that air purifiers can’t eliminate 100% of the contaminants from your home’s air. But when used along with an enhanced filter for your HVAC system, they can significantly decrease the amount of indoor air pollution.
4 Perks of Air Purification
Adding an air purifier to your home can offer many good health perks. Here are several of them.
1. Decreases Allergy and Asthma Triggers
Air purifiers reduce irritants in your house, 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 home doesn’t struggle with allergies or asthma, an air purifier can lower other symptoms associated with low indoor air quality. These involve:
- Scratchy throat, eyes, nose or skin
- Headaches
- Sneezing and coughing
- Fatigue
- Dizziness
- Nausea
It can be hard to determine issues associated with indoor air quality, because they can be caused by a lot of other illnesses. However, if you’re noticing that symptoms are better after you leave home, your indoor air quality is possibly causing the issue.
3. Removes Odors
Lingering odors, including cigarette smoke or cooking smells, can be tricky to eliminate. If you having problems with getting rid of heavy smells in your residence, our professionals suggest buying an air purifier with a charcoal or activated carbon filter.
4. Can Decrease Your Probability of Becoming Sick
An air purifier can remove some bacteria and viruses under certain airflow conditions, keeping you and your loved ones healthier even more so during cold months. To take total advantage of this perk, our pros advise a UV air purifier. Disinfecting ultraviolet light provides an added layer of safeguard against airborne pathogens.
Air Purifiers to Avoid
You’re better off without certain air purifiers. Here are a couple of options to avoid when choosing a system for your home:
- Produces ozone. Some air purifiers make ozone, which can bother your lungs. The EPA advises avoiding ozone air purifiers.
- Doesn’t include HEPA filters. For the best results, you’ll want a HEPA air purifier. Known as the gold standard for pure air, HEPA filters are used in the majority of healthcare settings, like hospitals.
- Only purifies a single room. We recommend getting a whole-house air purifier, which purifies the air throughout your home. This solution runs in tandem with your heating and cooling system.
When you partner with the indoor air quality professionals at Service Max Heating & Air Conditioning, we make it simple to buy the best air purifier for your residence. Reach us at 360-255-5857 to begin breathing fresher air now!