If you’re shopping for an air purifier, you could be realizing that some brands are spouting many claims. And most of those claims might appear 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, because they’re an excellent approach to better your Menomonie and western Wisconsin residence’s indoor air quality. Modern homes are tightly sealed and thoroughly insulated, which is excellent for energy efficiency, but not so fantastic for indoor air quality.
Because newer homes don’t naturally allow in as much outside air as old houses, contaminants like dust, pet dander and cleaning products can accumulate indoors. The result? Air that’s more contaminated than the outdoors, which is bad news if you are dealing with allergies, asthma or are sensitive to respiratory irritation.
Our indoor air quality professionals at Halverson Brothers Inc can help you cut through the clutter and choose the best home air purifier. Just call us at 715-352-4052 and we’ll be happy to provide support. Meanwhile, discover more about how air purifiers operate, their benefits and our suggestions to help you find the best air purifier.
How Do Air Purifiers Work?
Most home air purifiers rely on a fan to draw in air. Then, the air is pushed through one or more filters to trap contaminants before being recirculated.
These filters may include a charcoal filter, to remove odors, and a HEPA, or high efficiency particulate air, filter. A HEPA filter is at least 99.7% effective at filtering miniscule particles as small as .3 microns, such as dust, pollen, mold and some bacteria.
An air purifier can be compact and used to treat an individual room. Or they can be added to your HVAC system, providing strong filtration for your entire home.
The EPA says you should be aware that air purifiers can’t get rid of every contaminant from your residence’s air. But when used along with an improved filter for your HVAC system, they can significantly decrease the concentration of indoor air pollution.
4 Perks of an Air Purifier
Adding an air purifier to your residence can give many good health advantages. Here are just a few of them.
1. Lowers Allergy and Asthma Triggers
Air purifiers reduce contaminants in your home, such as some of these standard triggers:
- Dust
- Pollen
- Mold
- Volatile organic compounds, including cleaners, air fresheners and personal care products
2. Decreases Other Issues Linked to Poor Indoor Air Quality
Even if you or someone in your household doesn’t experience allergies or asthma, an air purifier can reduce other troubles linked to poor indoor air quality. These involve:
- Itchy throat, eyes, nose or skin
- Headaches
- Sneezing and coughing
- Fatigue
- Dizziness
- Nausea
It can be difficult to pinpoint troubles linked to indoor air quality, since they can be caused by many other illnesses. However, if you’re observing that you feel better after you leave your house, your indoor air quality is probably causing the issue.
3. Gets Rid of Odors
Persistent odors, including cigarette smoke or cooking smells, can be tough to remove. If you having difficulties with eliminating heavy smells in your residence, we suggest getting an air purifier with a charcoal or activated carbon filter.
4. May Reduce Your Chance of Getting Sick
An air purifier can remove some bacteria and viruses under certain airflow conditions, keeping you and your family in good health particularly during cold months. To receive full advantage of this perk, our pros suggest a UV air purifier. Disinfecting ultraviolet light gives an added layer of safeguard against airborne pathogens.
Air Purifiers to Skip
You’re better off without some air purifiers. Here are a couple of features to stay away from when picking a system for your house:
- Makes ozone. Some air purifiers produce ozone, which can irritate your lungs. The EPA advises skipping ozone air purifiers.
- Doesn’t use HEPA filters. For the best outcome, you’ll want a HEPA air purifier. Considered the gold standard for pure air, HEPA filters are used in the majority of healthcare settings, such as hospitals.
- Only purifies an individual room. We advise getting a whole-house air purifier, which filters the air throughout your home. This style runs with your home comfort system.
When you partner with the indoor air quality professionals at Halverson Brothers Inc, we make it uncomplicated to choose the best air purifier for your home. Give us a call at 715-352-4052 to get started breathing cleaner air now!