If you’re shopping for an air purifier, you may be finding that some brands are spouting lots of claims. And some of those claims may appear too good to be true. So, it’s only natural that you might be thinking are air purifiers a waste of money.

They’re worth it, according to the EPA, because they’re an excellent approach to improve your Menomonie and western Wisconsin home’s indoor air quality. Today’s houses are tightly sealed and deeply insulated, which is excellent for energy efficiency, but not so excellent for indoor air quality.

As modern homes don’t normally bring in as much outdoor air as old homes, pollutants like dust, pet dander and cleaning products can concentrate in your home. The outcome? Air that’s more polluted than the outdoors, which is a problem if you are dealing with allergies, asthma or are vulnerable to respiratory irritation.

Our indoor air quality pros 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. For now, learn more about how air purifiers work, their pluses 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 catch irritants before being recirculated.

These filters may incorporate 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 capturing microscopic particles down to .3 microns, including dust, pollen, mold and some bacteria.

An air purifier can be movable and used to purify a single area. Or they can be installed inside your HVAC system, giving strong filtration for your complete house.

The EPA says you should be aware that air purifiers can’t eliminate all the contaminants from your house’s air. But when used along with an improved filter for your HVAC system, they can greatly reduce the amount of indoor air pollution.

4 Perks of an Air Purifier

Getting an air purifier for your residence can give lots of good health advantages. Here are just a few of them.

1. Decreases Allergy and Asthma Triggers

Air purifiers reduce pollutants in your residence, including some of these standard triggers:

  • Dust
  • Pollen
  • Mold
  • Volatile organic compounds, including cleaners, air fresheners and personal care products

2. Alleviates Other Issues 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 linked to low indoor air quality. These include:

  • Scratchy throat, eyes, nose or skin
  • Headaches
  • Sneezing and coughing
  • Fatigue
  • Dizziness
  • Nausea

It can be tricky to distinguish troubles associated with indoor air quality, since they can be linked to lots of other illnesses. However, if you’re aware that symptoms are better after you leave home, your indoor air quality is likely causing the issue.

3. Removes Odors

Odors that hang around, like cigarette smoke or cooking smells, can be difficult to get rid of. If you are having a hard time with removing heavy smells in your home, we recommend purchasing an air purifier with a charcoal or activated carbon filter.

4. Can Decrease 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 good health especially during winter months. To take complete advantage of this perk, our professionals recommend a UV air purifier. Disinfecting ultraviolet light provides an extra layer of defense against airborne pathogens.

Air Purifiers to Stay Away From

You’re better off without certain air purifiers. Here are a couple of options to skip when selecting a system for your residence:

  • Makes ozone. Some air purifiers produce ozone, which can irritate your lungs. The EPA suggests skipping ozone air purifiers.
  • Doesn’t use HEPA filters. For the best results, you’ll want a HEPA air purifier. Known as the gold standard for healthy air, HEPA filters are used in most healthcare settings, including hospitals.
  • Only purifies an individual room. We recommend using a whole-house air purifier, which cleans the air in every room. This option runs alongside your home comfort system.

When you call the indoor air quality experts at Halverson Brothers Inc, we make it easy to choose the best air purifier for your residence. Give us a call at 715-352-4052 to begin breathing fresher air right away!