If you’re in the market for an air purifier, you may be realizing that some manufacturers are making many claims. And some of those claims may seem 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 an excellent way to better your Cottonwood & Prescott house’s indoor air quality. Newer houses are tightly sealed and heavily insulated, which is good for energy efficiency, but not so fantastic for indoor air quality.
As modern houses don’t typically allow in as much outdoor air as aging residences, irritants like dust, pet dander and cleaning products can accumulate inside. The consequence? Air that’s more polluted than the outdoors, which is bad news if you are dealing with allergies, asthma or are sensitive to respiratory irritation.
Our indoor air quality pros at Connolly Electric & Mechanical can help you cut through the clutter and choose the best home air purifier. Just call us at 928-251-4327 and we’ll be happy to assist you. Meanwhile, learn more about how air purifiers clean the air, their pluses and our recommendations to help you select the right 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 collect contaminants before being sent out again.
These filters can incorporate 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 capturing miniscule particles down to .3 microns, like dust, pollen, mold and some bacteria.
An air purifier can be movable and used to treat one room. Or they can be installed inside your HVAC system, giving powerful filtration for your complete home.
The EPA says you should be aware that air purifiers can’t remove every contaminant from your house’s air. But when used in tandem with a better filter for your HVAC system, they can significantly decrease the amount of indoor air pollution.
4 Advantages of Air Purification
Installing an air purifier in your house can offer many good health perks. Here are several of them.
1. Lowers Allergy and Asthma Triggers
Air purifiers decrease contaminants in your residence, like some of these typical triggers:
- Dust
- Pollen
- Mold
- Volatile organic compounds, like cleaners, air fresheners and personal care products
2. Alleviates Other Symptoms Associated with Poor Indoor Air Quality
Even if you or someone in your home doesn’t struggle with allergies or asthma, an air purifier can reduce other symptoms linked to bad indoor air quality. These involve:
- Scratchy throat, eyes, nose or skin
- Headaches
- Sneezing and coughing
- Fatigue
- Dizziness
- Nausea
It can be difficult to determine issues associated with indoor air quality, as they can be triggered by a lot of other illnesses. However, if you’re aware that symptoms are better after you leave your residence, your indoor air quality is possibly causing trouble.
3. Removes Odors
Persistent odors, including cigarette smoke or cooking smells, can be tough to get rid of. If you are having a hard time with removing heavy smells in your residence, our professionals suggest purchasing an air purifier with a charcoal or activated carbon filter.
4. May Reduce Your Chance of Getting Sick
An air purifier can inactivate some bacteria and viruses under certain airflow conditions, keeping you and your loved ones in better health even more so during cold months. To get total advantage of this plus, our pros advise a UV air purifier. Disinfecting ultraviolet light provides an additional layer of defense against airborne pathogens.
Air Purifiers to Stay Away From
You’re better off without some air purifiers. Here are several features to stay away from when selecting a system for your home:
- Creates ozone. Some air purifiers produce ozone, which can irritate your lungs. The EPA advises avoiding ozone air purifiers.
- Doesn’t use HEPA filters. For the best filtration, you’ll want a HEPA air purifier. Considered the gold standard for pure air, HEPA filters are used in the majority of healthcare settings, including hospitals.
- Only purifies one room. We recommend getting a whole-house air purifier, which filters the air in every room. This option operates with your HVAC system.
When you partner with the indoor air quality experts at Connolly Electric & Mechanical, we make it easy to buy the best air purifier for your residence. Reach us at 928-251-4327 to start breathing cleaner air right away!