If you’re in the market for an air purifier, you could be finding that some brands are producing a lot of claims. And most of those claims might appear too good to be true. So, it’s only natural that you may be questioning are air purifiers a waste of money.
They’re worthwhile, according to the EPA, since they’re an excellent way to improve your Des Moines home’s indoor air quality. Modern residences are tightly sealed and deeply insulated, which is excellent for energy efficiency, but not so good for indoor air quality.
Because modern houses don’t typically bring in as much outdoor air as older houses, irritants such as dust, pet dander and cleaning products can concentrate indoors. The result? Air that’s dirtier than the outdoors, which is not good if you are dealing with allergies, asthma or are sensitive to respiratory irritation.
Our indoor air quality professionals at Kohles & Bach Heating & Cooling can help you cut through the clutter and choose the best home air purifier. Just call us at 515-207-6569 and we’ll be happy to provide support. For now, discover more about how air purifiers work, their advantages and our recommendations to help you select the best air purifier.
How Do Air Purifiers Work?
Most home air purifiers have a fan to draw in air. Then, the air is pushed through one or more filters to catch contaminants before being sent out again.
These filters can have 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, such as dust, pollen, mold and some bacteria.
An air purifier can be compact and used to purify one room. Or they can be added to your HVAC system, giving strong filtration for your complete house.
The EPA says you should be aware that air purifiers can’t remove every contaminant from your house’s air. But when used along with an enhanced filter for your HVAC system, they can greatly decrease the level of indoor air pollution.
4 Benefits of an Air Purifier
Adding an air purifier to your home can offer many outstanding health perks. Here are just a couple of them.
1. Lowers Allergy and Asthma Triggers
Air purifiers decrease contaminants in your home, like some of these standard triggers:
- Dust
- Pollen
- Mold
- Volatile organic compounds, including cleaners, air fresheners and personal care products
2. Alleviates 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 decrease other troubles related to low indoor air quality. These include:
- Itchy throat, eyes, nose or skin
- Headaches
- Sneezing and coughing
- Fatigue
- Dizziness
- Nausea
It can be hard to determine issues related to indoor air quality, as they can be triggered by many other illnesses. However, if you’re noticing that symptoms lessen after you leave your residence, your indoor air quality is probably causing the issue.
3. Eliminates Odors
Odors that hang around, like cigarette smoke or cooking smells, can be tough to eliminate. If you struggle with removing persistent smells in your home, our pros recommend purchasing an air purifier with a charcoal or activated carbon filter.
4. Can Decrease Your Likelihood of Getting Sick
An air purifier can eliminate some bacteria and viruses under certain airflow conditions, keeping you and your family healthier even more so during colder months. To take complete advantage of this benefit, our professionals suggest a UV air purifier. Disinfecting ultraviolet light delivers an added layer of protection against airborne pathogens.
Air Purifiers to Avoid
You’re better off without some air purifiers. Here are a few features to avoid when choosing a system for your house:
- Creates ozone. Some air purifiers make ozone, which can aggravate your lungs. The EPA suggests avoiding ozone air purifiers.
- Doesn’t have HEPA filters. For the best filtration, you’ll want a HEPA air purifier. Regarded as the gold standard for healthy air, HEPA filters are used in the majority of healthcare settings, such as hospitals.
- Only purifies an individual room. We recommend using a whole-house air purifier, which filters the air throughout your home. This style operates alongside your heating and cooling system.
When you call the indoor air quality specialists at Kohles & Bach Heating & Cooling, we make it easy to buy the best air purifier for your home. Give us a call at 515-207-6569 to get started breathing fresher air right away!