If you’re looking for an air purifier, you could be noticing that some brands are making lots of claims. And many of those claims may seem too good to be true. So, it’s only natural that you might be thinking are air purifiers a waste of money.
They’re useful, according to the EPA, since they’re an excellent approach to improve your Lake Worth house’s indoor air quality. Modern homes are tightly sealed and thoroughly insulated, which is excellent for energy efficiency, but not so good for indoor air quality.
Because updated homes don’t typically allow in as much outside air as aging residences, contaminants such as dust, pet dander and cleaning products can accumulate inside. 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 Smyth Air Conditioning Inc can help you cut through the clutter and find the best home air purifier. Just contact us at 561-533-6066 and we’ll be happy to provide support. In the meantime, learn more about how air purifiers operate, their advantages and our recommendations to help you select the ideal air purifier.
How Do Air Purifiers Work?
Most home air purifiers use a fan to draw in air. Then, the air is pushed through one or more filters to collect contaminants before being recirculated.
These filters can have 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 tiny particles as little as .3 microns, like dust, pollen, mold and some bacteria.
An air purifier can be lightweight and used to treat a single area. Or they can be fitted to your HVAC system, providing effective filtration for your total home.
The EPA says it’s important to know 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 considerably reduce the level of indoor air pollution.
4 Advantages of an Air Purifier
Installing an air purifier in your residence can give lots of great health advantages. Here are just a few of them.
1. Decreases Allergy and Asthma Triggers
Air purifiers decrease pollutants in your residence, including some of these typical triggers:
- Dust
- Pollen
- Mold
- Volatile organic compounds, such as cleaners, air fresheners and personal care products
2. Lowers Other Problems Linked to Poor Indoor Air Quality
Even if you or someone in your household doesn’t have allergies or asthma, an air purifier can reduce other troubles associated with poor indoor air quality. These involve:
- Dry throat, eyes, nose or skin
- Headaches
- Sneezing and coughing
- Fatigue
- Dizziness
- Nausea
It can be difficult to distinguish symptoms related to indoor air quality, because they can be triggered by many other illnesses. However, if you’re aware that symptoms lessen after you leave your residence, your indoor air quality is likely causing a problem.
3. Gets Rid of Odors
Lingering odors, like cigarette smoke or cooking smells, can be tricky to eliminate. If you having problems with getting rid of heavy smells in your home, our pros suggest buying an air purifier with a charcoal or activated carbon filter.
4. May Lower Your Chance of Being Sick
An air purifier can eliminate some bacteria and viruses under certain airflow conditions, keeping you and your loved ones in better health even more so during winter months. To receive full advantage of this plus, our pros advise a UV air purifier. Disinfecting ultraviolet light provides an additional layer of protection against airborne pathogens.
Air Purifiers to Stay Away From
You’re better off without some air purifiers. Here are a couple of options to skip when selecting a system for your home:
- Makes ozone. Some air purifiers produce ozone, which can aggravate your lungs. The EPA advises skipping 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 clean air, HEPA filters are used in most healthcare settings, including hospitals.
- Only purifies an individual room. We suggest getting a whole-house air purifier, which filters the air across your home. This option works alongside your home comfort system.
When you partner with the indoor air quality professionals at Smyth Air Conditioning Inc, we make it uncomplicated to select the best air purifier for your residence. Contact us at 561-533-6066 to begin breathing healthier air now!