If you’re shopping for an air purifier, you might be realizing that some manufacturers are producing many claims. And most of those claims might appear too good to be true. So, it’s only natural that you could be thinking are air purifiers a waste of money.

They’re useful, according to the EPA, because they’re an excellent method to better your Lake Worth house’s indoor air quality. Modern residences are solidly sealed and heavily insulated, which is good for energy efficiency, but not so fantastic for indoor air quality.

As modern houses don’t typically let in as much outside air as aging houses, contaminants like dust, pet dander and cleaning products can concentrate inside. The consequence? Air that’s more contaminated than the outdoors, which is not good if you have allergies, asthma or are sensitive to respiratory irritation.

Our indoor air quality specialists at Smyth Air Conditioning can help you cut through the clutter and select the best home air purifier. Just give us a call at 561-533-6066 and we’ll be happy to assist you. In the meantime, find out more about how air purifiers work, their pluses and our advice to help you choose the right air purifier.

How Do Air Purifiers Work?

Most home air purifiers have a fan to draw in air. Then, the air moves through one or more filters to trap pollutants before being redistributed.

These filters can have a charcoal filter, to eliminate odors, and a HEPA, or high efficiency particulate air, filter. A HEPA filter is at least 99.7% effective at catching tiny particles down to .3 microns, such as dust, pollen, mold and some bacteria.

An air purifier can be lightweight and used to purify one area. Or they can be fitted to your HVAC system, giving powerful filtration for your entire home.

The EPA says it’s important to know that air purifiers can’t get rid of every contaminant from your house’s air. But when used along with a better filter for your HVAC system, they can considerably reduce the level of indoor air pollution.

4 Pluses of an Air Purifier

Installing an air purifier in your residence can give a lot of great health pluses. Here are just a few of them.

1. Lowers Allergy and Asthma Triggers

Air purifiers reduce pollutants in your house, including some of these common triggers:

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

2. Lowers Other Symptoms Linked to Poor Indoor Air Quality

Even if you or someone in your residence doesn’t experience allergies or asthma, an air purifier can reduce other issues associated with low indoor air quality. These involve:

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

It can be tricky to distinguish symptoms linked to indoor air quality, because they can be caused by lots of other illnesses. However, if you’re observing that symptoms lessen after you leave home, your indoor air quality is probably causing a problem.

3. Gets Rid of Odors

Lingering odors, like cigarette smoke or cooking smells, can be difficult to get rid of. If you are having a hard time with getting rid of strong smells in your house, our professionals recommend buying an air purifier with a charcoal or activated carbon filter.

4. May Lower Your Chance of Becoming Sick

An air purifier can eliminate some bacteria and viruses under certain airflow conditions, keeping you and your household healthier particularly during winter months. To get full advantage of this perk, our professionals suggest a UV air purifier. Disinfecting ultraviolet light gives an additional layer of safeguard against airborne pathogens.

Air Purifiers to Stay Away From

You’re better off without certain air purifiers. Here are a few features to stay away from when picking a system for your home:

  • Produces ozone. Some air purifiers create ozone, which can irritate your lungs. The EPA suggests avoiding ozone air purifiers.
  • Doesn’t use HEPA filters. For the best results, you’ll want a HEPA air purifier. Considered the gold standard for healthy air, HEPA filters are used in most healthcare settings, such as hospitals.
  • Only purifies a single room. We suggest installing a whole-house air purifier, which filters the air throughout your home. This style works alongside your home comfort system.

When you work with the indoor air quality experts at Smyth Air Conditioning, we make it simple to choose the best air purifier for your home. Contact us at 561-533-6066 to get started breathing cleaner air now!