If you’re shopping for an air purifier, you may be realizing that some kinds are producing a lot of claims. And most of those claims may appear too good to be true. So, it’s only typical that you might be questioning are air purifiers a waste of money.
They’re useful, according to the EPA, because they’re a great approach to better your Tucson home’s indoor air quality. Newer residences are solidly sealed and deeply insulated, which is excellent for energy efficiency, but not so great for indoor air quality.
Because updated houses don’t normally let in as much outdoor air as aging homes, contaminants such as dust, pet dander and cleaning products can build up inside. The result? Air that’s dirtier than the outdoors, which is a problem if you are dealing with allergies, asthma or are sensitive to respiratory irritation.
Our indoor air quality specialists at Ambient Air can help you cut through the clutter and choose the best home air purifier. Just give us a call at 520-357-4912 and we’ll be happy to provide support. Meanwhile, discover more about how air purifiers work, their pluses and our advice to help you select the right air purifier.
How Do Air Purifiers Work?
Most home air purifiers use a fan to pull in air. Then, the air moves through one or more filters to trap irritants before being recirculated.
These filters might include 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 capturing miniscule particles as little as .3 microns, such as dust, pollen, mold and some bacteria.
An air purifier can be compact and used to filter one area. Or they can be fitted to your HVAC system, delivering powerful filtration for your complete home.
The EPA says it’s important to know that air purifiers can’t get rid of 100% of the contaminants from your residence’s air. But when used in tandem with an improved filter for your HVAC system, they can significantly decrease the amount of indoor air pollution.
4 Pluses of an Air Purifier
Getting an air purifier for your home can provide lots of outstanding health benefits. Here are several of them.
1. Reduces Allergy and Asthma Triggers
Air purifiers reduce irritants in your residence, such as some of these standard triggers:
- Dust
- Pollen
- Mold
- Volatile organic compounds, including cleaners, air fresheners and personal care products
2. Alleviates Other Issues Associated with Poor Indoor Air Quality
Even if you or someone in your household doesn’t experience allergies or asthma, an air purifier can decrease other troubles linked to poor indoor air quality. These entail:
- Dry throat, eyes, nose or skin
- Headaches
- Sneezing and coughing
- Fatigue
- Dizziness
- Nausea
It can be hard to identify troubles associated with indoor air quality, since they can be caused by a lot of other illnesses. However, if you’re aware that you feel better after you leave your house, your indoor air quality is possibly causing the issue.
3. Eliminates Odors
Lingering odors, such as cigarette smoke or cooking smells, can be tough to get rid of. If you struggle with getting rid of strong smells in your house, we suggest buying an air purifier with a charcoal or activated carbon filter.
4. Can Decrease Your Chance of Getting Sick
An air purifier can eliminate some bacteria and viruses under certain airflow conditions, keeping you and your household in good health even more so during cold months. To receive complete advantage of this perk, our professionals advise 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 select air purifiers. Here are a couple of styles to stay away from when choosing a system for your house:
- Creates ozone. Some air purifiers produce ozone, which can bother your lungs. The EPA advises staying away from 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 the majority of healthcare settings, including hospitals.
- Only purifies one room. We recommend using a whole-house air purifier, which filters the air in every room. This option operates with your HVAC system.
When you call the indoor air quality professionals at Ambient Air, we make it simple to choose the best air purifier for your house. Give us a call at 520-357-4912 to start breathing fresher air now!