If you’re in the market for an air purifier, you may be noticing that some brands are spouting many claims. And most of those claims might seem too good to be true. So, it’s only expected that you could be questioning are air purifiers a waste of money.
They’re useful, according to the EPA, because they’re a fantastic method to better your Moline home’s indoor air quality. Today’s homes are tightly sealed and heavily insulated, which is excellent for energy efficiency, but not so fantastic for indoor air quality.
As modern houses don’t normally bring in as much outside air as aging houses, pollutants like dust, pet dander and cleaning products can concentrate in your home. The result? Air that’s dirtier 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 J.L. Brady Company LLC can help you cut through the clutter and choose the best home air purifier. Just contact us at 309-517-7511 and we’ll be happy to help. Meanwhile, discover more about how air purifiers clean the air, their perks and our recommendations to help you find the ideal air purifier.
How Does an Air Purification System Work?
Most home air purifiers use a fan to collect air. Then, the air passes through one or more filters to trap irritants before being sent out again.
These filters can include 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 down to .3 microns, such as dust, pollen, mold and some bacteria.
An air purifier can be movable and used to treat an individual space. Or they can be installed inside your HVAC system, providing effective filtration for your entire home.
The EPA says you should be aware that air purifiers can’t get rid of all the contaminants from your residence’s air. But when used in tandem with an enhanced filter for your HVAC system, they can considerably lower the amount of indoor air pollution.
4 Perks of an Air Purifier
Installing an air purifier in your residence can give many good health advantages. Here are just a couple of them.
1. Reduces Allergy and Asthma Triggers
Air purifiers decrease pollutants in your home, including some of these standard triggers:
- Dust
- Pollen
- Mold
- Volatile organic compounds, such as cleaners, air fresheners and personal care products
2. Reduces Other Problems 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 troubles related to bad indoor air quality. These entail:
- Scratchy throat, eyes, nose or skin
- Headaches
- Sneezing and coughing
- Fatigue
- Dizziness
- Nausea
It can be tricky to distinguish symptoms associated with indoor air quality, because they can be linked to lots of other illnesses. However, if you’re noticing that you feel better after you leave your residence, your indoor air quality is probably causing trouble.
3. Eliminates Odors
Lingering odors, including cigarette smoke or cooking smells, can be tricky to remove. If you having problems with removing heavy smells in your residence, our pros advise buying an air purifier with a charcoal or activated carbon filter.
4. May Decrease Your Probability of Becoming Sick
An air purifier can inactivate some bacteria and viruses under certain airflow conditions, keeping you and your household in good health particularly during winter months. To take full advantage of this plus, our pros advise a UV air purifier. Disinfecting ultraviolet light delivers an additional layer of safeguard against airborne pathogens.
Air Purification Systems to Avoid
You’re better off without certain air purifiers. Here are a couple of features to stay away from when choosing a system for your house:
- Produces 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 healthy air, HEPA filters are used in many healthcare settings, like hospitals.
- Only purifies an individual room. We recommend using a whole-house air purifier, which cleans the air throughout your home. This solution runs with your home comfort system.
When you work with the indoor air quality specialists at J.L. Brady Company LLC, we make it simple to choose the best air purifier for your home. Reach us at 309-517-7511 to get started breathing cleaner air right away!