If you’re looking for an air purifier, you may be realizing that some manufacturers are producing a lot of claims. And many of those claims might appear too good to be true. So, it’s only typical that you may be thinking are air purifiers a waste of money.
They’re worth it, according to the EPA, because they’re a great method to improve your West Columbia house’s indoor air quality. Modern homes are tightly sealed and deeply insulated, which is good for energy efficiency, but not so fantastic for indoor air quality.
Since modern residences don’t normally let in as much outdoor air as aging houses, contaminants such as dust, pet dander and cleaning products can accumulate inside. The consequence? Air that’s more contaminated than the outdoors, which is bad news if you have allergies, asthma or are vulnerable to respiratory irritation.
Our indoor air quality pros at Tri City Fuel & Heating Co., Inc. can help you cut through the clutter and select the best home air purifier. Just contact us at 803-265-4208 and we’ll be happy to help. For now, discover more about how air purifiers operate, their pluses and our recommendations to help you select the ideal air purifier.
How Do Air Purifiers Work?
Most home air purifiers rely on a fan to draw in air. Then, the air passes through one or more filters to trap pollutants before being recirculated.
These filters may 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 capturing miniscule particles as little as .3 microns, like dust, pollen, mold and some bacteria.
An air purifier can be portable and used to filter a single area. Or they can be installed inside your HVAC system, delivering strong filtration for your total home.
The EPA says you should be aware that air purifiers can’t eliminate all the contaminants from your residence’s air. But when used in combination with an enhanced filter for your HVAC system, they can greatly reduce the level of indoor air pollution.
4 Advantages of an Air Purifier
Adding an air purifier to your home can provide many great health pluses. Here are just a few of them.
1. Reduces Allergy and Asthma Triggers
Air purifiers reduce contaminants in your house, including some of these common triggers:
- Dust
- Pollen
- Mold
- Volatile organic compounds, like cleaners, air fresheners and personal care products
2. Alleviates Other Issues Linked to Poor Indoor Air Quality
Even if you or someone in your household doesn’t have allergies or asthma, an air purifier can lower other symptoms related to bad indoor air quality. These include:
- Scratchy throat, eyes, nose or skin
- Headaches
- Sneezing and coughing
- Fatigue
- Dizziness
- Nausea
It can be tricky to identify troubles associated with indoor air quality, since they can be triggered by lots of other illnesses. However, if you’re noticing that symptoms are better after you leave your residence, your indoor air quality is possibly causing the issue.
3. Eliminates Odors
Odors that hang around, including cigarette smoke or cooking smells, can be tough to eliminate. If you having issues with removing heavy smells in your home, we recommend getting an air purifier with a charcoal or activated carbon filter.
4. May Reduce Your Chance of Becoming Sick
An air purifier can inactivate some bacteria and viruses under certain airflow conditions, keeping you and your family in better health even more so during colder months. To receive full advantage of this benefit, we suggest a UV air purifier. Disinfecting ultraviolet light provides an added layer of safeguard against airborne pathogens.
Air Purifiers to Avoid
You’re better off without some air purifiers. Here are a few features to stay away from when picking a system for your residence:
- Produces ozone. Some air purifiers create ozone, which can irritate your lungs. The EPA suggests avoiding ozone air purifiers.
- Doesn’t include HEPA filters. For the best filtration, you’ll want a HEPA air purifier. Considered the gold standard for clean air, HEPA filters are used in most healthcare settings, including hospitals.
- Only purifies one room. We advise using a whole-house air purifier, which cleans the air throughout your home. This solution works with your home comfort system.
When you work with the indoor air quality experts at Tri City Fuel & Heating Co., Inc., we make it uncomplicated to choose the best air purifier for your home. Give us a call at 803-265-4208 to get started breathing fresher air right away!