If you’re shopping for an air purifier, you might be realizing that some brands are producing lots of claims. And most of those claims might appear too good to be true. So, it’s only natural that you may be thinking are air purifiers a waste of money.
They’re worth it, according to the EPA, since they’re an excellent approach to improve your Hasbrouck Heights house’s indoor air quality. Newer residences are securely sealed and deeply insulated, which is good for energy efficiency, but not so great for indoor air quality.
Since updated homes don’t naturally bring in as much outdoor air as older homes, contaminants like dust, pet dander and cleaning products can build up in your home. The consequence? Air that’s dirtier than the outdoors, which is a problem if you have allergies, asthma or are vulnerable to respiratory irritation.
Our indoor air quality pros at ACE Solutions can help you cut through the clutter and select the best home air purifier. Just contact us at 201-579-2562 and we’ll be happy to provide support. In the meantime, learn more about how air purifiers clean the air, their pluses and our advice to help you find the right air purifier.
How Do Air Purifiers Work?
Most home air purifiers rely on a fan to collect air. Then, the air is pushed through one or more filters to trap contaminants before being sent out again.
These filters might 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 microscopic particles as small as .3 microns, like dust, pollen, mold and some bacteria.
An air purifier can be compact and used to treat an individual room. Or they can be installed inside your HVAC system, giving effective 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 along with a better filter for your HVAC system, they can greatly reduce the level of indoor air pollution.
4 Pluses of an Air Purifier
Getting an air purifier for your home can offer many great health benefits. Here are several of them.
1. Alleviates Allergy and Asthma Triggers
Air purifiers reduce contaminants in your residence, including some of these common triggers:
- Dust
- Pollen
- Mold
- Volatile organic compounds, like cleaners, air fresheners and personal care products
2. Decreases Other Issues Linked to Poor Indoor Air Quality
Even if you or someone in your residence doesn’t struggle with allergies or asthma, an air purifier can alleviate other issues linked to poor indoor air quality. These involve:
- Itchy throat, eyes, nose or skin
- Headaches
- Sneezing and coughing
- Fatigue
- Dizziness
- Nausea
It can be hard to identify issues associated with indoor air quality, as they can be linked to a lot of other illnesses. However, if you’re noticing that symptoms are better after you leave your house, your indoor air quality is possibly to blame.
3. Eliminates Odors
Persistent odors, including cigarette smoke or cooking smells, can be difficult to remove. If you are having a hard time with removing strong smells in your house, we recommend purchasing an air purifier with a charcoal or activated carbon filter.
4. May Lower Your Likelihood of Becoming Sick
An air purifier can remove some bacteria and viruses under certain airflow conditions, keeping you and your loved ones in better health even more so during cold months. To take full advantage of this perk, we advise a UV air purifier. Disinfecting ultraviolet light provides an extra layer of defense against airborne pathogens.
Air Purifiers to Stay Away From
You’re better off without select air purifiers. Here are a few styles to stay away from when choosing a system for your residence:
- Produces ozone. Some air purifiers produce ozone, which can irritate your lungs. The EPA recommends avoiding ozone air purifiers.
- Doesn’t include HEPA filters. For the best filtration, you’ll want a HEPA air purifier. Known as the gold standard for pure air, HEPA filters are used in the majority of healthcare settings, like hospitals.
- Only purifies a single room. We advise using a whole-house air purifier, which cleans the air across your home. This solution works alongside your home comfort system.
When you work with the indoor air quality professionals at ACE Solutions, we make it uncomplicated to choose the best air purifier for your residence. Contact us at 201-579-2562 to begin breathing healthier air today!