If you’re in the market for an air purifier, you could be finding that some brands are producing many claims. And some of those claims may feel too good to be true. So, it’s only natural that you may be thinking are air purifiers a waste of money.
They’re useful, according to the EPA, as they’re a great approach to improve your Portland house’s indoor air quality. Modern residences are solidly sealed and heavily insulated, which is fantastic for energy efficiency, but not so great for indoor air quality.
As updated residences don’t naturally allow in as much outside air as old residences, irritants including dust, pet dander and cleaning products can concentrate in your home. 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 pros at Three Rivers Heating & Cooling can help you cut through the clutter and select the best home air purifier. Just give us a call at 503-213-4433 and we’ll be happy to help. For now, find out more about how air purifiers operate, their pluses and our recommendations to help you find the right air purifier.
How Do Air Purifiers Work?
Most home air purifiers have a fan to pull in air. Then, the air is pushed through one or more filters to collect pollutants before being sent out again.
These filters can 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 filtering tiny particles as little as .3 microns, such as dust, pollen, mold and some bacteria.
An air purifier can be movable and used to treat a single area. Or they can be installed inside your HVAC system, providing strong filtration for your total residence.
The EPA says it’s important to know that air purifiers can’t remove every contaminant from your house’s air. But when used in tandem with a better filter for your HVAC system, they can greatly reduce the concentration of indoor air pollution.
4 Perks of an Air Purifier
Installing an air purifier in your residence can deliver many good health benefits. Here are just a few of them.
1. Lowers Allergy and Asthma Triggers
Air purifiers decrease pollutants in your residence, such as some of these common triggers:
- Dust
- Pollen
- Mold
- Volatile organic compounds, like cleaners, air fresheners and personal care products
2. Alleviates Other Symptoms Related to Poor Indoor Air Quality
Even if you or someone in your home doesn’t experience allergies or asthma, an air purifier can reduce other issues associated with poor indoor air quality. These involve:
- Scratchy throat, eyes, nose or skin
- Headaches
- Sneezing and coughing
- Fatigue
- Dizziness
- Nausea
It can be difficult to identify troubles associated with indoor air quality, as they can be linked to a lot of other illnesses. However, if you’re observing that symptoms lessen after you leave your residence, your indoor air quality is probably causing trouble.
3. Gets Rid of Odors
Persistent odors, such as cigarette smoke or cooking smells, can be tough to eliminate. If you are having a hard time with removing heavy smells in your home, our professionals recommend buying an air purifier with a charcoal or activated carbon filter.
4. Might Decrease Your Probability of Becoming Sick
An air purifier can inactivate some bacteria and viruses under certain airflow conditions, keeping you and your family in better health especially during colder months. To get total advantage of this perk, we recommend a UV air purifier. Disinfecting ultraviolet light gives an additional layer of safeguard against airborne pathogens.
Air Purifiers to Avoid
You’re better off without select air purifiers. Here are several styles to skip when picking a system for your house:
- Produces ozone. Some air purifiers produce ozone, which can bother your lungs. The EPA suggests skipping ozone air purifiers.
- Doesn’t use HEPA filters. For the best filtration, you’ll want a HEPA air purifier. Known as the gold standard for clean air, HEPA filters are used in most healthcare settings, including hospitals.
- Only purifies an individual room. We suggest using a whole-house air purifier, which purifies the air across your home. This option works with your home comfort system.
When you partner with the indoor air quality professionals at Three Rivers Heating & Cooling, we make it simple to choose the best air purifier for your home. Reach us at 503-213-4433 to get started breathing cleaner air right away!