If you’re looking for an air purifier, you may be noticing that some kinds are making a lot of claims. And most of those claims could feel too good to be true. So, it’s only natural that you may be wondering are air purifiers a waste of money.
They’re worthwhile, according to the EPA, since they’re a great approach to better your Chelan and Wenatchee house’s indoor air quality. Modern homes are securely sealed and heavily insulated, which is good for energy efficiency, but not so good for indoor air quality.
As newer homes don’t naturally allow in as much outside air as older homes, contaminants including dust, pet dander and cleaning products can accumulate indoors. The consequence? Air that’s dirtier than the outdoors, which is not good if you have allergies, asthma or are vulnerable to respiratory irritation.
Our indoor air quality professionals at Lakeside Heating & Air can help you cut through the clutter and find the best home air purifier. Just contact us at 509-284-4265 and we’ll be happy to help. For now, find out more about how air purifiers clean the air, their pluses and our suggestions to help you select the ideal air purifier.
How Do Air Purifiers Work?
Most home air purifiers use a fan to pull in air. Then, the air passes through one or more filters to collect irritants before being sent out again.
These filters might have 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 catching miniscule particles down to .3 microns, like dust, pollen, mold and some bacteria.
An air purifier can be compact and used to filter an individual area. Or they can be installed inside your HVAC system, providing strong filtration for your complete house.
The EPA says you should know that air purifiers can’t remove all the contaminants from your home’s air. But when used along with an improved filter for your HVAC system, they can greatly lower the concentration of indoor air pollution.
4 Pluses of an Air Purifier
Getting an air purifier for your residence can provide many great health pluses. Here are just a couple of them.
1. Lowers Allergy and Asthma Triggers
Air purifiers decrease contaminants in your house, like some of these typical triggers:
- Dust
- Pollen
- Mold
- Volatile organic compounds, such as cleaners, air fresheners and personal care products
2. Reduces Other Issues Linked to 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 related to bad indoor air quality. These entail:
- Dry throat, eyes, nose or skin
- Headaches
- Sneezing and coughing
- Fatigue
- Dizziness
- Nausea
It can be difficult to identify issues associated with indoor air quality, as they can be triggered by lots of other illnesses. However, if you’re observing that symptoms are better after you leave your residence, your indoor air quality is probably to blame.
3. Eliminates Odors
Persistent odors, including cigarette smoke or cooking smells, can be difficult to eliminate. If you having difficulties with getting rid of strong smells in your residence, our pros suggest getting an air purifier with a charcoal or activated carbon filter.
4. Can Lower Your Probability of Being Sick
An air purifier can remove some bacteria and viruses under certain airflow conditions, keeping you and your loved ones in better health particularly during winter months. To get complete advantage of this plus, we suggest a UV air purifier. Disinfecting ultraviolet light delivers an additional layer of protection against airborne pathogens.
Air Purifiers to Skip
You’re better off without certain air purifiers. Here are a couple of styles to stay away from when selecting a system for your residence:
- Makes ozone. Some air purifiers create ozone, which can aggravate your lungs. The EPA suggests staying away from ozone air purifiers.
- Doesn’t have HEPA filters. For the best results, you’ll want a HEPA air purifier. Regarded as the gold standard for clean air, HEPA filters are used in many healthcare settings, such as hospitals.
- Only purifies a single room. We advise using a whole-house air purifier, which cleans the air in every room. This solution operates alongside your HVAC system.
When you partner with the indoor air quality professionals at Lakeside Heating & Air, we make it uncomplicated to choose the best air purifier for your home. Give us a call at 509-284-4265 to start breathing fresher air today!