If you’re looking for an air purifier, you could be noticing that some kinds are making many claims. And some of those claims might seem too good to be true. So, it’s only natural that you may be wondering are air purifiers a waste of money.

They’re worth it, according to the EPA, because they’re an excellent method to improve your Athol house’s indoor air quality. Today’s residences are solidly sealed and heavily insulated, which is excellent for energy efficiency, but not so fantastic for indoor air quality.

As newer residences don’t normally bring in as much outside air as aging residences, pollutants including dust, pet dander and cleaning products can accumulate inside. The consequence? Air that’s more polluted than the outdoors, which is not good if you struggle with allergies, asthma or are sensitive to respiratory irritation.

Our indoor air quality specialists at Alpine Summit Heating & Cooling can help you cut through the clutter and choose the best home air purifier. Just contact us at 208-561-1226 and we’ll be happy to assist you. For now, find out more about how air purifiers operate, their advantages and our recommendations to help you choose the right air purifier.

How Do Air Purifiers Work?

Most home air purifiers have a fan to collect air. Then, the air is pushed through one or more filters to catch contaminants before being recirculated.

These filters might include 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, such as dust, pollen, mold and some bacteria.

An air purifier can be lightweight and used to purify one room. Or they can be fitted to your HVAC system, giving strong filtration for your entire home.

The EPA says it’s important to know that air purifiers can’t get rid of every contaminant from your residence’s air. But when used along with an improved filter for your HVAC system, they can considerably reduce the level of indoor air pollution.

4 Advantages of an Air Purifier

Adding an air purifier to your house can offer many great health advantages. Here are several of them.

1. Reduces Allergy and Asthma Triggers

Air purifiers lower irritants in your home, like some of these common triggers:

  • Dust
  • Pollen
  • Mold
  • Volatile organic compounds, such as cleaners, air fresheners and personal care products

2. Alleviates Other Issues Associated with Poor Indoor Air Quality

Even if you or someone in your home doesn’t struggle with allergies or asthma, an air purifier can lower other troubles linked to bad indoor air quality. These entail:

  • Scratchy throat, eyes, nose or skin
  • Headaches
  • Sneezing and coughing
  • Fatigue
  • Dizziness
  • Nausea

It can be hard to determine issues associated with indoor air quality, because they can be caused by a lot of other illnesses. However, if you’re aware that you feel better after you leave your residence, your indoor air quality is likely causing a problem.

3. Removes Odors

Lingering odors, such as cigarette smoke or cooking smells, can be tough to eliminate. If you having difficulties with removing strong smells in your house, our pros suggest getting an air purifier with a charcoal or activated carbon filter.

4. Can Lower Your Chance of Getting Sick

An air purifier can inactivate some bacteria and viruses under certain airflow conditions, keeping you and your household in good health particularly during colder months. To get complete advantage of this benefit, our professionals suggest a UV air purifier. Disinfecting ultraviolet light delivers an extra layer of safeguard against airborne pathogens.

Air Purifiers to Avoid

You’re better off without certain air purifiers. Here are a couple of options to avoid when picking a system for your residence:

  • Makes ozone. Some air purifiers create ozone, which can aggravate your lungs. The EPA advises staying away from ozone air purifiers.
  • Doesn’t use HEPA filters. For the best filtration, you’ll want a HEPA air purifier. Regarded as the gold standard for healthy air, HEPA filters are used in most healthcare settings, like hospitals.
  • Only purifies a single room. We recommend using a whole-house air purifier, which purifies the air in every room. This style runs with your home comfort system.

When you call the indoor air quality specialists at Alpine Summit Heating & Cooling, we make it easy to buy the best air purifier for your residence. Give us a call at 208-561-1226 to begin breathing cleaner air today!