If you’re looking for an air purifier, you might be noticing that some kinds are making a lot of claims. And some of those claims might seem too good to be true. So, it’s only typical that you may be wondering are air purifiers a waste of money.
They’re worthwhile, according to the EPA, because they’re an excellent way to enhance your Northglenn house’s indoor air quality. Newer homes are solidly sealed and heavily insulated, which is excellent for energy efficiency, but not so excellent for indoor air quality.
Because newer homes don’t naturally bring in as much outside air as older homes, contaminants including dust, pet dander and cleaning products can build up indoors. The consequence? Air that’s more polluted than the outdoors, which is not good if you have allergies, asthma or are sensitive to respiratory irritation.
Our indoor air quality professionals at Northglenn Heating & Air Conditioning can help you cut through the clutter and find the best home air purifier. Just contact us at 303-452-4146 and we’ll be happy to provide support. For now, discover more about how air purifiers operate, their pluses and our advice to help you select the right air purifier.
How Do Air Purifiers Work?
Most home air purifiers use a fan to collect air. Then, the air is pushed through one or more filters to catch pollutants before being redistributed.
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 tiny particles as small as .3 microns, such as dust, pollen, mold and some bacteria.
An air purifier can be movable and used to treat a single space. Or they can be added to your HVAC system, giving strong filtration for your total residence.
The EPA says you should know that air purifiers can’t get rid of every contaminant from your home’s air. But when used along with an improved filter for your HVAC system, they can significantly decrease the concentration of indoor air pollution.
4 Advantages of Air Purifier Installation
Getting an air purifier for your house can deliver lots of good health advantages. Here are just a couple of them.
1. Reduces Allergy and Asthma Triggers
Air purifiers reduce irritants in your home, including some of these common triggers:
- Dust
- Pollen
- Mold
- Volatile organic compounds, such as cleaners, air fresheners and personal care products
2. Lowers Other Issues Associated with 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 related to bad indoor air quality. These entail:
- Scratchy throat, eyes, nose or skin
- Headaches
- Sneezing and coughing
- Fatigue
- Dizziness
- Nausea
It can be tricky to identify issues associated with indoor air quality, because they can be triggered by many other illnesses. However, if you’re observing that you feel better after you leave home, your indoor air quality is possibly causing the issue.
3. Eliminates Odors
Lingering odors, such as cigarette smoke or cooking smells, can be tough to eliminate. If you are having a hard time with removing strong smells in your home, we advise getting an air purifier with a charcoal or activated carbon filter.
4. Might Decrease Your Likelihood of Getting Sick
An air purifier can remove some bacteria and viruses under certain airflow conditions, keeping you and your loved ones healthier especially during colder months. To take complete advantage of this benefit, our professionals recommend a UV air purifier. Disinfecting ultraviolet light gives an additional layer of safeguard against airborne pathogens.
Air Purifiers to Skip
You’re better off without some air purifiers. Here are a couple of options to stay away from when selecting a system for your home:
- Makes ozone. Some air purifiers make ozone, which can aggravate your lungs. The EPA recommends staying away from 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 most healthcare settings, including hospitals.
- Only purifies a single room. We suggest installing a whole-house air purifier, which filters the air in every room. This option runs alongside your home comfort system.
When you partner with the indoor air quality experts at Northglenn Heating & Air Conditioning, we make it simple to choose the best air purifier for your house. Give us a call at 303-452-4146 to get started breathing cleaner air today!