If you’re shopping for an air purifier, you may be finding that some brands are producing a lot of claims. And some of those claims could feel too good to be true. So, it’s only typical that you may be questioning are air purifiers a waste of money.
They’re useful, according to the EPA, because they’re a great approach to better your Los Angeles house’s indoor air quality. Newer residences are tightly sealed and thoroughly insulated, which is fantastic for energy efficiency, but not so good for indoor air quality.
As newer houses don’t typically allow in as much outdoor air as aging homes, irritants such as dust, pet dander and cleaning products can concentrate in your home. The consequence? Air that’s more polluted than the outdoors, which is not good if you struggle with allergies, asthma or are susceptible to respiratory irritation.
Our indoor air quality pros at AZ Air Conditioning and Heating can help you cut through the clutter and choose the best home air purifier. Just give us a call at 800-296-5088 and we’ll be happy to help. Meanwhile, find out more about how air purifiers clean the air, their benefits and our recommendations to help you choose the ideal air purifier.
How Do Air Purifiers Work?
Most home air purifiers use a fan to collect air. Then, the air passes through one or more filters to collect pollutants before being recirculated.
These filters might incorporate 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 tiny particles as small as .3 microns, such as dust, pollen, mold and some bacteria.
An air purifier can be portable and used to purify one space. Or they can be added to your HVAC system, providing strong filtration for your complete home.
The EPA says it’s important to know that air purifiers can’t remove every contaminant from your residence’s air. But when used in tandem with an enhanced filter for your HVAC system, they can significantly decrease the level of indoor air pollution.
4 Pluses of an Air Purifier
Installing an air purifier in your house can offer many good health pluses. Here are several of them.
1. Lowers 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. Alleviates Other Issues Linked to Poor Indoor Air Quality
Even if you or someone in your household doesn’t struggle with allergies or asthma, an air purifier can lower other issues associated with poor indoor air quality. These involve:
- Dry throat, eyes, nose or skin
- Headaches
- Sneezing and coughing
- Fatigue
- Dizziness
- Nausea
It can be tricky to pinpoint troubles linked to indoor air quality, because they can be caused by a lot of other illnesses. However, if you’re aware that symptoms lessen after you leave home, your indoor air quality is probably to blame.
3. Gets Rid of Odors
Lingering odors, such as cigarette smoke or cooking smells, can be tricky to eliminate. If you having issues with removing persistent smells in your residence, our professionals suggest buying an air purifier with a charcoal or activated carbon filter.
4. Might Decrease Your Chance of Getting Sick
An air purifier can inactivate some bacteria and viruses under certain airflow conditions, keeping you and your household in better health particularly during cold months. To take total advantage of this benefit, our pros recommend 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 select air purifiers. Here are several features to avoid when picking a system for your residence:
- Makes ozone. Some air purifiers produce ozone, which can aggravate your lungs. The EPA suggests avoiding ozone air purifiers.
- Doesn’t include HEPA filters. For the best filtration, you’ll want a HEPA air purifier. Regarded as the gold standard for clean air, HEPA filters are used in the majority of healthcare settings, including hospitals.
- Only purifies a single room. We recommend getting a whole-house air purifier, which purifies the air throughout your home. This option runs with your home comfort system.
When you partner with the indoor air quality experts at AZ Air Conditioning and Heating, we make it simple to buy the best air purifier for your house. Reach us at 800-296-5088 to begin breathing cleaner air right away!