If you’re looking for an air purifier, you might be noticing that some brands are making many claims. And some of those claims might seem too good to be true. So, it’s only expected that you could be questioning are air purifiers a waste of money.
They’re useful, according to the EPA, because they’re an excellent method to improve your Tuscaloosa residence’s indoor air quality. Today’s houses are solidly sealed and thoroughly insulated, which is fantastic for energy efficiency, but not so good for indoor air quality.
Because modern residences don’t normally bring in as much outdoor air as older homes, contaminants including dust, pet dander and cleaning products can concentrate in your home. The outcome? Air that’s dirtier than the outdoors, which is not good if you are dealing with allergies, asthma or are susceptible to respiratory irritation.
Our indoor air quality professionals at KDM Service Corporation can help you cut through the clutter and select the best home air purifier. Just contact us at 205-208-8090 and we’ll be happy to provide support. For now, discover more about how air purifiers work, their advantages and our suggestions to help you choose the right air purifier.
How Do Air Purifiers Work?
Most home air purifiers use a fan to pull in air. Then, the air is pushed through one or more filters to trap irritants before being sent out again.
These filters might have a charcoal filter, to get rid of odors, and a HEPA, or high efficiency particulate air, filter. A HEPA filter is at least 99.7% effective at catching tiny particles down to .3 microns, like dust, pollen, mold and some bacteria.
An air purifier can be portable and used to purify an individual space. Or they can be installed inside your HVAC system, providing powerful filtration for your entire home.
The EPA says you should know that air purifiers can’t get rid of 100% of the contaminants from your residence’s air. But when used in combination with an improved filter for your HVAC system, they can greatly lower the concentration of indoor air pollution.
4 Advantages of an Air Purifier
Adding an air purifier to your residence can offer a lot of good health advantages. Here are just a few of them.
1. Lowers Allergy and Asthma Triggers
Air purifiers decrease irritants in your home, including some of these common triggers:
- Dust
- Pollen
- Mold
- Volatile organic compounds, like cleaners, air fresheners and personal care products
2. Lowers Other Symptoms 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 alleviate other troubles associated with poor indoor air quality. These involve:
- Dry throat, eyes, nose or skin
- Headaches
- Sneezing and coughing
- Fatigue
- Dizziness
- Nausea
It can be hard to identify symptoms linked to indoor air quality, since they can be linked to lots of other illnesses. However, if you’re noticing that you feel better after you leave your residence, your indoor air quality is possibly causing trouble.
3. Removes Odors
Odors that hang around, including cigarette smoke or cooking smells, can be tough to get rid of. If you having problems with getting rid of heavy smells in your home, we suggest getting an air purifier with a charcoal or activated carbon filter.
4. May Reduce Your Probability of Being Sick
An air purifier can remove some bacteria and viruses under certain airflow conditions, keeping you and your family in better health even more so during winter months. To receive full advantage of this perk, our pros suggest a UV air purifier. Disinfecting ultraviolet light provides an extra layer of protection against airborne pathogens.
Air Purifiers to Avoid
You’re better off without some air purifiers. Here are several options to avoid when choosing a system for your home:
- Produces ozone. Some air purifiers create ozone, which can bother your lungs. The EPA recommends avoiding ozone air purifiers.
- Doesn’t use HEPA filters. For the best results, you’ll want a HEPA air purifier. Considered the gold standard for pure air, HEPA filters are used in most healthcare settings, such as hospitals.
- Only purifies an individual room. We suggest getting a whole-house air purifier, which purifies the air in every room. This style operates with your heating and cooling system.
When you partner with the indoor air quality professionals at KDM Service Corporation, we make it easy to choose the best air purifier for your residence. Reach us at 205-208-8090 to begin breathing healthier air now!