If you’re looking for an air purifier, you could be finding that some brands are spouting lots of claims. And some of those claims may 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 worth it, according to the EPA, because they’re a fantastic method to better your West Jefferson residence’s indoor air quality. Modern houses are solidly sealed and deeply insulated, which is good for energy efficiency, but not so fantastic for indoor air quality.

Because newer houses don’t normally let in as much outdoor air as old houses, contaminants like dust, pet dander and cleaning products can build up indoors. The outcome? Air that’s more contaminated than the outdoors, which is not good if you have allergies, asthma or are vulnerable to respiratory irritation.

Our indoor air quality specialists at West Jefferson Plumbing and Heating, Inc. can help you cut through the clutter and select the best home air purifier. Just give us a call at 614-879-9091 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 choose the best air purifier.

How Do Air Purifiers Work?

Most home air purifiers have a fan to collect air. Then, the air moves through one or more filters to trap irritants before being sent out again.

These filters can incorporate 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 filtering microscopic particles as little as .3 microns, such as dust, pollen, mold and some bacteria.

An air purifier can be movable and used to purify an individual room. Or they can be installed inside your HVAC system, providing strong filtration for your total home.

The EPA says it’s important to know that air purifiers can’t get rid of 100% of the contaminants from your house’s air. But when used in tandem with a better filter for your HVAC system, they can considerably decrease the concentration of indoor air pollution.

4 Advantages of an Air Purifier

Getting an air purifier for your residence can offer a lot of outstanding health advantages. Here are just a couple of them.

1. Reduces Allergy and Asthma Triggers

Air purifiers decrease contaminants in your residence, including some of these typical triggers:

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

2. Alleviates Other Symptoms Linked to Poor Indoor Air Quality

Even if you or someone in your residence doesn’t experience allergies or asthma, an air purifier can lower other troubles linked to poor indoor air quality. These involve:

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

It can be tricky to identify troubles related to indoor air quality, as they can be linked to lots of other illnesses. However, if you’re observing that symptoms lessen after you leave your residence, your indoor air quality is probably causing the issue.

3. Gets Rid of Odors

Odors that hang around, like cigarette smoke or cooking smells, can be tricky to eliminate. If you having issues with removing persistent smells in your house, our pros advise buying 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 household in good health even more so during winter months. To receive total advantage of this benefit, our pros suggest a UV air purifier. Disinfecting ultraviolet light provides an added layer of defense against airborne pathogens.

Air Purifiers to Stay Away From

You’re better off without select air purifiers. Here are a couple of features to stay away from when picking a system for your house:

  • Produces ozone. Some air purifiers create ozone, which can aggravate your lungs. The EPA advises skipping ozone air purifiers.
  • Doesn’t have HEPA filters. For the best results, you’ll want a HEPA air purifier. Known as the gold standard for pure air, HEPA filters are used in many healthcare settings, including hospitals.
  • Only purifies an individual room. We recommend using a whole-house air purifier, which purifies the air across your home. This solution runs with your heating and cooling system.

When you partner with the indoor air quality specialists at West Jefferson Plumbing and Heating, Inc., we make it simple to select the best air purifier for your house. Give us a call at 614-879-9091 to begin breathing cleaner air today!