If you’re looking for an air purifier, you may be finding that some kinds are making lots of claims. And many of those claims may appear 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, as they’re an excellent method to better your the Rio Grande Valley home’s indoor air quality. Today’s houses are tightly sealed and deeply insulated, which is excellent for energy efficiency, but not so excellent for indoor air quality.
Because updated residences don’t normally allow in as much outside air as older houses, pollutants like dust, pet dander and cleaning products can accumulate in your home. The consequence? Air that’s more polluted than the outdoors, which is bad news if you have allergies, asthma or are vulnerable to respiratory irritation.
Our indoor air quality professionals at Cytech Heating & Cooling L.C. can help you cut through the clutter and find the best home air purifier. Just contact us at 956-630-3522 and we’ll be happy to provide support. In the meantime, learn more about how air purifiers work, their perks and our advice to help you choose the best air purifier.
How Do Air Purifiers Work?
Most home air purifiers rely on a fan to draw in air. Then, the air is pushed through one or more filters to catch contaminants before being redistributed.
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 catching tiny particles down to .3 microns, including dust, pollen, mold and some bacteria.
An air purifier can be compact and used to filter a single space. Or they can be fitted to your HVAC system, delivering effective filtration for your entire house.
The EPA says it’s important to know that air purifiers can’t remove all the contaminants from your house’s air. But when used in combination with an improved filter for your HVAC system, they can significantly decrease the amount of indoor air pollution.
4 Advantages of an Air Purifier
Installing an air purifier in your home can offer many outstanding health pluses. Here are just a couple of them.
1. Decreases Allergy and Asthma Triggers
Air purifiers decrease contaminants in your house, including some of these typical triggers:
- Dust
- Pollen
- Mold
- Volatile organic compounds, such as cleaners, air fresheners and personal care products
2. Alleviates Other Problems Related to Poor Indoor Air Quality
Even if you or someone in your residence doesn’t struggle with allergies or asthma, an air purifier can lower other symptoms associated with low indoor air quality. These involve:
- Dry throat, eyes, nose or skin
- Headaches
- Sneezing and coughing
- Fatigue
- Dizziness
- Nausea
It can be tricky to identify symptoms associated with indoor air quality, as they can be triggered by many other illnesses. However, if you’re observing that you feel better after you leave your residence, your indoor air quality is probably causing a problem.
3. Gets Rid of Odors
Lingering odors, including cigarette smoke or cooking smells, can be difficult to get rid of. If you having problems with eliminating persistent smells in your residence, we suggest purchasing an air purifier with a charcoal or activated carbon filter.
4. Might Decrease Your Probability of Getting Sick
An air purifier can eliminate some bacteria and viruses under certain airflow conditions, keeping you and your loved ones in good health even more so during winter months. To receive total advantage of this benefit, our professionals advise a UV air purifier. Disinfecting ultraviolet light gives an extra layer of protection against airborne pathogens.
Air Purifiers to Avoid
You’re better off without some air purifiers. Here are a few features to stay away from when selecting a system for your home:
- Produces ozone. Some air purifiers create ozone, which can bother your lungs. The EPA suggests avoiding ozone air purifiers.
- Doesn’t use HEPA filters. For the best filtration, you’ll want a HEPA air purifier. Considered the gold standard for healthy air, HEPA filters are used in the majority of healthcare settings, such as hospitals.
- Only purifies a single room. We advise using a whole-house air purifier, which purifies the air in every room. This option runs with your home comfort system.
When you partner with the indoor air quality specialists at Cytech Heating & Cooling L.C., we make it simple to choose the best air purifier for your residence. Reach us at 956-630-3522 to get started breathing fresher air today!