If you’re shopping for an air purifier, you may be realizing that some brands are making lots of claims. And most 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 worth it, according to the EPA, because they’re a fantastic method to better your South Beloit and Belvidere residence’s indoor air quality. Modern homes are securely sealed and deeply insulated, which is good for energy efficiency, but not so good for indoor air quality.

Because newer homes don’t normally let in as much fresh air as old homes, contaminants including dust, pet dander and cleaning products can build up in your home. The consequence? Air that’s more polluted than the outdoors, which is not good if you have allergies, asthma or are susceptible to respiratory irritation.

Our indoor air quality professionals at Fleming Heating & Air Conditioning Inc can help you cut through the clutter and choose the best home air purifier. Just call us at 877-389-2465 and we’ll be happy to help. For now, find out more about how air purifiers work, their perks and our advice to help you select the best air purifier.

How Does an Air Purification System Work?

Most home air purifiers rely on a fan to draw in air. Then, the air passes through one or more filters to collect pollutants before being recirculated.

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 filtering tiny particles down to .3 microns, such as dust, pollen, mold and some bacteria.

An air purifier can be lightweight and used to purify an individual room. Or they can be installed inside your HVAC system, providing powerful filtration for your entire residence.

The EPA says it’s important to know that air purifiers can’t remove 100% of the contaminants from your home’s air. But when used in tandem with a better filter for your HVAC system, they can greatly 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 good health perks. Here are several of them.

1. Reduces Allergy and Asthma Triggers

Air purifiers lower contaminants in your house, including some of these standard triggers:

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

2. Reduces Other Symptoms Associated with Poor Indoor Air Quality

Even if you or someone in your home doesn’t struggle with allergies or asthma, an air purifier can alleviate other symptoms linked to bad indoor air quality. These include:

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

It can be tricky to determine symptoms linked to indoor air quality, because they can be caused by many other illnesses. However, if you’re noticing that symptoms lessen after you leave your house, your indoor air quality is possibly causing the issue.

3. Eliminates Odors

Odors that hang around, including cigarette smoke or cooking smells, can be tricky to eliminate. If you having problems with removing persistent smells in your house, our pros recommend buying an air purifier with a charcoal or activated carbon filter.

4. Can Lower Your Likelihood of Being Sick

An air purifier can inactivate some bacteria and viruses under certain airflow conditions, keeping you and your loved ones in better health even more so during colder months. To take total advantage of this benefit, our professionals advise a UV air purifier. Disinfecting ultraviolet light gives an added layer of safeguard against airborne pathogens.

Air Purification Systems to Skip

You’re better off without select air purifiers. Here are a couple of styles to avoid when selecting a system for your residence:

  • Makes ozone. Some air purifiers produce ozone, which can bother your lungs. The EPA advises staying away from ozone air purifiers.
  • Doesn’t include HEPA filters. For the best results, you’ll want a HEPA air purifier. Regarded as the gold standard for clean air, HEPA filters are used in many healthcare settings, such as hospitals.
  • Only purifies a single room. We suggest using a whole-house air purifier, which purifies the air across your home. This style runs with your HVAC system.

When you call the indoor air quality professionals at Fleming Heating & Air Conditioning Inc, we make it easy to choose the best air purifier for your home. Contact us at 877-389-2465 to get started breathing cleaner air now!