If you’re in the market for an air purifier, you may be finding that some manufacturers are making lots of claims. And some of those claims could feel too good to be true. So, it’s only typical that you might be wondering are air purifiers a waste of money.

They’re worth it, according to the EPA, since they’re an excellent method to improve your Lincoln residence’s indoor air quality. Modern houses are securely sealed and thoroughly insulated, which is good for energy efficiency, but not so fantastic for indoor air quality.

As modern residences don’t naturally bring in as much outside air as aging houses, irritants including dust, pet dander and cleaning products can build up indoors. The outcome? Air that’s dirtier than the outdoors, which is bad news if you struggle with allergies, asthma or are sensitive to respiratory irritation.

Our indoor air quality specialists at AW Heating & Air Conditioning can help you cut through the clutter and select the best home air purifier. Just contact us at 402-438-7992 and we’ll be happy to provide support. Meanwhile, discover more about how air purifiers work, their pluses and our suggestions to help you choose the right air purifier.

How Do Air Purifiers Work?

Most home air purifiers have a fan to pull in air. Then, the air is pushed through one or more filters to collect irritants before being recirculated.

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, such as dust, pollen, mold and some bacteria.

An air purifier can be lightweight and used to treat one room. Or they can be added to your HVAC system, giving effective filtration for your total residence.

The EPA says it’s important to know that air purifiers can’t eliminate all the contaminants from your home’s air. But when used in tandem with an enhanced filter for your HVAC system, they can considerably lower the amount of indoor air pollution.

4 Advantages of Air Purification

Getting an air purifier for your house can give many good health pluses. Here are just a few of them.

1. Lowers Allergy and Asthma Triggers

Air purifiers lower irritants in your residence, like some of these standard triggers:

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

2. Reduces Other Problems Linked to Poor Indoor Air Quality

Even if you or someone in your home doesn’t experience allergies or asthma, an air purifier can lower other troubles associated with low indoor air quality. These involve:

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

It can be difficult to distinguish issues related to indoor air quality, as they can be linked to many other illnesses. However, if you’re observing that symptoms lessen after you leave your residence, your indoor air quality is likely causing trouble.

3. Removes Odors

Lingering odors, such as cigarette smoke or cooking smells, can be tough to eliminate. If you having difficulties with eliminating persistent smells in your home, our professionals recommend buying an air purifier with a charcoal or activated carbon filter.

4. May Decrease Your Likelihood of Becoming Sick

An air purifier can eliminate some bacteria and viruses under certain airflow conditions, keeping you and your family in better health even more so during colder months. To get complete advantage of this benefit, our professionals recommend a UV air purifier. Disinfecting ultraviolet light gives an extra layer of protection against airborne pathogens.

Air Purification Systems to Skip

You’re better off without some air purifiers. Here are a few styles to avoid when picking a system for your residence:

  • Produces ozone. Some air purifiers produce ozone, which can irritate your lungs. The EPA advises avoiding ozone air purifiers.
  • Doesn’t have 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, like hospitals.
  • Only purifies an individual room. We advise using a whole-house air purifier, which cleans the air throughout your home. This option operates alongside your HVAC system.

When you partner with the indoor air quality specialists at AW Heating & Air Conditioning, we make it simple to choose the best air purifier for your residence. Contact us at 402-438-7992 to start breathing fresher air today!