If you’re in the market for an air purifier, you might be finding that some kinds are making lots of claims. And most of those claims might 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 worthwhile, according to the EPA, because they’re an excellent method to enhance your Columbia home’s indoor air quality. Newer houses are solidly sealed and heavily insulated, which is excellent for energy efficiency, but not so fantastic for indoor air quality.

Since newer homes don’t normally let in as much outdoor air as older homes, irritants like dust, pet dander and cleaning products can build up inside. The consequence? Air that’s dirtier than the outdoors, which is a problem if you struggle with allergies, asthma or are susceptible to respiratory irritation.

Our indoor air quality pros at Watts Electric & AC can help you cut through the clutter and find the best home air purifier. Just give us a call at 601-736-7362 and we’ll be happy to provide support. For now, discover more about how air purifiers operate, their advantages and our recommendations to help you choose the ideal air purifier.

How Do Air Purifiers Improve Indoor Air Quality?

Most home air purifiers have a fan to collect air. Then, the air moves through one or more filters to catch contaminants before being redistributed.

These filters may have a charcoal filter, to eliminate odors, and a HEPA, or high efficiency particulate air, filter. A HEPA filter is at least 99.7% effective at capturing microscopic particles as small as .3 microns, such as dust, pollen, mold and some bacteria.

An air purifier can be lightweight and used to treat an individual room. Or they can be fitted to your HVAC system, giving effective filtration for your entire residence.

The EPA says you should know that air purifiers can’t remove all the contaminants from your house’s air. But when used in tandem with an enhanced filter for your HVAC system, they can considerably reduce the level of indoor air pollution.

4 Advantages of Air Purification

Adding an air purifier to your residence can deliver lots of great health pluses. Here are several of them.

1. Reduces Allergy and Asthma Triggers

Air purifiers decrease pollutants in your residence, such as some of these typical triggers:

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

2. Alleviates Other Issues Associated with 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 issues linked to poor indoor air quality. These entail:

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

It can be hard to distinguish symptoms linked to indoor air quality, as they can be caused by lots of other illnesses. However, if you’re observing that symptoms are better after you leave your residence, your indoor air quality is likely causing the issue.

3. Removes Odors

Lingering odors, including cigarette smoke or cooking smells, can be difficult to remove. If you having issues with eliminating heavy smells in your residence, we recommend buying an air purifier with a charcoal or activated carbon filter.

4. May Lower Your Likelihood of Getting Sick

An air purifier can inactivate some bacteria and viruses under certain airflow conditions, keeping you and your family in good health even more so during cold months. To get total advantage of this benefit, our pros recommend a UV air purifier. Disinfecting ultraviolet light provides an added layer of protection against airborne pathogens.

Air Purifiers to Skip

You’re better off without some air purifiers. Here are a couple of styles to avoid when choosing a system for your home:

  • Makes ozone. Some air purifiers produce ozone, which can aggravate your lungs. The EPA recommends avoiding ozone air purifiers.
  • Doesn’t have 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 many healthcare settings, like hospitals.
  • Only purifies an individual room. We recommend using a whole-house air purifier, which purifies the air throughout your home. This option works with your home comfort system.

When you call the indoor air quality specialists at Watts Electric & AC, we make it easy to select the best air purifier for your residence. Give us a call at 601-736-7362 to get started breathing cleaner air now!