If you’re shopping for an air purifier, you might be finding that some manufacturers are spouting many claims. And many of those claims might feel too good to be true. So, it’s only natural that you could be questioning are air purifiers a waste of money.

They’re worthwhile, according to the EPA, as they’re an excellent method to improve your Columbia residence’s indoor air quality. Modern homes are tightly sealed and deeply insulated, which is fantastic for energy efficiency, but not so excellent for indoor air quality.

As updated homes don’t typically bring in as much outdoor air as older houses, irritants like dust, pet dander and cleaning products can concentrate in your home. The outcome? Air that’s more contaminated than the outdoors, which is not good if you are dealing with allergies, asthma or are vulnerable to respiratory irritation.

Our indoor air quality professionals at Watts Electric & AC can help you cut through the clutter and choose the best home air purifier. Just contact us at 601-736-7362 and we’ll be happy to assist you. Meanwhile, learn more about how air purifiers work, their pluses and our advice to help you choose the ideal 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 contaminants before being redistributed.

These filters can include 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 capturing miniscule particles as little as .3 microns, like dust, pollen, mold and some bacteria.

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

The EPA says you should be aware that air purifiers can’t remove 100% of the contaminants from your house’s air. But when used in combination with an improved filter for your HVAC system, they can considerably decrease the concentration of indoor air pollution.

4 Perks of an Air Purifier

Installing an air purifier in your house can offer a lot of great health advantages. Here are just a few of them.

1. Decreases Allergy and Asthma Triggers

Air purifiers reduce pollutants in your home, including some of these common triggers:

  • Dust
  • Pollen
  • Mold
  • Volatile organic compounds, like 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 troubles related to bad indoor air quality. These entail:

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

It can be tricky to determine troubles associated with indoor air quality, since they can be linked to lots of other illnesses. However, if you’re noticing that symptoms are better after you leave your house, your indoor air quality is possibly causing trouble.

3. Eliminates Odors

Odors that hang around, like cigarette smoke or cooking smells, can be tricky to eliminate. If you having problems with getting rid of strong smells in your residence, our pros suggest getting an air purifier with a charcoal or activated carbon filter.

4. Can Lower Your Likelihood of Becoming Sick

An air purifier can eliminate some bacteria and viruses under certain airflow conditions, keeping you and your loved ones in better health particularly during colder months. To get total advantage of this benefit, our pros advise a UV air purifier. Disinfecting ultraviolet light delivers an extra layer of safeguard against airborne pathogens.

Air Purifiers to Skip

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

  • Makes ozone. Some air purifiers make ozone, which can aggravate your lungs. The EPA advises skipping ozone air purifiers.
  • Doesn’t have HEPA filters. For the best outcome, you’ll want a HEPA air purifier. Known as the gold standard for healthy air, HEPA filters are used in many healthcare settings, including hospitals.
  • Only purifies one room. We advise getting a whole-house air purifier, which cleans the air across your home. This style operates alongside your heating and cooling system.

When you partner with the indoor air quality specialists at Watts Electric & AC, we make it uncomplicated to choose the best air purifier for your house. Reach us at 601-736-7362 to get started breathing cleaner air today!