If you’re looking for an air purifier, you might be finding that some kinds are making many claims. And most of those claims might seem too good to be true. So, it’s only typical that you may be thinking are air purifiers a waste of money.

They’re useful, according to the EPA, because they’re an excellent approach to improve your Zelienople residence’s indoor air quality. Newer residences are tightly sealed and heavily insulated, which is fantastic for energy efficiency, but not so excellent for indoor air quality.

As newer houses don’t normally bring in as much fresh air as older residences, irritants like dust, pet dander and cleaning products can concentrate in your home. The consequence? Air that’s more contaminated than the outdoors, which is not good if you struggle with allergies, asthma or are sensitive to respiratory irritation.

Our indoor air quality professionals at Knoechel Heating can help you cut through the clutter and choose the best home air purifier. Just call us at 724-425-5852 and we’ll be happy to provide support. In the meantime, learn more about how air purifiers operate, their perks and our advice to help you select the right air purifier.

How Do Air Purifiers Work?

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

These filters can include 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, including dust, pollen, mold and some bacteria.

An air purifier can be compact and used to treat one area. Or they can be added to your HVAC system, delivering strong filtration for your total home.

The EPA says it’s important to know that air purifiers can’t get rid of every contaminant from your residence’s air. But when used along with an enhanced filter for your HVAC system, they can significantly decrease the concentration of indoor air pollution.

4 Benefits of an Air Purifier

Installing an air purifier in your home can offer many great health advantages. Here are just a couple of them.

1. Decreases Allergy and Asthma Triggers

Air purifiers decrease 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. Alleviates Other Symptoms Related to Poor Indoor Air Quality

Even if you or someone in your household doesn’t experience allergies or asthma, an air purifier can reduce other issues linked to poor indoor air quality. These include:

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

It can be tricky to determine issues related to indoor air quality, since they can be triggered by a lot of other illnesses. However, if you’re noticing that symptoms lessen after you leave your house, your indoor air quality is probably causing a problem.

3. Gets Rid of Odors

Lingering odors, like cigarette smoke or cooking smells, can be tough to eliminate. If you having problems with getting rid of persistent smells in your house, we advise getting an air purifier with a charcoal or activated carbon filter.

4. May Lower Your Chance of Being Sick

An air purifier can inactivate some bacteria and viruses under certain airflow conditions, keeping you and your loved ones healthier especially during cold months. To get full advantage of this benefit, our pros advise a UV air purifier. Disinfecting ultraviolet light delivers an additional layer of safeguard against airborne pathogens.

Air Purifiers to Stay Away From

You’re better off without some air purifiers. Here are a few features to skip when choosing a system for your house:

  • Produces ozone. Some air purifiers make ozone, which can aggravate your lungs. The EPA suggests avoiding ozone air purifiers.
  • Doesn’t have HEPA filters. For the best filtration, you’ll want a HEPA air purifier. Regarded as the gold standard for pure air, HEPA filters are used in most healthcare settings, like hospitals.
  • Only purifies one room. We advise getting a whole-house air purifier, which filters the air in every room. This style runs alongside your HVAC system.

When you partner with the indoor air quality experts at Knoechel Heating, we make it simple to buy the best air purifier for your house. Give us a call at 724-425-5852 to start breathing healthier air today!