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

They’re worth it, according to the EPA, because they’re a fantastic way to improve your New Castle house’s indoor air quality. Today’s homes are solidly sealed and thoroughly insulated, which is fantastic for energy efficiency, but not so fantastic for indoor air quality.

As newer homes don’t typically allow in as much outside air as old residences, pollutants like dust, pet dander and cleaning products can concentrate in your home. The consequence? Air that’s dirtier 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 Central Heating & Plumbing can help you cut through the clutter and choose the best home air purifier. Just call us at 724-401-1843 and we’ll be happy to assist you. For now, find out more about how air purifiers operate, their perks and our recommendations to help you choose the right air purifier.

How Do Air Purifiers Work?

Most home air purifiers rely on a fan to pull in 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 catching miniscule particles down to .3 microns, like dust, pollen, mold and some bacteria.

An air purifier can be lightweight and used to purify a single space. Or they can be fitted to your HVAC system, providing strong filtration for your total residence.

The EPA says it’s important to know that air purifiers can’t eliminate 100% of the contaminants from your residence’s air. But when used in tandem with a better filter for your HVAC system, they can greatly decrease the amount of indoor air pollution.

4 Advantages of Air Purification

Installing an air purifier in your home can deliver lots of great health pluses. Here are just a couple of them.

1. Decreases Allergy and Asthma Triggers

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

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

2. Reduces Other Issues Linked to Poor Indoor Air Quality

Even if you or someone in your residence doesn’t struggle with allergies or asthma, an air purifier can reduce other issues linked to low indoor air quality. These involve:

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

It can be hard to distinguish issues related to indoor air quality, because they can be triggered by many other illnesses. However, if you’re noticing that symptoms are better after you leave your house, your indoor air quality is possibly causing a problem.

3. Removes Odors

Odors that hang around, like cigarette smoke or cooking smells, can be tough to remove. If you having problems with removing heavy smells in your house, our professionals recommend purchasing an air purifier with a charcoal or activated carbon filter.

4. Might Decrease Your Probability of Getting Sick

An air purifier can remove some bacteria and viruses under certain airflow conditions, keeping you and your loved ones in good health even more so during cold months. To get full advantage of this perk, our professionals suggest a UV air purifier. Disinfecting ultraviolet light provides an additional layer of protection against airborne pathogens.

Air Purifiers to Avoid

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

  • Creates 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. Known as the gold standard for healthy air, HEPA filters are used in many healthcare settings, like hospitals.
  • Only purifies an individual room. We suggest getting a whole-house air purifier, which cleans the air throughout your home. This solution works in tandem with your heating and cooling system.

When you call the indoor air quality specialists at Central Heating & Plumbing, we make it easy to select the best air purifier for your residence. Give us a call at 724-401-1843 to start breathing healthier air right away!