If you’re in the market for an air purifier, you might be realizing that some brands are spouting a lot of claims. And many of those claims may seem too good to be true. So, it’s only natural that you could be questioning are air purifiers a waste of money.

They’re useful, according to the EPA, because they’re a fantastic approach to improve your Hodgenville residence’s indoor air quality. Modern houses are securely sealed and heavily insulated, which is good for energy efficiency, but not so fantastic for indoor air quality.

Since newer homes don’t normally let in as much fresh air as old residences, irritants such as dust, pet dander and cleaning products can concentrate in your home. The consequence? Air that’s more polluted than the outdoors, which is a problem if you are dealing with allergies, asthma or are vulnerable to respiratory irritation.

Our indoor air quality specialists at Phelps Heating & Cooling, Inc. can help you cut through the clutter and find the best home air purifier. Just contact us at 270-358-3167 and we’ll be happy to assist you. Meanwhile, find out more about how air purifiers work, their perks and our recommendations to help you select the best air purifier.

How Does an Air Purification System Improve Indoor Air Quality?

Most home air purifiers rely on a fan to draw in air. Then, the air passes through one or more filters to collect irritants before being recirculated.

These filters might include 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 filtering microscopic particles down to .3 microns, such as dust, pollen, mold and some bacteria.

An air purifier can be lightweight and used to purify a single room. Or they can be installed inside your HVAC system, delivering powerful filtration for your entire home.

The EPA says it’s important to know that air purifiers can’t eliminate all the contaminants from your house’s air. But when used in combination with an improved filter for your HVAC system, they can greatly reduce the concentration of indoor air pollution.

4 Advantages of Air Purification

Getting an air purifier for your home can deliver lots of outstanding health perks. Here are just a couple of them.

1. Decreases Allergy and Asthma Triggers

Air purifiers reduce pollutants in your house, like some of these standard triggers:

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

2. Lowers Other Issues Linked to Poor Indoor Air Quality

Even if you or someone in your household doesn’t struggle with allergies or asthma, an air purifier can lower other symptoms related to poor indoor air quality. These involve:

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

It can be tricky to identify issues linked to indoor air quality, since they can be triggered by lots of other illnesses. However, if you’re noticing that symptoms lessen after you leave your residence, your indoor air quality is probably causing trouble.

3. Eliminates Odors

Odors that hang around, such as cigarette smoke or cooking smells, can be tough to remove. If you having issues with removing strong smells in your home, our professionals suggest buying an air purifier with a charcoal or activated carbon filter.

4. May Decrease Your Likelihood of Being Sick

An air purifier can remove some bacteria and viruses under certain airflow conditions, keeping you and your loved ones in better health especially during colder months. To get total advantage of this perk, our pros recommend a UV air purifier. Disinfecting ultraviolet light provides an additional layer of safeguard against airborne pathogens.

Air Purifiers to Skip

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

  • Makes ozone. Some air purifiers make ozone, which can irritate your lungs. The EPA advises skipping ozone air purifiers.
  • Doesn’t use HEPA filters. For the best filtration, you’ll want a HEPA air purifier. Considered the gold standard for pure air, HEPA filters are used in most healthcare settings, like hospitals.
  • Only purifies a single room. We advise installing a whole-house air purifier, which purifies the air throughout your home. This solution runs with your heating and cooling system.

When you work with the indoor air quality professionals at Phelps Heating & Cooling, Inc., we make it easy to select the best air purifier for your house. Reach us at 270-358-3167 to begin breathing cleaner air today!