If you’re shopping for an air purifier, you could be noticing that some kinds are making lots of claims. And most of those claims may appear too good to be true. So, it’s only natural that you could be wondering are air purifiers a waste of money.

They’re useful, according to the EPA, since they’re an excellent method to better your Carpentersville residence’s indoor air quality. Modern homes are tightly sealed and heavily insulated, which is good for energy efficiency, but not so fantastic for indoor air quality.

Since newer houses don’t naturally bring in as much outdoor air as aging residences, contaminants including dust, pet dander and cleaning products can build up inside. The result? Air that’s more polluted than the outdoors, which is not good if you have allergies, asthma or are vulnerable to respiratory irritation.

Our indoor air quality specialists at Controlled Comfort HVAC can help you cut through the clutter and choose the best home air purifier. Just contact us at 224-412-8308 and we’ll be happy to provide support. For now, learn more about how air purifiers work, their advantages and our suggestions to help you find the best air purifier.

How Does an Air Purification System Improve Indoor Air Quality?

Most home air purifiers use a fan to draw in air. Then, the air is pushed 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, including dust, pollen, mold and some bacteria.

An air purifier can be movable and used to filter one space. Or they can be fitted to your HVAC system, giving powerful filtration for your total residence.

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

4 Benefits of Air Purification

Installing an air purifier in your home can offer lots of good health advantages. Here are just a few of them.

1. Lowers Allergy and Asthma Triggers

Air purifiers reduce contaminants in your house, including some of these standard triggers:

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

2. Reduces Other Problems 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 reduce other issues associated with bad indoor air quality. These involve:

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

It can be hard to determine symptoms linked to indoor air quality, since they can be triggered by many other illnesses. However, if you’re observing that symptoms lessen after you leave your residence, your indoor air quality is possibly causing a problem.

3. Eliminates Odors

Persistent odors, like cigarette smoke or cooking smells, can be tricky to remove. If you are having a hard time with getting rid of heavy smells in your home, our professionals advise purchasing an air purifier with a charcoal or activated carbon filter.

4. May Decrease Your Probability of Being Sick

An air purifier can inactivate some bacteria and viruses under certain airflow conditions, keeping you and your household healthier even more so during winter months. To take 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 Avoid

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

  • Produces ozone. Some air purifiers create ozone, which can bother your lungs. The EPA advises avoiding ozone air purifiers.
  • Doesn’t use HEPA filters. For the best outcome, 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 an individual room. We recommend using a whole-house air purifier, which filters the air across your home. This solution works with your HVAC system.

When you work with the indoor air quality professionals at Controlled Comfort HVAC, we make it simple to select the best air purifier for your home. Give us a call at 224-412-8308 to begin breathing cleaner air today!