If you’re shopping for an air purifier, you might be realizing that some brands are making lots of claims. And many of those claims could seem 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, as they’re a fantastic approach to better your Carpentersville house’s indoor air quality. Today’s homes are tightly sealed and heavily insulated, which is fantastic for energy efficiency, but not so fantastic for indoor air quality.

Since newer houses don’t typically bring in as much outdoor air as older houses, irritants like dust, pet dander and cleaning products can concentrate inside. The consequence? Air that’s more polluted than the outdoors, which is not good if you have allergies, asthma or are susceptible to respiratory irritation.

Our indoor air quality professionals at Controlled Comfort HVAC can help you cut through the clutter and find the best home air purifier. Just give us a call at 224-412-8308 and we’ll be happy to assist you. In the meantime, discover more about how air purifiers work, their pluses and our advice to help you select the right air purifier.

How Does an Air Purification System Work?

Most home air purifiers have a fan to draw in air. Then, the air passes through one or more filters to trap irritants 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 catching tiny particles as little as .3 microns, like dust, pollen, mold and some bacteria.

An air purifier can be compact and used to purify a single space. Or they can be installed inside your HVAC system, giving effective filtration for your complete house.

The EPA says you should be aware that air purifiers can’t eliminate all the contaminants from your home’s air. But when used in tandem with an enhanced filter for your HVAC system, they can significantly decrease the concentration of indoor air pollution.

4 Advantages of an Air Purifier

Adding an air purifier to your house can offer lots of great health advantages. Here are just a few of them.

1. Reduces Allergy and Asthma Triggers

Air purifiers decrease contaminants 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. Reduces Other Problems Associated with Poor Indoor Air Quality

Even if you or someone in your home doesn’t experience allergies or asthma, an air purifier can reduce other symptoms associated with poor indoor air quality. These entail:

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

It can be difficult to distinguish troubles associated with indoor air quality, as they can be caused by many other illnesses. However, if you’re aware that you feel better after you leave your house, your indoor air quality is likely causing a problem.

3. Gets Rid of Odors

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

4. May Lower Your Probability of Becoming Sick

An air purifier can remove some bacteria and viruses under certain airflow conditions, keeping you and your loved ones healthier even more so during cold months. To receive total advantage of this benefit, our pros suggest a UV air purifier. Disinfecting ultraviolet light provides an extra layer of defense against airborne pathogens.

Air Purification Systems to Avoid

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

  • Makes ozone. Some air purifiers make ozone, which can irritate your lungs. The EPA suggests skipping ozone air purifiers.
  • Doesn’t include HEPA filters. For the best outcome, you’ll want a HEPA air purifier. Considered the gold standard for healthy air, HEPA filters are used in most healthcare settings, like hospitals.
  • Only purifies a single room. We suggest getting a whole-house air purifier, which purifies the air across your home. This option runs in tandem with your HVAC system.

When you call the indoor air quality experts at Controlled Comfort HVAC, we make it uncomplicated to choose the best air purifier for your home. Contact us at 224-412-8308 to get started breathing healthier air right away!