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

They’re worthwhile, according to the EPA, since they’re an excellent way to enhance your Bishop house’s indoor air quality. Newer houses are solidly sealed and heavily insulated, which is fantastic for energy efficiency, but not so fantastic for indoor air quality.

Since newer houses don’t typically let in as much outdoor air as old homes, contaminants including dust, pet dander and cleaning products can concentrate in your home. The outcome? Air that’s more contaminated than the outdoors, which is not good if you have allergies, asthma or are vulnerable to respiratory irritation.

Our indoor air quality specialists at Bishop Heating & Air Conditioning can help you cut through the clutter and find the best home air purifier. Just call us at 760-784-9034 and we’ll be happy to help. In the meantime, find out more about how air purifiers operate, their advantages and our suggestions 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 recirculated.

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 down to .3 microns, such as dust, pollen, mold and some bacteria.

An air purifier can be movable and used to treat a single space. Or they can be installed inside your HVAC system, giving effective filtration for your total residence.

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

4 Advantages of an Air Purifier

Installing an air purifier in your house can offer lots of good health pluses. Here are just a couple of them.

1. Lowers Allergy and Asthma Triggers

Air purifiers decrease irritants in your home, such as some of these common triggers:

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

2. Reduces Other Issues Associated with Poor Indoor Air Quality

Even if you or someone in your household doesn’t experience allergies or asthma, an air purifier can alleviate other troubles associated with bad indoor air quality. These include:

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

It can be hard to determine issues associated with indoor air quality, since they can be caused by lots of other illnesses. However, if you’re noticing that symptoms are better after you leave home, your indoor air quality is likely causing trouble.

3. Eliminates Odors

Lingering odors, including cigarette smoke or cooking smells, can be tricky to get rid of. If you having difficulties with removing heavy smells in your residence, our pros advise buying an air purifier with a charcoal or activated carbon filter.

4. Can Decrease Your Chance of Being Sick

An air purifier can inactivate some bacteria and viruses under certain airflow conditions, keeping you and your household in good health especially during colder months. To get full advantage of this benefit, our professionals suggest a UV air purifier. Disinfecting ultraviolet light delivers an extra layer of safeguard against airborne pathogens.

Air Purifiers to Skip

You’re better off without select air purifiers. Here are a few features to stay away from when choosing a system for your house:

  • Makes ozone. Some air purifiers make ozone, which can aggravate your lungs. The EPA suggests staying away from ozone air purifiers.
  • Doesn’t include HEPA filters. For the best outcome, you’ll want a HEPA air purifier. Known as the gold standard for pure air, HEPA filters are used in the majority of healthcare settings, like hospitals.
  • Only purifies an individual room. We recommend getting a whole-house air purifier, which filters the air throughout your home. This option operates alongside your HVAC system.

When you partner with the indoor air quality experts at Bishop Heating & Air Conditioning, we make it simple to choose the best air purifier for your residence. Give us a call at 760-784-9034 to begin breathing fresher air today!