Are Air Purifiers a Waste of Money? | Bell Air Conditioning Inc

Are Air Purifiers a Waste of Money?

January 12, 2021

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

They’re worthwhile, according to the EPA, as they’re a fantastic method to improve your Temple/Belton house’s indoor air quality. Modern residences are tightly sealed and thoroughly insulated, which is excellent for energy efficiency, but not so fantastic for indoor air quality.

Because modern houses don’t typically allow in as much outdoor air as aging residences, pollutants such as dust, pet dander and cleaning products can accumulate indoors. The outcome? Air that’s more polluted than the outdoors, which is bad news if you are dealing with allergies, asthma or are vulnerable to respiratory irritation.

Our indoor air quality professionals at Bell Air Conditioning Inc can help you cut through the clutter and find the best home air purifier. Just give us a call at 254-307-9572 and we’ll be happy to provide support. Meanwhile, discover more about how air purifiers work, their perks and our advice to help you choose the best air purifier.

How Do Air Purifiers Work?

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

These filters may have 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 miniscule particles as small as .3 microns, including dust, pollen, mold and some bacteria.

An air purifier can be portable and used to filter one area. Or they can be installed inside your HVAC system, delivering strong filtration for your total house.

The EPA says it’s important to know that air purifiers can’t get rid of every contaminant from your house’s air. But when used along with a better filter for your HVAC system, they can greatly decrease the level of indoor air pollution.

4 Advantages of an Air Purifier

Getting an air purifier for your home can provide a lot of great health pluses. Here are just a couple of them.

1. Decreases Allergy and Asthma Triggers

Air purifiers decrease pollutants in your home, such as some of these standard triggers:

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

2. Alleviates Other Issues Related 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 troubles linked to poor indoor air quality. These entail:

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

It can be difficult to identify symptoms 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 home, your indoor air quality is probably to blame.

3. Gets Rid of Odors

Lingering odors, including cigarette smoke or cooking smells, can be tough to remove. If you having problems with eliminating persistent smells in your house, our pros advise purchasing an air purifier with a charcoal or activated carbon filter.

4. Might Decrease Your Chance of Becoming 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 receive total advantage of this benefit, we recommend a UV air purifier. Disinfecting ultraviolet light gives an extra layer of safeguard against airborne pathogens.

Air Purifiers to Stay Away From

You’re better off without select air purifiers. Here are a few styles to avoid when choosing a system for your residence:

  • Produces ozone. Some air purifiers create ozone, which can irritate your lungs. The EPA recommends avoiding ozone air purifiers.
  • Doesn’t have HEPA filters. For the best outcome, you’ll want a HEPA air purifier. Regarded as the gold standard for clean air, HEPA filters are used in many healthcare settings, like hospitals.
  • Only purifies an individual room. We advise getting a whole-house air purifier, which filters the air throughout your home. This option works in tandem with your home comfort system.

When you work with the indoor air quality specialists at Bell Air Conditioning Inc, we make it easy to choose the best air purifier for your residence. Give us a call at 254-307-9572 to begin breathing fresher air today!