If you’re looking for an air purifier, you could be finding that some manufacturers are producing lots of claims. And some of those claims might seem too good to be true. So, it’s only typical that you may be thinking are air purifiers a waste of money.

They’re worth it, according to the EPA, as they’re a fantastic way to better your Wausau house’s indoor air quality. Modern homes are solidly sealed and heavily insulated, which is fantastic for energy efficiency, but not so good for indoor air quality.

Because newer homes don’t naturally bring in as much outdoor air as old houses, contaminants like dust, pet dander and cleaning products can concentrate inside. The result? Air that’s dirtier than the outdoors, which is bad news if you have allergies, asthma or are vulnerable to respiratory irritation.

Our indoor air quality pros at Gilray Heating and Cooling can help you cut through the clutter and choose the best home air purifier. Just give us a call at 715-301-0727 and we’ll be happy to provide support. For now, learn more about how air purifiers operate, their pluses and our recommendations to help you select the ideal air purifier.

How Do Air Purifiers Improve Indoor Air Quality?

Most home air purifiers use a fan to collect air. Then, the air moves through one or more filters to catch pollutants before being redistributed.

These filters can 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 capturing microscopic particles as small as .3 microns, such as dust, pollen, mold and some bacteria.

An air purifier can be compact and used to filter one room. Or they can be installed inside your HVAC system, giving powerful filtration for your total house.

The EPA says it’s important to know that air purifiers can’t get rid of 100% of the contaminants from your house’s air. But when used in combination with an enhanced filter for your HVAC system, they can considerably lower the concentration of indoor air pollution.

4 Advantages of Air Purification

Getting an air purifier for your home can offer many good health advantages. Here are just a couple of them.

1. Decreases Allergy and Asthma Triggers

Air purifiers lower contaminants in your residence, like some of these typical triggers:

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

2. Reduces Other Symptoms Associated with Poor Indoor Air Quality

Even if you or someone in your home doesn’t struggle with allergies or asthma, an air purifier can reduce other symptoms related to low indoor air quality. These include:

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

It can be difficult to identify issues related to indoor air quality, as they can be caused by many other illnesses. However, if you’re observing that you feel better after you leave your residence, your indoor air quality is probably causing a problem.

3. Removes Odors

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

4. Can Lower Your Probability of Being Sick

An air purifier can inactivate some bacteria and viruses under certain airflow conditions, keeping you and your loved ones healthier even more so during cold months. To get total advantage of this benefit, our pros advise a UV air purifier. Disinfecting ultraviolet light gives an additional layer of safeguard against airborne pathogens.

Air Purification Systems to Skip

You’re better off without some air purifiers. Here are several options to stay away from when picking a system for your house:

  • Creates ozone. Some air purifiers make ozone, which can bother your lungs. The EPA suggests staying away from ozone air purifiers.
  • Doesn’t have HEPA filters. For the best outcome, you’ll want a HEPA air purifier. Known as the gold standard for clean air, HEPA filters are used in most healthcare settings, such as hospitals.
  • Only purifies one room. We recommend using a whole-house air purifier, which filters the air across your home. This option runs alongside your heating and cooling system.

When you call the indoor air quality professionals at Gilray Heating and Cooling, we make it simple to buy the best air purifier for your house. Contact us at 715-301-0727 to get started breathing fresher air today!