Are Air Purifiers Worth the Cost?

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

They’re worthwhile, according to the EPA, since they’re a fantastic approach to better your Portland residence’s indoor air quality. Modern residences are tightly sealed and thoroughly insulated, which is fantastic for energy efficiency, but not so excellent for indoor air quality.

Because newer residences don’t normally bring in as much outside air as aging homes, contaminants such as dust, pet dander and cleaning products can accumulate inside. The consequence? Air that’s more polluted than the outdoors, which is bad news if you struggle with allergies, asthma or are vulnerable to respiratory irritation.

Our indoor air quality professionals at Three Rivers Heating and Cooling can help you cut through the clutter and select the best home air purifier. Just call us at (503) 739-5400 and we’ll be happy to assist you. For now, learn more about how air purifiers operate, their pluses and our advice to help you select the best air purifier.

How Do Air Purifiers Work?

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

These filters may include 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 catching microscopic particles as little as .3 microns, such as dust, pollen, mold and some bacteria.

An air purifier can be movable and used to purify one space. Or they can be added to your HVAC system, providing strong filtration for your total home.

The EPA says it’s important to know that air purifiers can’t remove 100% of the contaminants from your residence’s air. But when used in combination with an enhanced filter for your HVAC system, they can significantly reduce the amount of indoor air pollution.

4 Advantages of Air Purification

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

1. Reduces Allergy and Asthma Triggers

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

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

2. Alleviates Other Symptoms 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 troubles associated with bad indoor air quality. These entail:

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

It can be tricky to determine issues associated with indoor air quality, as they can be triggered by many other illnesses. However, if you’re noticing that symptoms lessen after you leave home, your indoor air quality is probably causing a problem.

3. Gets Rid of Odors

Odors that hang around, such as cigarette smoke or cooking smells, can be difficult to remove. If you having difficulties with eliminating heavy smells in your home, our pros suggest purchasing an air purifier with a charcoal or activated carbon filter.

4. Can Reduce Your Chance of Becoming Sick

An air purifier can remove some bacteria and viruses under certain airflow conditions, keeping you and your family healthier especially during cold months. To get total advantage of this benefit, our pros advise a UV air purifier. Disinfecting ultraviolet light gives an added layer of safeguard against airborne pathogens.

Air Purification Systems to Skip

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

• Creates ozone. Some air purifiers make ozone, which can irritate your lungs. The EPA suggests skipping ozone air purifiers.
• Doesn’t have HEPA filters. For the best results, you’ll want a HEPA air purifier. Regarded as the gold standard for clean air, HEPA filters are used in the majority of healthcare settings, such as hospitals.
• Only purifies one room. We advise using a whole-house air purifier, which filters the air throughout your home. This style runs in tandem with your HVAC system.

When you partner with the indoor air quality professionals at Three Rivers Heating and Cooling, we make it easy to choose the best air purifier for your residence. Give us a call at (503) 739-5400 to start breathing healthier air today!