If you’re shopping for an air purifier, you may be realizing that some kinds are spouting a lot of claims. And some of those claims may seem too good to be true. So, it’s only typical that you might be questioning are air purifiers a waste of money.

They’re worth it, according to the EPA, as they’re an excellent approach to better your York home’s indoor air quality. Newer residences are tightly sealed and deeply insulated, which is excellent for energy efficiency, but not so excellent for indoor air quality.

Since updated houses don’t naturally bring in as much outdoor air as aging residences, contaminants such as dust, pet dander and cleaning products can accumulate inside. The consequence? Air that’s more contaminated than the outdoors, which is not good if you struggle with allergies, asthma or are sensitive to respiratory irritation.

Our indoor air quality specialists at Strine's can help you cut through the clutter and find the best home air purifier. Just contact us at 717-383-4479 and we’ll be happy to assist you. For now, learn more about how air purifiers work, their advantages and our advice to help you find the best air purifier.

How Do Air Purifiers Work?

Most home air purifiers have a fan to collect air. Then, the air passes through one or more filters to catch contaminants before being redistributed.

These filters may include a charcoal filter, to remove odors, and a HEPA, or high efficiency particulate air, filter. A HEPA filter is at least 99.7% effective at filtering miniscule particles as little as .3 microns, like dust, pollen, mold and some bacteria.

An air purifier can be lightweight and used to treat one space. Or they can be fitted to your HVAC system, giving powerful filtration for your complete house.

The EPA says you should know that air purifiers can’t eliminate every contaminant from your house’s air. But when used in tandem with a better filter for your HVAC system, they can greatly reduce the amount of indoor air pollution.

4 Advantages of an Air Purifier

Installing an air purifier in your house can give a lot of great health pluses. Here are several of them.

1. Reduces Allergy and Asthma Triggers

Air purifiers reduce pollutants in your house, including some of these common triggers:

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

2. Alleviates Other Problems Linked to Poor Indoor Air Quality

Even if you or someone in your residence doesn’t struggle with allergies or asthma, an air purifier can lower other issues associated with poor indoor air quality. These involve:

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

It can be tricky to determine symptoms related to indoor air quality, as they can be triggered by lots of other illnesses. However, if you’re noticing that you feel better after you leave home, your indoor air quality is likely causing the issue.

3. Removes Odors

Odors that hang around, such as cigarette smoke or cooking smells, can be difficult to get rid of. If you having difficulties with getting rid of persistent smells in your residence, our professionals advise buying an air purifier with a charcoal or activated carbon filter.

4. May Decrease Your Chance of Getting Sick

An air purifier can eliminate some bacteria and viruses under certain airflow conditions, keeping you and your loved ones in good health even more so during colder months. To receive full advantage of this benefit, our professionals suggest a UV air purifier. Disinfecting ultraviolet light provides an extra layer of safeguard against airborne pathogens.

Air Purifiers to Skip

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

  • Makes ozone. Some air purifiers create ozone, which can irritate your lungs. The EPA suggests skipping ozone air purifiers.
  • Doesn’t have HEPA filters. For the best filtration, you’ll want a HEPA air purifier. Known as the gold standard for clean air, HEPA filters are used in the majority of healthcare settings, including hospitals.
  • Only purifies an individual room. We recommend getting a whole-house air purifier, which purifies the air throughout your home. This option operates with your home comfort system.

When you partner with the indoor air quality professionals at Strine's, we make it simple to select the best air purifier for your home. Contact us at 717-383-4479 to get started breathing cleaner air right away!