Everything you Need to Know About Buying an Air Purifier
09/28/22
The quality of our indoor air matters as much as the air we breathe outdoors. Changing your HVAC air filters is one way to keep your indoor air clean, but air purifiers make it even healthier. There are many different types of air purifiers, but they all serve the same purpose: to remove contaminants from your home or office air.
Why use an Air Purifier?
Air purifiers remove common air pollutants, including pollen, dust mites, mold spores, and pet dander. Other sources of pollution include secondhand cigarette smoke from people in your home, as well as fumes from household cleaning products and cooking smells.
By reducing these irritants in the air, you should notice an improvement in overall health, whether you suffer from respiratory issues or not.
How do Air Purifiers Work?
There are many different types of household air purifiers, and they work in different ways. Some are designed to remove smoke, while others target allergens like pollen or pet dander. Some use ultraviolet light to kill germs, while others use filters to trap them. If unsure which air purifier you need, ask a professional for advice.
Types of Air Purifiers
Whole-house purifiers are designed to treat the entire home, a traditional air purifier will only treat only the room they’re placed in.
Whole-house air purifiers are large and expensive, but they can improve your health by removing allergens and pollutants from the air throughout your home. However, they may not be practical if you live in a small apartment or a house with separate living spaces (like a basement bedroom) that aren’t connected to the rest of the house.
If you’re looking for an affordable way to remove airborne particles from one room at a time, consider purchasing a room air purifier instead. These come in all shapes, sizes, and prices and are perfect for treating many different areas depending on your needs.
What to Consider when Looking for the Best Air Purifier
When buying a home air purifier, you should look for these things:
- HEPA filter. This stands for high-efficiency particulate air filter. It is one of the most effective types of filters available. It can remove over 99 percent of particles as small as 0.3 microns (about 3/100ths of a millimeter).
- CADR rating. CADR stands for Clean Air Delivery Rate and is an industry standard used to measure the effectiveness of an air purifier in removing pollutants from the air. The higher the CADR rating, the more effective the air purifier will be at removing particles from your home’s air supply.
- Noise level. Air purifiers can range from quiet models that make virtually no noise to ones that sound like a small fan or a box fan running at high speed when turned on full blast. Some people prefer quieter models so they can leave them running 24/7 without disturbing others in their homes or apartments, while others prefer more powerful models that can quickly cleanse large rooms with lots of dust and pollen particles floating around inside them.
- The filters on an air purifier make up the actual air-cleaning system of the device, and they come in various types. Decide how much maintenance you want to carry out to your air purifier. Can you change the air filter yourself, or do you need to hire an expert to change the filter for you?
Are Air Purifiers Effective?
Air purifiers that use HEPA filters are considered very effective at removing particles from the air. But even if your home has an efficient filter, it’s important to run it regularly for maximum effectiveness. And don’t forget to change or clean your filter every couple of months, so it doesn’t get clogged up with dust and dirt.
How do I Get the Most out of my Air Purifier?
To maximize the health benefits of your air purifier, try these tips.
- Brush pets frequently. You probably don’t think about how much pet dander your pets give off. But it can build up over time. Brushing your pets regularly stops dander clogging your air filter.
- Book regular HVAC tune-ups. Air purifiers are a great way to improve the quality of the air you breathe, but they can’t do it all on their own. You also need to maintain your HVAC system for your air purifier to be effective.
- Vacuum regularly and change your bedding every week. Vacuuming removes dust mites and pet dander from carpets and upholstery. Bedding can also release dead skin cells and dust into the air. Change your bedding weekly to prevent a build-up of pollutants.
By following these guidelines, your home will enjoy cleaner, fresher indoor air. Contact our Cincinnati, Dayton and Northern Kentucky HVAC experts for more information about indoor pollution.
Posted in: Indoor Air Quality
