“Which air purifier should I buy?” That’s a questions we get asked a lot and we understand why there is so much confusion for a lot of consumers.
Air purifiers have become a common sight in many homes across the country. These units help to purify the air inside your home so that you and your family can breathe easier and healthier.
If you’re in the market for an air purifier, you may have noticed there are many different models to choose from. Some are portable units while others are whole-home systems. Some use a HEPA filtration system while others use activated carbon filters. It can be confusing choosing the right air purifier for your needs, which is why we’ve put together this short guide.
So if you’ve been wondering, “Which air purifier should I buy?” let’s get started.
Who Needs an Air Purifier?
There are different reasons why an individual or family might decide to buy an air purifier. Your first stop on your journey to selecting the absolute best purifier for your home is to decide what its main function will be.
Allergies and Asthma
If you have allergies or asthma, an air purifier can significantly reduce the amount of allergic triggers in your environment. It’s important to know whether you are allergic to particulate matter such as pet dander, dust mites, mold spores, or pollen – or whether your allergies or asthma are triggered by gaseous pollutants such as volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that are found in many household cleaners and off-gassed from furniture and carpeting. Some air purifiers are built to remove particulate matter and some gaseous matter, so understanding your own health needs will help you decide.
Outside Pollutants Getting Inside
According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), if you live next to a busy road, your health is at risk. Children and senior citizens are particularly impacted by these increased health risks that include premature death, childhood leukemia, cardiovascular disease, and higher rates of asthma.
You Have a New Baby or Young Children
Babies and very young children haven’t yet developed an optimal lung defense system. So when air pollutants permeate the lining of the lungs they can more easily develop a cold, flu, pneumonia, bronchitis and asthma.
You or Someone Who Lives with You is Over 65
As we age, it gets harder for our immune systems to fight germs, bacteria and viruses, and we can easily become ill. Air purifiers that use a powerful HEPA filtration system can remove these from the atmosphere to help keep senior citizens healthy.
You Live with a Smoker
Recent studies have shown how dangerous secondhand smoke is for adults and, in particular, children, who can easily develop upper respiratory issues and even cancer. While it is advised that smokers never smoke inside a home, some people refuse to take their toxic habit outside. In these households, an air purifier will remove the smoke from the air so it is safer to breathe for everyone.
Your Home Has a Lot of Carpeting
It’s common to see carpeting in many homes. But, unlike hardwood or tiled floors, carpets easily trap dust. You can vacuum every day, and while you’ll remove some of the dust, you won’t remove it all. But all of that vacuuming WILL blast some of the dust back up into the air, making it much easier to inhale.
Also, as we mentioned earlier, a lot of carpeting contains dangerous VOCs and these can be off-gassed into your environment for years.
You’re Renovating
Renovations can add a lot of value to your home. They can also add a lot of pollutants to the air you breathe. Dust, chemicals and VOCs from paint and adhesives are just some of the common pollutants that a typical renovation can add to your home. It’s a good idea to run an air purifier in whatever rooms you’re renovating to help you breathe healthy air.
You Love to Cook
There is nothing like the smell of garlic and onions sautéing in a pan. But you don’t need that smell lasting for days. An air purifier easily traps all kinds of odors to keep your house smelling clean and fresh.
You Live in an Area That is Prone to Forest Fires
You know that inhaling cigarette smoke is bad, but inhaling ANY kind of smoke is bad. If you live in an area that deals with forest fires on a regular basis, an air purifier is necessary to keep the air inside your home free from toxic particulate matter inside forest fire smoke. And don’t be fooled into thinking because you are “X” miles away from the fire you are safe. Those particulates easily travel for miles on the wind.
Other Things to Consider When Selecting an Air Purifier
Now that you understand much of your decision about an air purifier will be based on what specific thing you need it to do or remove from your home’s air, you’ll also want to consider a few more things:
HEPA
If you’ve determined you need a HEPA filtration system to remove particulates such as dust, pet dander, or pollen, you’ll want to make absolutely certain that you are getting a true HEPA system. Some filters are designed to mimic HEPA’s performance, but few achieve the same effect.
High Maximum Air-Exchange Rate
This refers to the amount of air a purifier can pass through its filtration system in one minute. The higher the rate, the cleaner the air in the room. This can be very helpful for larger rooms.
Room Size Matter
And speaking of larger rooms, you’ll want to be sure you get a unit that was designed for that sized room. You can find this info right on the box or in the specs if you’re searching online. Don’t expect an air purifier that was built to handle a 250 square foot room to properly clean an 800 square foot room.
Filter Changes
Always be certain to change the filters as often as the manufacturer recommends. Your air purifier is only as good as its internal filter. If you are one of those people that needs reminding about such things, look for a unit that comes with a filter-change alert.
Whole House VS Portable Units
In our experience, whole house units are costly and unnecessary. Our customers have gotten relief from allergies and asthma symptoms by simply placing a unit in the rooms they use the most. This typically means a small unit in the bedroom, and a larger one in the living or and home office.
Got Questions?
If you’re still wondering, “Which air purifier should I buy,” then please get in touch with us. We love helping people breathe easier and will be more than happy to answer any questions you may have.
