Benefits of Air Purifiers

As air filtration technology and equipment continue to improve, people have begun to invest in sophisticated systems in order to keep the atmosphere of their homes as safe and breathable as possible. Should you invest in a high-quality, expensive air purifying system?

The fact is that allergens, pollen and dust can cause or exacerbate a whole host of health concerns. And the threats to your lungs don’t stop with naturally occurring substances.

Many of the substances within a typical home can give off toxic compounds. These include carpet, paint, upholstery, electronics, cleaning supplies, cosmetics and construction materials. Due to the nature of a home’s enclosed atmosphere, these compounds can build up over time, eventually posing more of a health concern than air pollution created by factories and industries.

The impact of this buildup can be even more severe on the young, the elderly and those with serious or chronic illnesses. So it only makes sense to consider taking advantage of the benefits that air purification systems can offer. Before splurging on a whole-house system, though, it pays to do a little research.

Many so-called air purifiers amount to nothing more than expensive dust filters. Many of them include a fan, filter and a few knobs and switches. The most that these bare-bones units can do is to trap some allergens. Viruses, gases and bacteria will all likely elude these inexpensive machines.

Models a step up from the basic ones usually come with a word or two on the packaging that implies significantly better performance. However, many filters that carry labels such as Carbon, HEPA and Electrostatic only take a few extra particles out of the atmosphere. One way to check for how thoroughly these are likely to work is to take a good look at the filter itself. Some come with just a thin layer of carbon or with carbon mesh. Only a solid carbon filter will provide you with adequate cleansing power.

Even then, you need to make sure that your filter is classified as hydrophobic, which means that it will resist collecting water as it cleans air. If the filter is not hydrophobic, the carbon could become saturated with moisture within a day or two, and its power to cleanse the atmosphere – and protect you from toxins – would be severely compromised.

Have questions about air purification? Give AC World a call to see how we can help!