Home Air Purifiers - 7 Crucial Questions

 

It is becoming more and more obvious that air purifiers are not a luxury anymore but a necessity.  With indoor air being 90% worse that outdoor air, no wonder we need to purifier the air.  Why is it so much worse than outdoor air?

There are many reasons why such as all of the cleaners that we use and store contain chemicals (unless we use green cleaning options) that release toxins into our air.  Even if we are just storing these cleaners, they still emit toxins.  Our homes are better sealed so what's inside stays inside: good or bad, it stays in our homes.  Another reason is that the government has taken many measures to help improve and clean our outdoor air such as emission tests.  So while our outdoor is is being purified through regulations, our indoor air quality is going down by the mass production and use of chemical cleaners.  

Now that we know why the indoor is needs purified, how can we purify it:  what kind of air cleaners will do the job effectively and affordable? 

What are you looking for? 

1. Reduce particulate matter - pollen, cigarette smoke, dust, pet dander
2. Reduce gases & odors.
3. Reduce microbes - bacteria, and mold.   *Just a note,many people are under the misconception that air purifiers will eliminate mold.  This is not true and if someone is claiming it, that should raise a red flag in itself.  What a high quality air purifier can do is to reduce (or eliminate) the mold spores which become air borne.  Now, don't be disappointed because this is the actually part of the mold that most people are allergic too so if you reduce the spores, you, in turn , reduce allergies.  To reduce the actual mold, you'll need to find the source of moisture and eliminate that (in many cases, a dehumidifier does this well) and of course, wipe off the mold that is all ready present. 
4. What square footage do you need to cover?  (How many will you need so you have an accurate price comparison)
5. Does it use filters or modules (ie like a special bulb)?  How often do they need replaced?  Does the home air purifier clean 100% all the time?  (Filters tend to get dirty quickly and then the effectiveness goes down drastically)
6. How much electricity will it use?  How much do the filters or modules cost? (This adds into the total cost of the air cleaners)
7. Does it require special installation and is it mobile? (Does it attach to your furnace or can you move it and take it with you)

Once you know the answers to these questions, you'll be able to make an educated decision on the best home air purifiers.

Bonus questions especially for our California readers.  Many high quality units omit a little to a lot of ozone, it is important to check the  California law to make sure the unit omits less than or equal to their cut off for a safe unit.  You'd hate to invest in a high quality unit only to find out that it is too large and omits too much ozone for your safety.  Some of these units are designed for emergencies and large areas like the smoke generated from 911.

About the Author:

Barb Lulay, an Education Health Specialist and owner of Health and Harmony, focuses on reducing an individual's risk of cancer by reducing the toxins in one's environment. A key part of this is to purify the air in the home. The home air purifiers that have past Barb's stringent tests can be found at the Best Home Air Purifiers. Barb has helped thousands of people purify their homes and offices by using a high quality, cost effective air purifier. To learn more, please visit the Best Home Air Purifiers now.