Top 10 Air Purifier Benefits
In recent years, air purifiers have been rapidly gaining popularity. Find out what makes them so great!
Clean air is vital for our general well-being. Unfortunately, it is incredibly hard to come by these days due to increasingly prevalent air pollution that is infiltrating our indoor spaces.
Indoor air pollution is caused by air pollutants from particles and gases which contaminate the air of indoor areas like homes and offices. These air pollutants can cause several health-related problems like respiratory diseases and, in extreme cases, even cancer. Children and people who suffer from asthma and allergies are among those affected the most by indoor air pollutants. What’s worse is that indoor air pollution is potentially more harmful than your regular outdoor air pollution because the air in closed spaces is very concentrated. This means that pollutants are present in higher concentrations at home, putting you and your family at a higher risk of inhaling them.
One surefire way of reducing the amount of air pollutants present at home is to invest in a high quality air purifier. Air purifiers work by sucking in polluted air from your house, allowing it to pass through a series of purification stages, and releasing clean air back out. Air purifiers vary in the way they do this, which means not all air purifiers are created equal. One thing is certain, though: with a reliable air purifier at home, you can breathe easier knowing that your family is protected from the harmful effects of air pollution.
If you’re still in doubt about whether or not air purifiers are worth your money, here’s a list of the 10 most common benefits of having air purifiers at home:
1. They can get rid of common allergens
Air purifiers are famous for their ability to filter out most allergens that are found at home. These include pollen, dander, mold spores, and dust mites just to name a few. Most air purifiers use High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filters that are able to remove 99.97% of airborne particles 0.3 microns in size or larger. Thanks to this filter, air purifiers become highly efficient at removing allergens from your home.
2. Odors are noticeably reduced
Aside from allergen removal, air purifiers are also very adept at removing common household odors from sources such as pets, cooking, and tobacco smoke. This is because, aside from HEPA filters, air purifiers also make use of activated carbon filters which are able to remove odor-causing pollutants from the air. What’s even better is that once these pollutants are captured in the filter, they’re no longer released back into the air so you can be sure that the air stays (and smells) clean!
3. Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) are kept under control
According to the EPA, VOCs are emitted gases from certain solids or liquids. They include a variety of chemicals which may have short- and long-term adverse health effects. Unfortunately, concentrations of VOCs indoors are consistently higher than outdoors. Some common sources of VOCs include household cleaners, disinfectants, cosmetic products, among others.
Some air purifiers are capable of effectively lowering VOCs concentrations in your home with the use of heavy duty carbon filters and other technologies. It’s important to note, though, that plain carbon filters alone are not sufficient to remove VOCs. Other technologies must be utilized in combination with these carbon filters in order for VOCs to be significantly reduced.
4. You’re less likely to get sick with an air purifier around
Air purifiers sometimes use germicidal filters or ultraviolet light treatment to eliminate common disease-causing germs. HEPA filters are also able to remove microscopic particles like germs, bacteria, and viruses to create a more sanitary environment. Because of this, air purifiers are widely used in hospitals, medical centers, and nursing homes.
5. Air purifiers can even get rid of pesky insects
Not many people are aware that air purifiers are also able to trap pesky insects flying around your house. Because of the strong suction power of air purifiers, they’re able to pull in small insects like gnats and mosquitoes and keep them from bothering you and your family.
6. They can improve air circulation at home
We’re all aware of that uncomfortable feeling we get when we enter a stuffy room with no air circulating at all. To avoid this, air needs to be continuously circulated in order to remain fresh and keep a room comfortable. Depending on the air delivery rate of your air purifier and the size of your room, it may be able to circulate the air as much as 6 times per hour! This ensures that the air you’re breathing in stays as clean as possible.
7. They promote better sleep
Most people are unaware that air can have a substantial impact on the quality of your sleep. Having an air purifier running at night can help reduce incidences of nighttime coughing and prevent stuffed sinuses which are caused by air pollutants. The white noise that air purifiers make also help lull you and your children to sleep.
8. They help keep your stress levels in check
Studies show that those who breathe cleaner air have lower cortisol levels. Lower cortisol levels are often associated with lower stress levels. This, in turn, increases productivity levels as well!
9. They can improve your mood
Now, this may be more of a psychological effect than anything else, but many people who use air purifiers have reported that their moods have been improved overall. It also helps to know that you are breathing in fresh, clean air!
10. Some air purifiers release negative ions
Some air purifiers have ionizers which release high concentration of negative ions to clear the air of mold spores, pollen, pet dander, odors, cigarette smoke, bacteria, viruses, dust and other hazardous airborne particles. Aside from helping clear the air, negative ions have been reported to have numerous health benefits as well.
Ionizers reportedly help with decreasing blood pressure and tension in your body and can also reduce instances of headaches and illnesses. They’re also known to help increase energy levels, focus, and promote better sleep.
Regardless of what your reasons may be for purchasing an air purifier, you can be sure that it will provide you and your family a safer, cleaner, and happier environment!