Having clean air to breathe is a must for our good health, but it’s rather hard to come by these days, due to the constant degradation and air pollution. Even the cleanest environment, room, or air can still be filled with invisible and sometimes visible particles and dirt that may be harming your health or further aggravating already existing health issues.
Odds are, you probably know at least one person who has one, as air purifiers are becoming increasingly popular to eradicate pollutants like smoke, pet dander, allergens, dust, environmental toxins and so on that always seem to find a way to get into your home. An air purifier is an appliance that helps remove these pollutants and can benefit just about everyone as they have HEPA filters that clean and purify the air by trapping particles that a vacuum would just simply recirculate back into the air – and, according to ConsumerSearch expert tests, the filter is able to remove about 99.9% of dust particles and impurities from the air including pollen, mold, spores, pet dander, and/or dust mites.
If you aren’t convinced you need one, these reasons will help you understand why every household really should have an air purifier, including yours.
1. Long-Term Health Benefits
Most of us take our health for granted when we’re young, but this is a time when our behavior now can play a big part in our health during our later years – and, air quality easily ranks among some of the most influential factors, along with consuming a healthy diet, getting regular exercise and not smoking.
The problem with airborne pollutants is that with many of them, we still don’t know exactly what effects they might have in the long term. Like cigarettes, lead and arsenic, which we now know can devastate our health, government regulators are just now beginning to recognize the wide-ranging harmful effects of airborne chemicals. In fact, only about 25 percent of the 82,000 or so chemicals used today in the U.S. have even been tested for their effects on people. And, our body can’t always tell us when the air we’re breathing is contaminated as much of what is harmful to us can’t be detected by smell.
Making smart lifestyle choices really should include thinking about the air we breathe, going well beyond diet and exercise in order to ensure our good health now and in the future.
2. Fighting Off Mold
In many homes, especially in areas of the country that are subject to high humidity levels and lots of moisture, are prone to mold, a type of fungus that requires warmth, moisture, and food to grow. Mold reproduces from tiny spores that can’t be seen by the naked eye – and, it wafts through the air indoors as well as out. Typically, it tends to accumulate in areas where moisture levels are higher in the home, like the kitchen, bathrooms or basements.
Mold can cause serious illness to young and old family members alike. Just some of the possible effects of breathing in mold include headaches, dizziness, fatigue, and allergies. An air purifier can trap the airborne mold spores in its filter, and prevent them from reproducing or sticking to walls.
3. Battling Cigarette Smoke
We shouldn’t have to tell you about the dangers of cigarette smoke, whether inhaled directly, or indirectly through passive, or secondhand smoke. Passive cigarette smoke inhalation has been scientifically proven to cause lung cancer in nonsmokers. Cigarette smoke can pollute indoor air, emit a horrible odor along with smoke particles and toxins that can contaminate an indoor area and be very difficult if not nearly impossible to get rid of. These toxins tend to stick to everything – the walls, the carpets, furniture and so on. It’s especially harmful to older adults, children, and those who suffer from allergies or asthma, as it can directly affect their breathing.
Cigarette smoke also contains more than 4,000 chemical compounds and at least 11 known human carcinogens. Only a high-quality air purifier can effectively trap these complex chemicals and odors.
4. Eradicating Germs and Bacteria
Household surfaces contain a lot of harmful bacteria, which can be transferred to any part of our body that comes in contact with the surface. Airborne flu virus particles move from person to person by things like sneezing and coughing, and failure to wash the hands afterward.
Bacteria love those warm, humid areas of your home, and it can cause serious illness to family members and friends of all ages. Using an air purifier reduces your family’s risk of these germs and potential subsequent illness.
5. Removing Pet Dander
If you have pets, you have dander in your home. And many people who live with animals experience allergies and other issues that are directly related to it. While that’s a consequence many people think that have to suffer through in exchange for these loving relationships, getting an air purifier will help to filter the pet dander from the air in your home, allowing you to breathe easier by leaving the environment cleaner. An air purifier not only removes airborne pet hair, dander and odors but will also help protect your pets from indoor air pollution. Like children, our pets are naturally more susceptible to the effects of poor indoor air as they typically spend more time indoors and are closer to the floor where dust, toxins and airborne chemicals collect.
6. Remove Household Odors
If your house has a bad odor, which can easily happen as many tend to easily absorb strong odors like dirty diapers, a litter box, sweaty humans, and so on, getting an air purifier may be the best thing you ever do, especially if you hope to have guests over. It can help eliminate those unwanted smells, leaving the air in your home fresh and enjoyable to breathe.
7. You Just Moved Into a Brand New Home
Moving into a new home that no one has lived in before is incredibly exciting, but it definitely has its downsides, and indoor air pollutants are one of them. Many new houses are filled with toxins like formaldehyde, something that’s considered very hazardous, having been shown to directly cause health issues. According to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, being exposed to low levels of formaldehyde can irritate the skin, eyes, nose, throat, and airways, and those who are especially sensitive may become ill. Being exposed to high levels of it over many years has been linked to rare nose and throat cancers.
An air purifier can help filter this pollutant as well, which is why it’s really a must for anyone living in a brand new home to ensure they’re breathing healthy air.
Top 3 Air Purifiers You Can Buy
Given all of that, it’s easy to see how important it is to have an air purifier in your home. If you’re ready to purchase, these are three of the top air purifiers you can buy.
Top Pick: Rabbit Air Minus A2
If you’re looking for the best of the best, the Rabbit Air Minus A2 is considered by many to be the top air purifier available today, with an unmatched 6-state air purification process that results in the freshest, cleanest air you can breathe. It has an extra-long life version of a True HEPA filter, which means it will last for as long as three years, as well as a customized filter that allows you to change things up to suit your specific air cleaning needs. You can pick toxin absorption, pet allergies, odor elimination or enhanced germ defense.
Another benefit to this air purifier is that you can customize the front panel as far as both design and color with multiple artistic design choices available. One of the highest rated out there, it is more expensive but worth it.
Get it on Amazon.
Budget Option: Germ Guardian 3-in-1 Air Cleaning System
This air purifier is one of the most popular in recent years. It’s one of the best values you’ll find, however, the downside is that it’s really only good for purifying one room at a time. As it’s very lightweight, it can easily be moved from room-to-room. If you’re looking for a purifier to use in your bedroom so that you can breathe, and therefore sleep, better at night, this one is definitely ideal – it’s incredibly quiet so it won’t interrupt your rest.
The GermGuardian features a True HEPA filter which can capture 99.97% of dust and allergens as small as .3 microns, as well as a UV-C light which kills germs and a charcoal filter to capture odors.
Get it on Amazon.
Honeywell HPA300 True HEPA Allergen Remover
For something in between, this air purifier is ideal. And it’s made by Honeywell, which is the No. 1 brand recommended by allergists. It also uses a True HEPA filter and a carbon filter, and it can handle a fairly large space – up to 465 square feet. It has some standout features too, like the automatic shut off timer, with two, four and eight-hour intervals.
It has over 1,000 reviews on Amazon with a very high proportion rating the air purifier with the maximum five star rating.
Get it on Amazon.