If you've successfully sealed your home for energy savings, give yourself a pat on the back. It's a good idea to keep drafts out of the house to save money. What's the snag? Pet dander, smoke, dust mites, mold, and other irritants can be trapped in a tightly sealed home, causing respiratory problems.
An air purifier is one potential solution. According to manufacturer figures, about one in every four U.S. households owns a portable indoor air purifier, which includes those that come packaged with a fan, says Perry Santanachote, home editor at Consumer Reports. This is unsurprising. Manufacturers make "remedies" for us to purchase or, at the very least, buy into as indoor air quality becomes a problem for consumers. Is it, however, worthwhile to invest in an air purifier?
“Air purifiers can be helpful in avoiding allergens, but they aren't a panacea,” says Manav Singla, an allergist, an immunologist with MedStar Health locations in Maryland. “I don't tell any of my allergy sufferers to get an air purifier, just as I don't tell them to put hardwood floors in their homes.”
Air purifiers can work best for people with animal allergies who own a dog or cat or who leave doors and windows open because they remove airborne particles like dander and pollen. Since dust mites live in carpet and bedding, they are ineffective for those who are allergic to them.
The evidence for the effectiveness of air purifiers is mixed. The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology conducted a review of research on eight asthma interventions, including air purifiers, in 2018. “Despite a large evidence base spanning decades, the evidence base as a whole is inadequate to support concrete conclusions about the efficacy of many commonly used products and strategies for enhancing patient outcomes by reducing environmental allergen exposure,” it concluded. It also advocated for further testing.
According to a 2010 study by the academy, “the primary function of air cleaning and filtration in the living environment for those with allergic respiratory diseases can contribute more toward disease prevention than treatment.” Although portable room air cleaners with high-efficiency particulate air, or HEPA, filters tend to be advantageous in households with forced-air HVAC systems, “regular maintenance schedules and the use of high-efficiency disposable filters appear to be the best choices,” according to the study.
Remember that your furnace and/or air conditioner are basically whole-house filtration systems, so an air purifier might not be necessary. The issue is that many homeowners use inexpensive, thin air filters that do nothing to actually clean the air. Furthermore, most of us fail to adjust the filter as much as we can. The installation of a media cabinet, which can accommodate a deeper (up to five inches) disposable filter, can significantly improve filtration capabilities. These filters usually last eight weeks to six months and cost less than $35 each.
If you do decide to buy an air purifier, the first decision you'll have to make is whether you want a portable or whole-house model. A whole-house system will work if you have ductwork and a forced-air system. Portable stand-alone models would be needed in homes with radiant heat but no air conditioning.
If your home has forced ventilation, Travis Jackson, a home heating, cooling, and air purification specialist in Warrenton, Va., recommends hiring a qualified professional to examine your entire system, including equipment and ductwork. “An inspection looks for underlying problems like unsealed ducts, moldy stagnant water, soil, or vapor-emitting glue-filled seams. It's possible that what the machine needs is a good cleaning,” he says. This form of inspection can be free or cost up to $100, depending on your place and provider.
You don't need an indoor air quality evaluation unless you have reason to believe the air in your home is making you sick, Jackson says. They're time-consuming, costly ($800 to $1,200), and usually unnecessary.
You must measure the square footage of the space you're attempting to treat, whether it's a single room or your whole house, with any form of purifier. The size and efficiency of any unit determine its price. Here's what else you should be aware of.
Air purifiers that can be carried around
There are many styles to choose from. To extract particles, basic mechanical models use a fan to push air through a filter. Higher-grade HEPA filters are qualified to absorb even the tiniest particles, such as dust, smoke, pollen, and pet dander.
Electronic air purifiers work by creating an electric charge that attracts particles to metal plates in the machine, which you then wipe clean. Other models have a UV light and claim to destroy mold and bacteria, but Santanachote says Consumer Reports hasn't checked them and there's currently no proof that they do what they claim.
An activated carbon filter is used in certain purifiers to absorb odors and/or eliminate gases. Carbon filters that are thicker and heavier are more powerful, but they are more expensive. Santanachote believes that thin mesh ones are a waste of resources.
A portable device will set you back at least $200. Models that purify vast spaces and are highly rated will cost up to $700. Furthermore, replacement filters range in price from $20 to $200 (some models have washable filters), and you'll need to account for power because experts recommend running purifiers 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Don't be fooled by slick looks or mistakenly believe that higher prices equal better results. Look for AHAM (Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers) accredited versions (AHAM). Then look at the machine's Clean Air Delivery Rate (CADR), which explains how well it eliminates cigarette smoke, pollen, and dust. It's easier if the number is higher. According to Santanachote, a score of less than 60 is bad, and a score of more than 240 is excellent.
If a floor model is available, look inside for a thick filter that covers a large area. Better still, request that it be plugged in. By its very nature, an air purifier — which is essentially a fan and a filter — is noisy, especially at higher speeds. You'll want to hear it for yourself if that's a problem. One solution is to buy a larger-capacity purifier and operate it at a slower, quieter pace.
Air purifiers for the whole house
A whole-house air cleaner is an easy, quiet, no-fuss solution if your home has ducts. There are units with several filters to collect airborne particles as well as an activated carbon filter to eliminate odors if you want to go all out. These range in price from $2,500 to $5,000, plus installation. Models with germicidal UV lamp technology to irradiate bacteria and mold spores in the air stream or on the filter cost even more, but research showing their effectiveness is lacking once again.
A UV light system can also be added to your HVAC system, but they aren't inexpensive. There are two types of air purification systems: object cleaners and in-duct air purification systems.
An object cleaner placed next to your air conditioner's coil — a dark, damp breeding ground for mold and bacteria — floods the area with UV light, killing organisms before they can reach your ventilation system. These range in price from $350 to $800. Replacement bulbs range in price from $100 to $300 for a one- to two-year lifespan.
A UV in-duct air purification system is your second, more expensive choice. Consider UV light to be the sun's rays. “By inserting the ‘sun' into your ductwork, the UV light bulb releases vaporized hydrogen, which attacks germs, bacteria, mold spores, fungi, and odors as the air circulates into your home,” Jackson explains. As the treated air is pushed out of vents in your home, some models claim to clean countertops and other surfaces.
An in-duct UV system can cost anywhere from $800 to $1,500, depending on the size of your home and the size of your HVAC system. Bulbs will last up to three years and range in price from $300 to $400. The majority of units can be assembled in under two hours, and you'll usually be paying a flat rate that covers all parts and labor.
While some users swear by UV air scrubbers, Singla points out that since allergens are not living tissue like mold, UV filtration is of limited use for the average customer with allergies. Bottom line: Whether you or a family member suffers from extreme allergies or is susceptible to respiratory infections, you may want to focus on keeping your living space clean and your HVAC device in good working order before investing in an air purification system.
