The Benefits of Air Purifiers in Your Home

It is estimated that over 24 million people in America suffer from asthma, nearly half of whom are children. Two of the main contributory factors in asthma are considered to be indoor pollution and other environmental factors such as dust mites, tobacco smoke, pet dander, chemicals, pollen and mold.  These pollutants, according to the US Environmental Protection Agency, cause various health effects that range from mild to quite severe (and even fatal) illnesses. Pollutants in your home can be lessened dramatically through the benefits of air purifiers.

How pollutants get into your home

Another EPA statistic says that indoor air is often two to five times more polluted than the air outdoors with all its smog, car exhaust, ozone, factory smokestacks, farm chemicals and other pollutants. Here are some common indoor air pollutants you may not be aware of:

1. Candles, when burned, (despite whether they are paraffin, vegetable oil, soy or beeswax-based) release soot particles into the air. Paraffin is a petroleum byproduct that is bathed with an industrial bleach containing dioxins. Acrolein, linked to lung cancer, is added as a hardening agent to the wax. Burning paraffin candles releases large amounts of benzene and toluene, known carcinogens, into the air. Candle fragrances and artificial dyes sometimes contain solvents and plasticizers that end up in household air.

2. Dryer sheets often contain quaternary ammonium salt (an asthma inducer), stearic acid from animal fat, and silicon oil as well as toxin-containing fragrances. When these ingredients are heated in the dryer, they coat clothes with a fatty film to make them feel softer. A study described in the August 2011 Air Quality, Atmosphere and Health journal showed that scented laundry products frequently contain toxins such as benzene and acetaldehyde.

3. Carpets, when they are newer, out-gas formaldehyde, bromine, benzene, styrene, acetone, and ethyl benzene, possible carcinogens. Both new and older out-gassed carpets often contain lead, pesticides, and other toxins we bring in on our shoes.

4. Many conventional cleaning products contain alcohol (made from petroleum), ammonia, chlorine and other petroleum-based solvents and volatile organic chemicals.

Air purifier benefits

Quality air purifiers remove impurities and pollutants from the air you breathe in your home. The main benefits of air purifiers include:

• Air purifiers can help people sidestep getting air pollutant-related illnesses.
• Air purifiers help people have more energy as their lungs do not have to work as hard.
• Air purifiers eliminate pet dander from the indoor atmosphere.
• Clean air assists the body with better oxygen absorption, leading to heightened mental alertness.
• Air purifiers remove mold spores from the air you breathe.

Types of air purifiers

There are two main types of air filtration systems: room air purifiers and whole house units. There also are ionizing air purifiers and air purifiers that use ozone. Ozone decreases lung function, causing irritation of the respiratory tract and breathing difficulty. Some of the ionizing air purifiers also emit ozone.

You can definitely experience the benefits of air purifiers from having one or more of them in your home. Aireox, Airpura, and Austin Air are three of the better ones.