What do the Best Air Filters Remove from Your Air?

People spend approximately 90 percent of their time indoors. Many don’t realize that indoor air contains numerous pollutants and allergens and is more seriously polluted than outside air (according to the EPA). This is a real problem for individuals with allergies or respiratory conditions, whose conditions are aggravated by exposure to indoor air pollutants.

A proven way to reduce your exposure to indoor air pollutants is to invest in a clean air purifier. Selecting the best purifier for your home can be a difficult task with so many available choices. To make the most of your investment, it’s important to understand what pollutants are in your air so you can select an air filtration method ideally suited for your purposes.

Common Indoor Air Pollutants

Our homes host numerous pollutants and allergens that negatively affect indoor air quality—some of them may be more problematic than others. Since air purifiers filter out different airborne particles depending on their filtration method, it’s important to understand which pollutants you need to remove before selecting a purifier for your home.

Dust mites are a common trigger for asthma and allergic reactions. It is not the dust mite itself that causes the allergenic reaction—it’s their feces. A typical dust mite produces feces 20 times a day. They are light enough to float in the air, and unfortunately we inhale them. When you realize that a speck of dust contains an average of 40,000 dust mites, you realize just how many dust mite feces you’re exposed to every day.

Pollen is at the top of the list for allergy sufferers. Unfortunately, there is no full-proof way of preventing pollen from getting inside your home. However, once it’s in your home, installing an air purifier with either a HEPA filter or electrostatic technology is the most effective way to remove it from your air. Blueair purifiers employ both filtration methods, giving you the highest chance of filtering out pollen.

Mold spores can be common in your home, and long-term exposure can cause significant respiratory problems. Most mold spores range from 3 to 100 microns in size, but some can be even smaller. If mold is your major concern, you need a filter that removes particles down to at least 3 microns. A unit that filters out even smaller particles would be even more effective. For instance, Blueair air purifiers remove particles that are 0.1 micron in size.

Pet Dander is a serious contributor to poor air quality for homes with pets. Dogs and cats shed material from their bodies, including hair, dead skin, and dried saliva. When these particles enter the air, they can seriously aggravate allergy symptoms. The best way to remove pet dander is with a good quality HEPA filter.

Although odors and gases are a common contributor to poor indoor air quality, most basic air purifiers are unable to filter them. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are also common pollutants, and can be attributed to new paint, new furniture, or anything that gives off a chemical or even a fragrant odor. VOCs can lead to allergic reactions or respiratory complications due to long-term exposure. Cigarette smoke is also a common gas people want to eliminate due to its strong, long-lasting odor and the allergic reactions it can cause.  VOCs, gases and cigarette smoke are filtered out using a carbon filter such as Blue air’s SmokeStop filter.

Selecting the Best Clean Air Purifier for Your Home

Ideally you should select a clean air purifier such as a Blueair that uses three filtration methods to remove as many pollutants from your air as possible. A high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter is a must for people with allergies. In order to receive HEPA certification, a filter must be able to remove 99.97% of all particles greater 0.3 microns in size. Blueair’s HEPA air filters remove particles down to 0.1 micron in size, thus making Blueair an extremely effective air purification solution.

Electrostatic filtration technology is another effective form of air purification. Blueair air purifiers contain an ionizing chamber which charges and traps particles when they enter the purifier. This leads to a more efficient air purification process.

Finally, you will want to select an air purifier with a carbon filter if you’re looking to remove VOCs or smoke. Blueair’s air purifiers are highly recommended in this regard because their optional SmokeStop carbon filter serves this purpose.

By selecting an air purifier that uses a number of filtration methods, you will ensure the best possible air quality for your home. Blueair’s 3-stage filter system is considered one of the most advanced in the industry, and is a recommended choice for people looking to maximize their indoor air quality.