6 Reasons Why An Air Purifier is Worth the Money

If you’re wondering if an air purifier is worth it, the short answer is yes! We’ll outline 6 important reasons an air purifier is worth the cost.

Are Air Purifiers Necessary?

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), indoor air is typically 2-5 times more polluted than outdoor air. Moreover, people tend to spend upwards of 90% of their time indoors.

Thousands of chemicals lurk in our homes, brought in by everything from beauty products, dry cleaning, and scented candles, to shoes, shower curtain, cooking on a gas stove, and furniture.

Some of the pollutants commonly found in our homes are known hormone disruptors and carcinogens (cancer-causing substances). For example, certain phthalates, a class of chemicals that makes plastic flexible, transparent, and durable, are both! They adversely affect human reproduction and development and have been linked to certain cancers, particularly, breast cancer. If you’ve ever had a new vinyl shower curtain, you’ve smelled them.

So, the EPA recommends having a high-efficiency air filtration system in addition to ventilating your house by opening windows and doors often and limiting the source of exposure to the extent possible (aka minimizing chemicals and plastics).

Here are 6 common sources of indoor air pollution that prove an air purifier is worth it.

You Cook with a Gas Stove

Gas stoves and ovens are often a primary source of indoor air pollution, especially if the exhaust fan is not turned when in use. They emit nitrogen dioxide which can cause respiratory and cardiovascular issues, particularly in children who are more susceptible. A recent report by the Rocky Mountain Institute has found that “gas stoves may be exposing tens of millions of people to levels of air pollution in their homes that would be illegal outdoors under national air quality standards.” (1)

If you use a gas stove consider always using the exhaust hood and run an air purifier while in use.

You Burn Incense, Candles, Or Use Air Fresheners

Many of us like to use candles, incense, and air fresheners, but the artificial fragrances and other chemicals they emit can be dangerous to our health.

Burning candles release VOCs and particulate matter into the air. Particulate matter is a mixture of extremely small liquid droplets and particles that can enter your lungs. Extended exposure to particulate matter may lead to heart and lung problems. (3)

Air fresheners release a range of potentially hazardous air pollutants that can impair air quality. It’s quite the paradox, that a product designed to improve our home environment, is inadvertently making it worse. According to research published in 2017, “Even so-called green and organic air fresheners can emit hazardous air pollutants. Air freshener ingredients are largely unknown and undisclosed, owing to regulatory protections on consumer product ingredients and on fragrance formulations. In studies, fewer than ten percent of all volatile ingredients are typically disclosed on air freshener labels or material safety data sheets. From an indoor air quality perspective, air fresheners have been indicated as a primary source of volatile organic compounds within buildings. From a health perspective, air fresheners have been associated with adverse effects, such as migraine headaches, asthma attacks, mucosal symptoms, infant illness, and breathing difficulties.” (4)

To add a beautiful smell to your home, try using an essential oil diffuser with pure essential oil.

Minimize burning things indoors and if you do, ventilate the air using an air purifier.

Your Floors Are Carpeted

According to the Healthy Building Network, carpets and rugs can off-gas harmful stain-resistant fluorinated chemicals (PFAS) for up to five years or longer. (5, 6)

EWG and other consumer health organizations recommend limiting the amount of carpet in your home. Ventilate by opening doors and windows, especially within the first 72 hours of installation. You could also choose natural materials like wool, bamboo, or jute, which don’t have this off-gassing problem.

You Have Furniture

Furniture is a major source of off-gassing and air pollution in the home environment. You’ve undoubtedly experienced a “new furniture” smell when you brought home a new couch or object. You’re smelling the VOCs and other chemicals off-gassing. While the strong smell typically subsides in days, it’s possible that odorless chemicals will continue to off-gas for longer.

You Live in a Humid Climate or Have a Mold Issue

If you live in a humid climate or have water damage in your home, your home is more susceptible to mold. Numerous studies have linked indoor mold to various health issues, such as upper respiratory tract symptoms, coughing, and wheezing. Individuals who are highly sensitive to mold may have allergic reactions. This could include sneezing, runny nose, red eyes, and skin rashes. (7)

A high-efficiency air purifier can reduce the number of spores in the air and prevent them from circulating around your home. But most importantly, if you have mold, be sure to have it professionally cleaned and removed. In addition, fix any water leaks to prevent future damage.

Is an Air Purifier Worth It?

Yes! As you can see, it is impossible to limit all exposure to chemicals and indoor air pollutants. So, the best thing you can do is minimize them as much as you can and invest in a high-quality air purifier to clean up the rest.

The Most Effective Air Purifier

While there are many air purifiers on the market, they mostly use a HEPA filter, which isn’t the most effective way to clean the air. A DFS (disinfection filtration system) is 40x more effective than a HEPA filter. Also, it’s able to capture much smaller particles, including microbes like bacteria and viruses. Hospitals, schools, planes, and other places use DFS filters because they are the most effective air filters available.

This is the top-performing home DFS Air Purifier. Use the Intellipure coupon “HAPPIER2024” for 10% off. You can check out my personal review of the air purifier here.