Do Air Purifiers Really Clean the Air in Your Home?

Indoor air pollution is definitely an environmental problem. You might be surprised to know that the air in your home is probably more polluted than the air near highways or even industrial plants. So what can be done to keep the air inside your house clean? Should you purchase an air purifier? There are plenty of them on the market, and some are even promoted on late night infomercials. But do these air cleaning products really work?

A couple of years ago, my family lived on a fairly busy street. There were a lot of cars driving by on any given day. The noise was annoying, but the thing I was more concerned about was the pollution. I didn't want my family breathing in all the pollution being whipped up by the cars and blowing into our house. So we went and bought an air cleaner. We used it for about a week with no noticeable improvement in our home's indoor air quality...so we returned it for a refund. Frankly, the thing was so loud that it was really the noise that made us return it. Since then I've researched a lot of different types of air cleaners and learned some interesting facts along the way. For instance, a good air cleaner should be able to remove dust, smoke particles, some pollen, and mold. But what is really interesting is that many studies of air cleaning devices show that they don't provide any significant health benefits. They won't keep colds from spreading or prevent asthma attacks. And despite what the television infomercials say, air cleaners will not prevent allergy symptoms either. Some air purifiers may even produce potentially harmful pollutants...such as ozone. The California Department of Health Services advises against using machines specifically designed to generate ozone indoors. But there a several air purifiers that generate ozone to supposedly facilitate air cleaning.

Interestingly, many experts say that following some simple guidelines around your house can be very effective at preventing indoor air pollution. And preventing the pollution is much better for you health-wise than trying to clean your polluted air with some machine. Yes, it is probably much easier to go buy a machine and just plug it in. But why waste your money if you can prevent much of the pollution in the first place? So what are the clean air guidelines to follow?

First and foremost...don't allow smoking in your home! This is the most important step in preventing indoor air pollution. If you absolutely must smoke, go do it outside.

Open widows and doors to allow for good ventilation when possible. Having a good flow of air through your home will help against indoor pollution. Having fans that are vented to the outside can be helpful too.

Don't burn candles in your home. Many people use scented candles to help with odors, but doing so actually pollutes the air. Just remember, burning anything releases pollutants.

Try to keep a clean house. Vacuum the rugs, carpet and floors often. Use a vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter. Yes, these are a bit more expensive than ones without, but they will make a difference if you or one of your family members has asthma or allergies.

Make sure to have good quality doormats at your doors and other entrances. You'd be surprised at the sorts of pollutants your family's shoes can track into the house.

Inspect and clean your furnace regularly...at least once a year. Then you'll be sure not to spread around pollutants via the heating ducts. Similarly, have your chimney cleaned yearly if you like to burn wood in your fireplace.

Make sure to have all appliances properly ventilated. This includes the clothes dryer, oven, cooking range, and any other appliances.

Here's the bottom line. If you have your mind set on purchasing an air cleaning device, that's fine. But doing all of the above mentioned items won't hurt either. Most likely, these guidelines will do more to keep your indoor air clean anyway.