Air purifiers make excellent additions to any home. Among many other benefits, they relieve allergy symptoms, reduce mold spores, and decrease the chances of becoming ill from airborne contaminants. Still, before you purchase one, knowing how bad the air in your home truly is can be helpful. There are a few signs to look for and tests to run so that you can know for sure. In this article, we’ll look at how to know if you need an air purifier in your home.
You Can See Mold
If you see mold in your home, there’s a good chance mold spores are floating around. The mold itself doesn’t contaminate the air. However, the invisible spores, which flow through your home’s air, are contaminants that can lead to negative reactions such as the following:
- Itchy throat
- Wheezing
- Cough
- Sneezing
- Watery eyes
- Headaches
- Skin irritation
Use an At-Home Test
You can purchase a test that allows you to test for mold spores in your home at a home improvement store. Some are basic and disposable, while others are more advanced and continually analyze air quality. For instance, a QP PM2.5 air quality monitor is highly accurate at reading temperature, air quality, and humidity.
When you’re using a home test, there’s no need to go digging for issues. The test will let you know how the air quality is.
Your House Is Dusty
Every home collects dust. Avoiding it is impossible. Still, if you find that your home looks just as dusty the day after you cleaned it, an air purifier may be your answer. It can’t completely remove dust, but a good purifier removes dust mites, which can lead to health problems.
Unusual Smells
If your home constantly has unusual odors, this is one of the signs that your home may need an air purifier. Unrecognizable odors often stem from disinfectants or other items with high VOC levels, which are unhealthy. Air purifiers remove those unwanted odors and VOCs, so if you often use products containing them, you should consider getting an air purifier.