A mousetrap is a very simple but effective device used to catch mice, but it certainly does not hunt them down. A mousetrap is passive, it sits and waits, and then, when and if a mouse shows up, it does the job it was designed to do.
An air filter also has a job it was designed to do. Much like a mousetrap, the air filter sits and waits, not for mice, but for particles and other contaminants floating through the air in your home. If and when those particles reach the air filter, it will do an efficient job of capturing them. An air filter is passive as well.
But what about the particles in the rest of your home that never make it to the furnace filter? These particles float freely throughout your home. These are the particles that aggravate your allergies, cause your asthma to flare up, or give you headaches and scratchy, red eyes.
While air filters are a necessary component of good indoor air quality, they are limited in the amount of air they can actually clean. Air filters advertised as "whole house air filters" are nothing of the sort; they can only clean the air that passes through them.
Air purifiers, on the other hand, are active systems. Air purifiers are more like a cat. Just as a cat can hunt down a mouse just about anywhere in the home, a quality air purifier can literally clean every cubic inch of air inside your home.
The best whole-house air purifiers incorporate several types of technology that allow them to remove particles from the air, eliminate odors and gases, and destroy microbes such as bacteria, virus, and mold throughout the entire home, in the air and on surfaces.
There are a wide variety of whole-house purifiers on the market, including portable systems that sit on a shelf or bookcase, and duct-mounted systems specifically designed to insert directly into your HVAC system. For smaller spaces, there are even "plug-in" models available to actively purify the air in one room, perhaps a bathroom or utility room.
A high quality whole-house air purifier is a must for those who suffer from allergies, asthma, COPD, or any other respiratory ailment. A filter on your furnace is necessary, but nowhere near enough. Having clean air to breathe is an essential part of overall health and wellness, and if you don't have an air purifier, you are the air purifier.
Along with filtration, ventilation, and source removal, using a whole-house air purifier is one of the most proactive and effective steps you can take to remove the particles, microbes, and gases from your breathing space. When you incorporate air purification into your indoor air quality plans, your lungs and your sinuses will thank you!
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