As the colder months approach, so do the challenges of maintaining a healthy indoor environment. Coughs, sneezes, and more time spent indoors means increased exposure to seasonal illnesses like colds and flu. Without the right ventilation and indoor air quality practices in place, those unwanted viruses get trapped in your home and linger, ultimately spreading to family members and guests throughout the season.
To protect your family from the effects of seasonal illnesses, an air purifier is an excellent addition to your home ventilation practices. Here’s how you can choose the right one for your home and keep viruses and other indoor air quality threats at bay all season long.
How and why indoor air pollution increases during colder months
Winter has long held a reputation as “cold and flu season,” and there are several contributing factors. As people spend more time in closer quarters, usually with doors and windows shut to keep out the cold, common viruses become easier to pass from person to person. Additionally, Johns Hopkins Medicine says cold, dry air can weaken people’s resistance to those viruses.
From an indoor air quality (IAQ) perspective, keeping your distance from a sick family member may not be enough to prevent the spread of viruses indoors. Airborne viruses can stay aloft for as long as 16 hours, traveling throughout the home on air currents reaching family members in any room. The same is true for pet dander, mold spores, fireplace spoke, and cooking odors, all of which can cause or exacerbate respiratory irritation.
Air purifiers: Improving ventilation without opening the windows
In any weather, the solution to better indoor air quality lies in better ventilation and bringing fresh air into the home. But how do you accomplish this when you can’t leave your windows open in the winter? When fresh air exchange is limited, cleaning the air you breathe is the next best option, and air purifiers are key here.
Using a series of filtration technologies, air purifiers work by pulling in household air, filtering and removing contaminants like viruses, bacteria, dust, and pet dander, and releasing cleaner air back into the home. Some purifiers can target specific pollutants like volatile organic compounds (VOCs) or odors, providing relief from a variety of indoor air quality concerns.
What type of air purifier should I use?
To maximize the benefits of using an air purifier, there are a variety of factors to consider, including the size of the space you need to treat, any concerns that may require special technologies, maintenance requirements, and how you’d like your air purifier to integrate into your home.
Room size: Having an appropriately sized air purifier for your space is essential. Larger, more powerful units will be required to clean a whole home, whereas a smaller unit will suffice for a single bedroom or smaller home. Some homeowners prefer placing multiple smaller units throughout the home, while others like a single large unit to provide air exchanges for the whole house. Look for square footage recommendations in the product description to choose the right model for your needs.
Additionally, every air purifier will have a clean air delivery rate (CADR) listed in its product description. This measurement of an air purifier’s effectiveness is based on standards established by the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers, which recommends looking for CADR that’s at least two-thirds of the room’s area. For instance, a 10-by-12-foot room (120 square feet) should have a CADR of at least 80. Separate scores are issued for pollen, dust, and smoke.
Filtration options & maintenance: Air purifiers can use different combinations of filtration to help you achieve better indoor air quality, including:
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Pre-filters. These are often fabric coverings over the air intake fans, or may be sponge-like filters inside the unit. Pre-filters trap larger particles like pet hair before they enter the device, leaving the internal filters free to handle smaller particles like pollen, smoke, and viruses.
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HEPA filters. High-Efficiency Particulate Air filters are designed to capture more than 99.5% of particles as small as 0.3 microns, including dust, pollen, pet dander, mold spores, and some bacteria. These are ideal for people with allergies or other respiratory conditions.
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Activated carbon filters. Made with charcoal treated with oxygen, activated carbon captures and neutralizes VOCs, smoke, odors, and chemical pollutants in the air. Consider these if your home has strong pet, cooking, or smoking odors.
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UV-C light, ionizing, and ozone filters. These non-mechanical filters take different approaches to improving IAQ. Light purifiers neutralize bacteria, viruses, and mold by using ultraviolet light to kill microorganisms. Ionizers release negative ions into the air, where they bond with particles that are captured and filtered out.
Refer to your air purifier’s manufacturer instructions to determine the types of filters your device can use, and for guidance on how often to change filters. While some filters may give a timeline for replacement, remember that cold and flu season may require more frequent filter changes to keep IAQ at its best.
Standalone or installed: Standalone air purifiers are readily available and can be placed in any room of your home. If you’re interested in a less obtrusive appliance, consider an installed air purifier, such as Panasonic’s Whisper Air Repair, which mounts to your ceiling without the need for ductwork. This product uses patented nanoeX technology to neutralize indoor air contaminants without needing to change filters.Where to place your air purifier
Once you’ve selected an air purifier that meets your IAQ goals, finding the right spot in your home will help ensure it works effectively. For optimal performance, keep your air purifier away from walls or furniture that could block airflow, and place it in the room where you and your family spend the most time, such as the living room, bedroom, or home office. These are often the spaces where the most indoor air contaminants accumulate, such as cold viruses, dust, and pet dander.
3 more tips for cleaner indoor air during colder months
Air purifiers are powerful tools for improving your indoor air quality, but they work best as part of a series of healthy IAQ habits, including:
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Opening windows when possible (even just a crack!) to let fresh outdoor air inside. Indoor air can be up to five times more polluted than outdoor air, and even a short period of fresh air can make a big difference.
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Monitoring humidity levels to battle dry winter air. Not only does humidity help our eyes, skin, and sinuses from drying out (all of which can contribute to cold and flu symptoms), having the right level of humidity in your indoor air can help prevent the spread of viruses. As particles pick up moisture, they become heavier and won’t be able to stay airborne as long. As particles fall to the surface, they’re easier to wipe away with cleaning solutions.
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Regular cleaning routines that include wiping down those surfaces, dusting regularly, vacuuming, and decluttering to reduce the accumulation of particles throughout your home.
By following these tips and using your air purifier consistently, you can create a healthier indoor environment and breathe easier during the cold season.
Ready to add an air purifier to help keep your home and family healthier this winter? Make sure your home has all the benefits of good indoor air quality any time of year, check out Panasonic ventilation and air purifier products and get all your IAQ questions answered, too.
