Are you concerned about what's in your air? Do you worry about the particles and chemicals your children breathe? We do, too, and our solution to the problem of poor indoor air quality has been to use air purifiers from Austin Air to clean the air in our house.

We've had an Austin Air HealthMate Plus air purifier running continuously in our house for the past seven years (and a second one that's been running for five). We like the Austin Air filters because of their simple, no-nonsense construction. The HEPA filters are designed to last five years before needing to be replaced, and in our experience they really do hold up. They do a great job of clearing particles and allergens out of the air, and provide significant odor control. Their ability to absorb toxic gasses around the house give us a lot of peace of mind.

Austin Air air purifiers come in two sizes and three basic filter configurations.

The smaller size is perfect for cleaning a single room and its compact size (11" x 11" by 16.5" high) can be helpful in tight quarters. It's rated for spaces up to 700 square feet (that's approximately 26' x 26', which isn't exactly a small room...). If it's in a smaller space, of course, it will be able to change the air more times per hour, which is better for you. Prices start at $299.99.

The larger size provides increased air cleaning power. The unit is 14.5" by 14.5" and stands 23" tall. It's rated for spaces up to 1500 square feet. (But we should note that in our experience its effectiveness outside the room it's in depends a lot on the airflow in your house. If the air in your living room never circulates to your bedroom, it's obviously not going to get cleaned by a air purifier in the bedroom.)

Austin Air purifiers come in three filter configurations.

The basic filter is a true medical HEPA filter combined with 15lbs of carbon and zeolite for removal of gasses and chemicals, including formaldehyde and ammonia. This is a good filter for removing mold, dust mite and hay fever allergens.

The HEGA/AllergyMachine filter consists of military grade carbon cloth and the same true medical HEPA as the basic filter. It's light-weight (makes for easier handling of the air purifier unit and for easier filter changes) and according to the manufacturer can be more effective at removing smoke and odor sources.

The "SuperBlend" filter contains the same combination of carbon and zeolite as the basic filter, but the carbon is impregnated with potassium iodide. This makes it even more effective at removing formaldehyde and other chemicals.

We strongly recommend the SuperBlend filter. (This is what we have in our units.) Formaldehyde is everywhere in our modern world (it offgasses from carpets, cardboard, plywood, wrinkle-resistant clothing, non-organic bedding, inexpensive particle-board furniture, and so on). This filter is also a great way to help protect your family from other toxic chemicals that sometimes get used around the home.

We sell replacement filters, too. Call us for a quote.

Shown in white, sandstone, silver & black.