Choosing the ideal air purifier can be a challenging task. It is especially confusing for first-time buyers or people who have very little knowledge on what to look for in an ideal one. This article focuses on the features to consider when buying an air purifier, why it is important and how to tell whether you need one in your living or working environment. Here, you will be provided with all the amazing insights on air purifiers. Let’s get started…
How Do Air Purifiers Work?
Air purifiers operate on one general principle that involves trapping potential pollutants from the air. Many air purifiers do this in two ways which are;
Through The Use of Ionic Generators
This is a process that releases charged ions into the air to combat all the floating toxins causing them to fall off from the air. Upon falling onto the floor surface, these particles are then supposed to be cleaned up using a vacuum cleaner.
In some instances, the particles are collected using special collection equipment known as electrostatic plates.
Through The Use of HEPA Filters
This is the most common method employed by many air purifiers. In this method, the HEPA filters are designed to tap and hold the potentially harmful particles so that they are unable to flow back into the air. According to the energy regulation authority, all HEPA filters are able to tap over 99% of the potentially harmful bacteria which in some cases includes viruses and allergens.
The best choice of air purifier is a product that will reduce the growth of mold, pollen, dust and other types of indoor contaminants. To get the best fit, a buyer has to consider a number of important features before buying an air purifier.
13 Important Features to Consider When Buying an Air Purifier
The Size of the Air Purifier
The best air purifier should correspond to the size of the room where you intend to use it. Wondering how to obtain the measurements of your room? You can get the square footage by multiplying the length of the room by its width. The answer will act as a guideline of the best air purifier to match your room size.
Air Change per Hour Rate
Also abbreviated as ACH, this is the number of times that the air purifier can cleanse the air inside a room to capacity. If you are looking for a purifier that will help you deal with conditions like asthma, a purifier that can filter your room’s air at least 4 times within an hour would be an ideal choice.
The Filtration System of the Air Purifier
This is one of the most important features of an air purifier. Many purifiers have a filtering system that has three separate units to eliminate different pollutants. Others combine the three different systems into one. The three systems are a HEPA filter, a carbon filter and a pre-filter. Whether they are designed to work jointly or separately, it is important to ensure that all the all the units are working effectively.
Availability of Remote Control
For user convenience, the availability of remote control is another feature to consider when buying an air purifier. Without this provision, making adjustments on the air purifier will require manual effort and movement from the user. It is advisable to buy a remote controlled air purifier that you can control from across the room.
The Cost and Availability of Filter Replacements
Air purification relies on the use of filters to tap and trap all the harmful particles. As such, these are items that are bound to run out after a certain duration of being put into use. Before buying an air purifier, it is important to figure out the availability of its replacement filters and the cost. Noting that this will be a continuous process, it is important to ensure that you will buy a purifier whose replacements you can afford without straining your budget.
Air Quality Indicators
Many purifiers have a system that indicates the quality of the air in your room. Today’s models have a precise digital display system that captures the real quality of the air that is circulating your room. With such indicators, you are able to tell when the unit has reached its maximum operating capacity if the air is still polluted and so on. Knowing this will help you make a choice and make an informed determination on the best time to turn the purifier on or off.
The Portability of the Air Purifier
The ease of mobility of the air purifier is another feature to consider when buying an air purifier. How easy will it be to move the unit around your home should there be need? Does the unit have handles or wheels?
The General Appearance of the Air Purifier
Air purifiers are in one way or the other going to serve as an accessory to your indoor space. You will most likely want to invest in one that is not only effective but also appealing to the eye. No one wants an ugly air purifier that you have to put away whenever you are entertaining guests or visitors.
The Specificity of the Air Purifier
If you are allergic to odours, you are definitely better off with an air purifier that apart from trapping dirt, dust, pollen and other particles also neutralizes the odors. And because there are custom air purifiers, it is important to shop for the one that meets your exact needs.
Noise Emission
If you intend to use the air purifier in a quiet room like a bedroom or your office, the level of noise will be an important factor to consider. Larger air purifiers tend to be quieter yet effective when running at slow speeds. The other benefit of investing in a larger unit is that it quickly cleanses the air when you feel the need to get the job done much quicker.
Adjustability of the Air Purifier
There are units that have adjustable units that allow you to run the air purifier at your desired speed. Other air purifying units have an automatic pollution sensor that automatically adjusts the speed of the fans to match the need for neutralizing the potential harmful particles that are suspending in the air.
Functionality Indicator
HEPA filters trap and accumulate dirt and dust into the system. After being in use for a long time, they can get clogged and this can affect the functionality of the air purifier. A unit that has a functionality indicator will display a servicing indicator whenever the purifier is clogged or is not working correctly.
Affordability during Purchase
You would be doing an injustice to yourself if you go for an air purifier that is way above your budget when there are many other affordable options that are equally effective at cleaning the air.
In many cases, small size air purifiers are priced lower than the big ones but both sizes are effective and it’s only that the small ones might require longer periods to clean the air in a room completely.
Considering the features of a purifier is important but so is answering a few questions that can help you settle on the ideal one. Here is one of the questions you should ask yourself
Why Do I Need An Air Purifier?
The need to maintain a high indoor air quality is one of the primary reasons for requiring an air purifier. General air quality improvements require high-end HEPA filters. HEPA is the abbreviation for High-Efficiency Particulate Air filters. These type of filters can eliminate up to 99% of the common pollutants like dust, mold and pet dander.
If you need an air purifier to deal with specific needs, then you choose the one that is designed for the specific need in question, for instance, if you suffer irritation caused by an odour, then you should buy a purifier that not only neutralizes the pollutant but also combats any smell that might be coming from it. Here are the benefits of investing in an air purifier which by extension are reasons why air purifiers are important.
Benefits of Air Purifiers
They Reduce Concentration of Pollutants in the Air
Inhaling clean and healthy air is not important, it is essential for healthy living of all human beings. Though it might not seem like it, the air inside a room can be filled with invisible yet potentially harmful pollutants that can cause severe health complications when taken up the respiratory system.
Air purifiers neutralize the concentration of the harmful particles by tapping over 99% of the particles in the air purifiers filters.
They Help Clean and Purify the Air
Air purifiers and especially those that contain true HEPA are highly effective and able to filter up to 99.9% of dirt particles that are very tiny and microscopic in nature. Other cleaning methods like vacuuming are not able to achieve these levels of efficacy as they mostly only get the dust and dirt re-circulating in the air.
Aids in Removal of Odors That One Is Allergic To
Air purifiers are used to remove the smell of odors and fragrances that one is allergic to. For instance, if one is allergic to the smell of cigarettes, he/she can use an air purifier that gets rid of this smell whenever there is a cigar smoker inside the house.
Taps Unwanted Particles from the Air
Many are the times that unwanted dirt particles and other impurities find their way into our homes. For instance, if you have a pet, you will always have to deal with pet dander. Items brought from the shopping malls can bring along some dust into your home too. Dust mites keep on finding new and potential breeding sites. With an air purifier, 99.9% of these particles will always be removed and captured into the HEPA filters.
They Make Breathing Much Easier!
There are times when it becomes impossible to choose what gets into our indoor space and what doesn’t. Some of the things or items that get into our living spaces or bedrooms leave behind unbearable scents and odors that make breathing an upsetting task. It is worse for people who are allergic to some scents because they can barely sleep or breathe properly.
With a HEPA filter in place, the air is cleansed as it circulates your indoor space making sure you enjoy your every breath.
Air Purifiers for Specific Needs
On its own basic design, an air purifier only taps dust and other potentially harmful particles from the air. To deal with specific air purification needs, there are specific air purifiers that are normally designed for the following needs;
Smoke Odor Removal
These are air purifiers that are specifically designed for smoke odor removal. This air purifier also combats other unpleasant fumes that are smoke-related. If smoke upsets your respiratory system, then a smoke air purifier would be an ideal pick for you.
Asthma Air Purifiers
Asthma is a condition that is normally triggered by inhaling odor and other contaminants from the air. An odor and chemical purifier can be helpful for such cases because it helps beat the allergen particles by purifying the odor and filtering the emitted chemicals before they get inhaled into the system.
HEPA Air Cleaning Systems
This is the air right air purifier for you if you suffer from pet allergy. This air purifier is designed to effectively capture pet dander, hair and the unpleasant odors.
Air Purifiers for MCS
MCS stands for multiple chemical sensitivities. This is the air purifier for you if you suffer allergies after inhaling the odor coming from some chemicals or the chemical-based substances. This air purifier filters the chemicals making the air safe and clean for everyone and to the benefit of those who are allergic to the chemicals.
You Need An Air Purifier If…
What is an air purifier good for? The benefits of buying an air purifier discussed above should be convincing enough for you to consider making the item your next investment. Just in case you are not sure whether you need one or not, here are a few indicators that you need an air purifier. You need one if;
You Or One Of Your Households Falls Sick Too Easily
Aside from trapping the airborne toxins that cause sickness, an air purifier sees to it that the other members living under the same roof do not contract the illness especially if it’s airborne.
You or Anyone in Your Home Suffers From Asthma
Because air purifiers trap most of the contaminated particles that cause and aggravate asthmatics, you will have a stabilized breathing pattern and reduced cases of asthmatic seizures caused by air pollutants.
If You Simply Want To Enjoy Clean and Fresh Air
The air purifiers make sure that the harmful particles are captured which leaves you exposed to the minimum or no toxins which is healthy for you and your lungs.
You Live In a Home or Enclosed Space
We all do live in homes spend many hours behind enclosed spaces and apartments. As much as the four or so walls provide shelter to us and our families, they also enclose gases, odours and other harmful particles. Research has indicated that ventilation alone is not enough and that in the real sense; the quality of the indoor air could be much lower compared to that which is in open spaces.
You Are Pregnant or Have a Newborn
Research has indicated that many diseases evolve from early stages and this means that watching one’s exposure to a chemical is very important. Avoid exposing the new baby or the unborn to contamination that may evolve and later affect the health of the baby.
You Are 60 Years And Above
Our bodies’ functionality goes down with age. Your respiratory system cannot withstand harmful gases or emissions as it used to in your youthful years. Just like you are observing what you eat during these years, it is important to watch out the quality of the air you are getting into your system.
You Also Need an Air Purifier If You Feel Healthy and In Good Shape Today
Why? You might be asking. No one gets to really know the level of damage that airborne pollutants are causing to his/her body until it’s too late. As a matter of fact, only a quarter of the chemicals that are in use today have been tested for their effects on human beings. This means that you could be feeling healthy today while in the real sense you have been harboring harmful chemicals into your system.
Got Small Children? If You Answered Yes, Then You Sure Do Need An Air Purifier.
Your child is young and so is his/her body metabolism system. This means that the baby does not have the ability or the capacity to get rid of harmful chemicals and other odors like an adult would do.
In the end, your children become more exposed to the potential dangers of air contamination and pollution. Investing in an air purifier and running it effectively ensures that the young one’s respiratory system is not aggravated by the harsh chemicals and odors that characterize our homes and workspaces.
Moving Into a New House
The new furniture and fittings will definitely leave certain amounts of gas into the air for a few months or so. Relocating with the old items also spills out accumulated dust and dirt. To avoid air pollution from either the old or new furniture, you need an air purifier.
If You Are Planning House Painting or Renovations
They end up making an old home look as good as new, but the house or office renovations leave so many pollutants like paint, glues and varnish exposed to the air. Inhaling this contaminated air can cause dire health effects and thus the need for an air purifier in case you are planning to carry out some renovations.
You Have a Flower Garden or Any Other Tree Plants within Your Property
Kitchen gardens or having trees near your homestead can cause mold spores to find a way into your home. Their inhalation can trigger allergies and asthma and thus the need to run an air purifier if you live in such an environment. Flowers produce pollen which is a common cause for allergies.
You Use a Gas or Wood Stove or Have a Fireplace
Apart from emitting the invisible and dangerous carbon monoxide while burning, all these activities cause irritation to the eyes and to the respiratory system. Because it is hard to control the particles and smoke that might reach the air, it is important to run a HEPA air purifier just to ensure that the dangerous gases that may be released into the air during combustion are neutralized before finding their way into your lungs.
You Use Many of the Modern Products in Your Home
Today, nearly all the products we use in our homes emit toxic gases. From cleaning aides; electronics and furniture. Keeping the windows open can help suspend some of the toxic gases, otherwise, they will remain stuck inside your home for the better part of the day.
But we cannot live without them, or can we? Neither can we leave the house windows open all the time? The only viable option is to get an air purifier that will clean the air inside our homes and other living spaces.
Spending Time in an Enclosed Space? You Sure Need An Air Purifier!
There you have it. I believe you found one or more reasons as to why you should make an air purifier your next investment. For as long as you are exposed to any of the above-mentioned scenarios (we are all affected by one or the other; unless we choose to go live and work outdoors), then we all do need air purifiers in our living and working spaces.
Before buying one, conducting some due diligence will come handy in helping you buy one that is the best fit for your specific needs. Do not allow unhealthy particles to continue finding their way into your metabolic and respiratory systems, get an air purifier; today!