An air purifier is a device that helps to remove harmful particles, allergens and contaminants from the air to improve indoor air quality. At home, most people are unaware they are inhaling harmful substances inside. Over a period of time, these harmful substances can cause fatigue, headaches and other physical and mental health problems as well.
If you think you are well protected from airborne pollutants once you enter the confine of your home, think again. One of the major causes of concern is indoor air pollution, There is everywhere, regardless of how you clean it, even if you thought all your cleaning is done. Pollutants come in all sorts via humans, wind and pets. HEPA air purifiers can remove pet smells, pet dander, allergens, and other harmful substances from the air that can affect your health and family and the odour inside your home.
These air
Different types of air purifiers:
Benefits and use of purifiers
It removes triggers for asthma attacks. The home you are in poses a high risk where most asthma triggers are found. Inside your home, you may find dirt, dust, dry skin cells and perfumes gathering on your carpet, sofa and bed. There is smoke from your cooking from the kitchen, household vacuum cleaners, air fresheners, cosmetics, hairsprays and paint products. Indoor air pollution is much worse than indoor pollution because indoor airs are much dense than outdoor air. So, staying indoors might not be the best solution to ward off pollution.
Air purifiers are d
Triggers for asthma attacks may also be attributed to your work environment where there are cockroaches or mould spores around. Fumes from new carpets can also pose a threat. Breathing in these particulars can cause wheezing or other asthma symptoms.
Do air purifiers help you to sleep better?
An air purifier can purify and can trap up to 99.97 % and as small as 0.3 microns of airborne allergens. These dust, pet dander, spores, dust mites, and bacteria cause nasal congestion at night, and this kept you awake!
Not only that, the cool and comfortable environment helps to cool down your body and sleep better. When you have a good sleep, it restores you emotionally, physically and mentally for a better next day.
Is it OK to leave the air purifier on all night?
My purpose is to purchase an air purifier for my home and office so as to reduce the effects of smoke and allergens. My home purifiers can even reduce eczema. You can actually feel the quality of the air in the room has improved
How long should I let it run?
Most air purifiers in the market are designed to run for long hours. Do not think that operating it for an hour or two will clean up the air in your room. You are unaware that contaminants and pollutants are swirling around us all the time. Pets, air-conditioning, open windows, air-conditioning, heating systems and fellow humans all brought with them contaminants into a room.
How long you can run your air purifier largely depends on the make and model. Your user manual should be able to guide you on how to operate and care for the device. For a safety measure, you could run it for a few hours intervals with breaks in between.
Save on electricity
To save on electricity, consider operating your purifier during the time you are inside your home. Running for many hours not only wears down the filters and the machines themselves. Vacuuming your home more frequently helps reduce the amount of work for your purifiers by tackling the problem at the source.
Ideal for treating asthma
Air purifiers that can remove tiny airborne particles are best suited to treating asthma.
Humidifiers can also reduce asthma triggers in their home.
Room Air Purifiers
There are for cleaning the air in the bedrooms, kitchens, and bathrooms, Some keep it running the whole day long while you may turn it on if only there are occupants in the room. Sizes vary, like a small one for your car’s dashboard and a larger one for the living room. Coway AP-1512HH Mighty White Air Purifier with True HEPA and Smart Shop at Walmart
4 Stage Filtration System (Pre-filter, Deodorization filter, True HEPA filter, Vital Ion) captures and reduces up to 99.97% of particles 0.3 microns in the air, including pollen, pollutants and other allergens. It also reduces volatile organic compounds and reduces odour.
How do I choose an air purifier?
Two categories of room air purifiers:
Air purifiers that use filters
They are designed to suck in the contaminated air, force through a series of filters and release back clean air. Different filters are used to trap and clean the air, by removing differently-sized pollutants.
Do all air purifiers have filters?
Pre-filters filter out the larger pollutants such as fur, dust, hair and pollen and even small insects. Without this first defence, the main filter (HEPA filter) would have to work harder and as a result, they wear out faster. These have to be replaced regularly and it is going to be pricey. However, the pre-filters can last a lifetime if there is proper maintenance. If carbon is added, it needs only be replaced when the carbon stops functioning.
True HEPA (or High-Efficiency Particulate Arrestance) the second layer of defence are capable to remove 99.97% of particulate pollutants of mould, dust mites and pollens which are 0.3 microns in size. LEVOIT LV-H132 Air Purifier with True Hepa Filter, Odor Allergies Eliminator Shop At Walmart
Ultra-Silent Operation: Filters the air with the lowest noise level as quiet as 25dB for a restful and soothing indoor environment, helping you sleep deeply
Unlike the True HEPA filters, the HEPA-type or HEPA-grade filters cannot filter as efficiently as the True HEPA, which are only capable of removing 99% of particles of 1 and 2 microns in size.
The drawback is that the HEPA filter is not capable of removing odours and smoke. GermGuardian Air Purifier with True HEPA Filter and UV-C Sanitizer, 3-in-1 Shop at Walmart
TrueHEPA filter captures 99.97% of dust and allergens as small as .3 microns such as household dust, pet dander, mould spores and plant pollens
Activated carbon filters odour
It is a method of filtering that uses activated carbon. Activated carbon filters have molecular-sized pores and have high absorbency and chemical bonding. They are manufactured at a very heat to make them porous which gives them a larger surface area in order to maximise absorption of volatile chemicals.
These activated carbon filters are highly effective in capturing pollutants like chemical emissions, tobacco smoke, gases and even odours other HEPA filters can’t. They are most effective at removing volatile organic compounds, chlorine, taste and odour from water. However, they are not effective in removing dissolved inorganic substances, minerals and salts. Honeywell True HEPA Air Purifier 50250-S, White Shop At Walmart
Carbon-activated pre-filter helps capture larger particles such as dust, lint and fur and reduces common household odours
Permanent filters
These filters, once they are saturated with pollutants, are washable and they do need to be replaced. They only need to be vacuumed and washed and used again without losing their effectiveness. They will last a lifetime if it is taken properly care of.
2. Air purifiers that do not use filters
These purifiers do need a filter to do the job instead it uses a kind of technology to clean the air, though they do need some filters to help to increase their efficiency though. Without the use of filters, users do not have to worry about the cost and messy filter replacement. These non-filter air purifiers could be as efficient as those filters. They are able to rid of particles as small as .01 microns in size. These particles include dust, allergens, and bacteria and include most pollen.
Air Ionizers
An air ionizer emits negatively charged ions in the air. The pollutants such as bacteria, dust and allergens are positively charged and attracted to these negatively charged ions. This causes a bond to form between them. These pollutants which are bonded together form larger and larger particles. This weight increase causes them to fall to the ground. These particles are heavy and they cannot float in the air and fall on the ground to be swept away later.
There are not airborne again eliminating these particles from breathing again. If your air ionizer model comes with an air ionizer plate, the bonded particles will become trapped on it. Ccdes Air Cleaner, Air Purifier Cleaner Negative Ion Generator Room Anion Shop at Walmart
The negative ion generator increases the anion density in the air, providing clean and fresh air around you.
Is an ionizer good for health?
If you are suffering from hay fever and seasonal allergies ionizers have a great impact on your life. Ionizer purifies the air of dust, cigarette smoke, soot, pollen, moulds and household moulds. Asthma sufferers can have better-quality air after using an ionizer.
The negatively charged ions emitted by the ionizer have remarkable benefits, including increased well-being, decreased blood pressure, decreased respiratory rate, increased resistance to infection and decreased skin temperature among others.
Are ionic air purifiers safe?
Unlike HEPA air purifiers which use a fan to draw air inside the unit and a filter to trap the airborne pollutants before fresh air is pushed back into the room, air ioniser produces negatively charged ions and emits them in the air to clean the air.
Now is this cloud of negatively charged ions safe for humans?
As far as we know, negative ions are already in a natural state occurring in our midst. Natural ionization occurs when air is exposed to natural sources like waterfalls, sunshine and lightning. The ionizer you choose is important, make sure it does not include an ozone generator. If it is included, it lets you control ozone production.
Electrostatic Precipitator / Electrostatic air cleaners
It works like an air ionizer except it used electrical-charged plates to collect air pollutants. These collection plates need a lot of Maintainance for optimum use. It is because of the particles that are trapped that need vigorous washing and scrubbing to clean them. The downsides of using an electrostatic plate are that it also produces nitrogen oxide and a small amount of ozone which are harmful to the environment.
Ozone Generators
These are air purifiers for cleaning the air but themselves create ozone in the atmosphere. Unfortunately, the substances produced by the chemical reaction of ozone with the pollutants in the air cause more harm than the pollutants themselves!
These ultraviolet rays help to eliminate microorganisms such as fungi, bacteria,
take care when used in the closed proximity of people, for they are harmful to human skin and eyes. Professional Grade Ozone Generators Air Purifier 6000mg/h-Blue Shop at Walmart
Ozone Production: 6000mg/h, Air Flow Volume: 100 CFM
Ultraviolet Germicidal Irradiation (UVGI)
The effectiveness of UVGI system depends on the intensity of the UV light deployed, the amount of irradiation, the humidity and the target organism. Unlike other ionizer purifiers, it requires no maintenance except you have to change the UV light bulbs every year and the bulb can be very costly.
Photocatalytic Oxidation (PCO) cleaners cleanse the air by the reaction with a, usually titanium dioxide (TiO2). This oxidizes viruses, mould, bacteria, odours and other volatile organic particles. Oxidation helps to break these pollutants down into harmless water molecules and carbon dioxide. PCO cleaners work best at removing gaseous air pollutants like odours and volatile organic compounds. Maintenance tends to be costly as the light bulbs need to be replaced every year. Whirlpool Whispure Air Purifier WPT80 Large Tower with Special Anti-bacteria Shop at Walmart
Whirlpool air purifier features three fan speeds, sleep mode for quiet operation, energy-saving functions, a count-down timer and a child safety lock
Where to place the air purifier in the bedroom?
With a free-standing air purifier, you can place your appliance in any place in the room. It is best to place it in the room where you would spend most of the time or where the room is prone to contaminations and airborne pollutants.
Babies and infant
Babies and young children have a greater risk of respiratory conditions or allergic attacks from harmful contaminants since they are young and their immune system is weak. Keep running your purifiers because babies could sleep up to 18 hours a day.
If you decided to place an air purifier in your bedroom, the purifier should be placed between 6 to 10 feet and the head of your bed, the direction of the air should be towards you. Levoit LV-PUR131 True Hepa Air Purifier Shop at Walmart
Levoit’s True HEPA filtration produces clean, fresh air for your home and takes care of 99.97% of dust, allergens, and bacteria–filtering out particles as small as 0.3 microns. As it addresses air pollution of pm 2.5 (pollution rate) in an area up to 300 sq ft, you can sit back to breathe easier and live better. Levoit LV-PUR131 True Hepa Air Purifier
Right spot
If you keep it too near to you, you might feel the draft and if you are further than 10 feet away, you are not benefiting from it. Next, you should choose the right spot in the room. The ideal place is where there is no tall furniture blocking it, preferably in the centre of the room. But you will be quick to note that you might trip over it if you place it in the middle of the room.
Whole-house purifier
If you cannot decide which room to place your purifier in and may consider purifying the whole house, then you might consider installing a whole-house air purifier. These will connect to all your existing ducts in your house if any. This whole-house purifier requires professional installation. Oransi Max HEPA Large Room Air Purifier for Asthma, Mold, Dust Shop at Walmart
For every 10dB of sound, the noise level doubles so the Max at 34dB to 53dB of sound is much quieter than competitor HEPA units at 60 dB-70 dB with competitive. The Max produces a little white noise to help you sleep comfortably.
Do you need an air purifier? Do air purifiers really work and make a difference?
- Room air is dirty – The air in a room is 5 times as dirty as outdoor air, so it makes sense to have an air purifier in your room
- Indoor air – Winter and summer months keep you indoors, and you know how contaminated it is indoor
- No allergies? – Unless you are suffering from allergies, you probably don’t need one
- Operating cost – An air purifier can be costly to operate round-the-clock
- Limitation – Some purifier has their limitation and they can’t fully remove dust and pet dander from the carpet. Only that you need a good vacuum to do the job.
- White noise – Some can’t stand the noise when the purifier is working at high speed and might disturb your sleep, but on the other hand, others may find the “white noise” the best inducer to a night of blissful sleep.
- Purifier Hack – To help your purifier work efficiently, vacuum often if you have pets, keep your windows closed to keep off pollen; keep pesticides, glues, solvents and chemicals away from the rooms
- Closed Enclosure – Ensure all doors and windows are closed in the enclosed space you want to clean.
- Don’t let in more dirt – Your purifier can only filter so much in a period of time, so do not let more pollutants come in while you operate your purifier.
- Takes time – An air purifier works but you need is a bit of patience, it takes a few hours for you to feel the difference.
- No substitute for medicine – An air purifier cannot substitute as an inhaler or medication for related illnesses but it does give some comfort and quality air to breathe.
Is the air in your house much cleaner now after you have purchased your new air purifier?
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