Air Purifier Buying Guide
Are you, perhaps, wondering about the best Air Purifier to buy? Then worry no more. This air purifier buying guide is for you.
With an array of air cleaners out there in the market, getting the ideal air purifier for your home can be a daunting task. Technically, these machines are complicated, and every cleaner uses a different cleaning method.
I encountered the same issue, too, while selecting the best air cleaner for my house. So to be on the know-how, I did some research, and today I will show you what to look for when buying an air purifier.
Definition Of An Air Purifier
Simply put, an air purifier is an appliance designed to cleanse the air in a specific place. A purifier eliminates impurities listed below:
- pet dander and hair
- pollen
- plant spores and fungi
- toxins from pesticides and aerosol
- household odours from pets, cooking, and chemical cleaners
- volatile organic compounds (VOCs) found in varnishes, paints, new carpet, supplies, and building materials.
- mold spores
- wood and tobacco smoke, including its smell.
- bacteria and viruses
- dust and mites.
As you will learn in this air purifier buying guide, all these contaminants are harmful to your health. Some of these microscopic particles cause health problems such as asthma, nasal irritation, allergies, and respiratory illness.
Thus air purifiers neutralize some of these problems resulting from air pollution and indoor activities. The air purifier has a unique filtering process that isolates and eliminates harmful microscopic particles in the air. As a result, you will not inhale the harmful microscopic particles.
To better understand more, what is an air purifier? Let’s look at how it functions.
How Air Purifiers Function
Air purifiers basically consist of a filtering process and a fan to suck in and circulate air. As the air passes through the filtering process, particles and pollutants are trapped, and the cleaned air circulates back to the room. The filtering process consists of filters made of either paper, fiber, or mesh.
The filters need regular replacement and maintenance to continue functioning effectively. The low-efficiency type of air cleaner has a reusable and washable filter suitable for trapping larger particles like dust, mites, and pollen. On the other hand, maintaining high efficient air purifiers entails replacing filters regularly.
Therefore, as you purchase an air filter, please note that you will also incur maintenance and operational costs.
Do Air Purifiers Actually Work?
Most air filters are designed to trap particles but are unfortunately not effective against volatile organic compounds (VOC). Therefore you will need carbon-activated filters to clean allergens and gaseous pollutants such as radon or VOCs.
So do air purifiers really work? Yes, they are effective and help to remove fine airborne particles from the air. It improves the air you inhale and thus, to a greater extent, helps to alleviate asthma, allergies, and respiratory illness.
What Is The Importance Of An Air Cleaner?
You have learned how to use air purifier; this air purifier buying guide will also show you how to settle on the ideal air cleaner? The best way is to determine the kind of challenges you are experiencing at your place, which may include:
- Seasonal allergies
- Getting rid of asthma triggers
- Dander and odour from pets
- Eliminating tobacco smoke and its smell
- Eliminating disease-causing organisms
- Eliminating paint fumes and dust
Answers to the above challenges should guide you on how to select an air purifier for your home. Let’s look at the above reasons in greater detail to help you understand air purifier uses.
a. Seasonal Allergies
Globally, many people suffer from respiratory and nasal allergies. The allergies damage the immune system and cause a host of unpleasant symptoms such as painful headaches, watery eyes, sneezing, and much more.
b. Eliminate Mold
Molds are dangerous to human health, and studies have linked them to some chronic diseases. The best way to solve this problem entails investing in specialized air purifiers specifically designed to tackle molds and bacteria.
c. Lowering Asthma Triggers
Close to 400 million people globally have asthma, mainly caused by polluted air. An effective way to reduce respiratory issues due to asthma involves cleaning indoor air.
d. Reducing Specks Of Dust
It is not possible to completely eliminate dust in our homes. Besides, dust attracts dust mites – another allergy agent among many people. Air purifiers provide an effective way to eliminate dust and dust mites before they accumulate or cause an allergic reaction.
e. Removing Smoke And Its Odour
Globally, many people smoke tobacco products such as cigars and cigarettes but do not like smoke lingering in the room. Besides, non-smokers don’t like the smoke, even though they may live or work with a smoker. Thus an air purifier comes in handy, removing smoke and odour from the room, providing fresh and clean air irrespective of how often it is smoked in.
f. To Remove Pet Danders And Hair Build-Up In The House
Animal danders account for a large proportion of nasal allergic reactions at homes. And daily medication for allergies can be quite expensive and a hassle. Furthermore, indoor pets contribute to animal hair build-up.
Luckily, air purifiers do an excellent job trapping and removing danders and animal hairs from the air. After identifying the main reason you need an air sanitizer, it becomes easier to select the appropriate filter type. Let’s look at the different types of filters available in the market.
The Different Types Of Air Cleaners
If you search on the internet, you will come across different brands, styles, and types of air purifiers. But the reality is that there are basically four types of filtration technology applicable in air cleaning.
1. HEPA (High-Efficiency Particulate Air Filtration)
HEPA consists of highly dense paper filters for trapping pollutants and is widely used to manufacture high-quality air cleaners. Different types of filters use the HEPA acronym but to be sure of high-quality air purifiers, choose those with True HEPA Filter Certification.
A genuine HEPA filter guarantees to eliminate 99.97% of all microscopic pollutants from o.3 microns. Other filters labelled HEPA-type, or HEPA-like are inefficient and only capture particles from 2-5 microns – a whopping 600% efficiency drop.
True HEPA filter effectively removes fungi, mould spores, pollen, smoke, dander, and pet hair. On the flip side, it is costly, requires regular filter replacement, and ineffective against odour and fumes.
2. Carbon activated Filters
Carbon filters consist of a unique activated carbon with millions of tiny absorbent pores. The pores create a larger surface area, increasing its efficiency in removing fumes, odours, and smell from paints, smoke, cooking, and pets.
It is cheap to maintain and keeps a room smelling fresh but is not effective against particles.
3. Ironic Filters
Ironic filters also ionizers emit positively charged ions, which get attached to the airborne pollutants. The attached pollutants fall onto nearby surfaces and floors. The advanced ionizers have an electrostatic collection plate to attract the fallen pollutants and remove them from the room. It is suitable for removing tiny particles down to 0.01 microns.
4. UV Light Filters
Contrary to the other types of filters that use physical barriers, UV light air filters emit invisible light that destroys pollutants. The UV light is released within the air cleaner and not into the room. While effectively destroying bacteria and viruses, there is no need to worry because this type of light is safe for humans.
You will like UV light air purifiers type because they effectively destroy germs, bacteria, and viruses. Moreover, it is long-lasting with low maintenance. However, it cannot be used on its own because it does not work against other common pollutants. It mostly comes as an addition to the Ironic or HEPA air cleaners.
Apart from the above air cleaners, air purifiers are available in two versions – Classic and Smart enabled air purifiers.
Classic vs Smart Enabled Air Purifiers
Classic air purifiers are the traditional models. In most cases, they don’t have air quality sensors and digital controls; and do not provide any feedback on the kind of impurities they are removing. You are not even sure how well it works. You only rely on manufacturers’ claims and proof by checking the dirt in the filters.
In sharp contrast, smart-enabled air purifiers incorporate information technology in their operation. It has an app for controlling and monitoring air quality. What more, some smart air purifiers are voice-controlled through Apple home kit, Amazon Alexa, and Google Home.
Important Ratings To Consider
This air purifier buying guide will not be complete without looking at the critical ratings in air purifiers. The ratings below are crucial for comparing and ultimately purchasing an air purifier that will meet your needs.
- ACH – Air Changes per Hour. This rating – indicated as 4x, 5x, 6x, etc.- shows the number of times or cycles a cleaner can replace the air in a room with fresh and clean air every hour. For instance, a 6x rating means that the air within a space is purified 6 times per hour. For efficiency, choose higher ratings.
- CADR – Clean Air Delivery Rate. CADR measured in cubic feet per minute shows the volume of purified air that an air cleaner can produce on its maximum speed setting. A higher CADR indicates a higher speed and efficiency of a purifier. CADR also shows the room size a purifying machine can handle. It measures Dust, Tobacco smoke, and Pollen pollutants that a device can recycle in a room.
- Energy Star ratings – the Energy star logo affixed onto a machine signifies that it is highly energy efficient. According to recent studies, Energy-star certified air sanitizers save up to 40% more power than the standard models.
- AHAM Verified seal, which indicates that the Association of Home Appliances has tested the air purifier. Therefore you can trust the cleaner as it meets the international standards and works suggested by the manufacturer.
Special Features To Consider In An Air Purifier
This section of the air purifier buying guide looks at the air purifier features to consider when looking for an air cleaner. Here is a list of the standard features to put under consideration:
- Digital Control: digital controls enable the precise setting and air quality control.
- Prefilters: Are reusable and washable; and help capture larger particles, thus extending the lifespan of the interior filters.
- Filter Replacement Indicators: consist of LED lights that alerts you when filters get clogged and need replacement.
- Adjustable fan Speed: Air purifier devices have fan speed settings from low to high, and the advanced types have turbo speed.
- Casters: this consists of wheels for easy mobility and portability of an air cleaner between different rooms.
- Programmable Timers: This timer helps switch off air purifiers after a specified duration, thus saving power.
- Carrying Handles: carrying handles are for easy movement of the cleaning device between different places.
- Air Quality Sensors: They monitor air quality and detect pollutants in the air. It also automatically adjusts air cleaner settings in response to contaminants detected for effective removal.
- Antimicrobial Treatment – it is a special coating applied to internal filters. This treatment prevents microorganism build-up on the filters. It also contains the reintroduction of the organisms back into the air.
- Mobile App: This technology allows you to control and operate your air purifying device from a smartphone or tablet from wherever you are. The app also collects air quality data in real-time. Hence you can quickly know how clean or polluted the air is in your room.
- Remote Control: This feature enables you to control your cleaning devices from a distance as you continue with other activities.
- Nightlight: this light is handy at night or in darkrooms.
- Plasma Wave Technology: This is an air cleaning process that uses water vapor to trap and eliminate impurities in the air. It is a safer alternative to ionizers as it does not emit harmful ions or ozone gas.
- Photocatalytic Oxidation (PCO): is an advanced air purifying process that utilizes UV lights to destroy chemicals, volatile organic compounds, and microorganisms.
- Photo Electrochemical Oxidation (PECO): is an advanced version of PCO that uses a unique technology to destroy pollutants at the molecular level.
Bottom Line
I hope you enjoyed reading this air purifier buying guide and gained some knowledge to help you choose an ideal air purifier for your place. It is crucial to find the best air sanitizer that meets your specific needs.
Must Read: The 7 best Air Purifier and Humidifier in 2021
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Air Purifiers
To wrap up this air purifier buying guide, let’s look at the most common questions asked about air purifiers.
1. Are air purifiers noisy?
The noise of an air cleaner measured in decibels depends on a combination of factors. These factors include fan speed, your noise tolerance, and the model of air purifier. Initially, when powered on, most air sanitizers are noisy as they start cleaning the air. As pollutants are removed from the air, the fan slows down and becomes silent.
2. Is there an air purifier that cleans all types of pollutants?
At the moment, there is no single air cleaner that can eliminate all types of pollutants. Some effectively eliminate particles; others target smoke, fumes, and odours, while others work effectively against bacteria, germs, and viruses.
However, True HEPA air filters perform better overall than others in targeting a wide variety of pollutants. It is worth noting that some companies incorporate UV filters with HEPA air purifiers or Ionizers for improved performance.
3. How long should an air purifier operate?
For optimal results, an air purifier should operate 24/7. However, due to electricity costs and noise, you may switch your machine appropriately.
4. Is it expensive to maintain an air purifier?
Obviously, you will incur costs such as electricity bills and replacements of filters. Some models are more energy-efficient than others. The energy-efficient machines have energy star certification on its body. Some filters have reusable and washable filters, while others need changing after 6 -12 months.
5. Do air filters treat allergies, asthma, and other respiratory diseases?
No, air filters do not cure diseases. However, they improve the quality of the air, thus removing pollutants that cause diseases. Therefore air filters help to prevent airborne diseases.
6. Which is the best air purifier for removing odour?
Activated carbon filters are the best in removing odours in a room. They actively trap and eliminate odours in the air from garbage, food, pets, and smoke.
7. How do air purifiers work?
Air purifiers have filters and a fan. The fan sucks air into the filtration process and circulates it into your room. The filter traps and eliminates pollutants in the air leaving your room with clean and fresh air.
8. What is the effect of opening or closing windows and doors when the air purifier is operating?
Opening or closing the windows and doors do not affect the functioning of the air cleaner. However, closing windows and doors ensures the indoor air is purified maximally since no other pollutants enter your room.
9. What are the different types of filters?
There are basically four types of filters: Ironic filters, UV Light filters, carbon filters, and HEPA filters.
10. What are HEPA filters?
HEPA is an acronym for High-Efficiency Particulate Air. It is a high-quality air cleaner capable of eliminating 99.97% of all microscopic pollutants ranging from 0.3 microns in size. It is effective against particles but cannot eliminate fumes and odours.
11. How often should I replace filters?
The frequency for replacing air filters depends on three factors: type of filter, usage, and overall air quality in the room. Some filters are reusable and washable, while others are replaceable. Irrespective of the filter type, always inspect the filters every two weeks and wash or replace them as needed.
