Essential Things You Need to Know Before Purchasing an Air Purifier

Updated on February 15, 2020
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By Joe Smalls

In a report released by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, it was revealed that on average, people spend around 90% of their time staying indoors. In a different report issued by the same agency, they also further revealed that the concentration of the pollutants indoors is two to five times higher than the outdoors. 

Since you spend a considerable chunk of your time indoors, you need to improve the quality of the air you breathe with the use of air purifiers for allergies. If you or a family member has asthma and other respiratory conditions, all the more you have an urgent reason to invest in these medical-grade air purifiers. 

The best air purifier to combat allergies 

As you already know, air purifiers are handy devices that are usable for both indoor and outdoor spaces to limit unwanted air particles. Currently, there are many types of air purifiers in the market. 

According to a medical professor from the University of Illinois-Chicago, Dr. Alana Biggers, air filters are most useful for people suffering from allergies because these filters remove a considerable portion of these aggravating air particles in any room. Though these filters do not remove all these particles, they are still helpful in filtering the pollutants in the air and those that settle into the furnishings, floors, and walls. 

If you plan to buy an air purifier to alleviate your allergy symptoms, know that these devices vary. So, you have to consider what kind of allergens or air pollutants you would like to filter and the room size where you will be putting your device. 

What do you want to filter?

Aside from the various types of air purifiers, these purifiers also remove air particles at different degrees. Ion filters, UV air filters, and HEPA filters are exemplary in eliminating mould, pollen, dander, and dust. However, they are not ideal for removing odour. 

On the other hand, carbon-based filters are ideal for filtering odours and particles, but they are not so good at removing mould, pollen, dander, and dust. Here are the different air filters and what they do best. 

  • High-efficiency particulate air or HEPA – Can remove particles from the air and are considered as air purifiers for allergies. 
  • Activated carbon – Ideal for filtering gases from any room. 
  • Ioniser – Utilises a carbon brush or a high-voltage wire to remove air particles. The negative ions in this purifier interact with the particles in the air to attract them to the filter or other things in the room. 
  • Electrostatic precipitation – Just like ionisers, they use wires to charge the particles and attract them to the filter. 
  • Ultraviolet Germicidal Irradiation or UVGI – The UV light is responsible for inactivating the microbes. 
  • Photoelectrochemical oxidation or PECO – The mechanism of this relatively new technology allows it to remove minuscule air particles. The corresponding photoelectrochemical reaction it generates destroys and removes all air pollutants. 

What is the size of your room that you need to filter?

As previously mentioned, aside from the type of pollutants you want to get rid of, the room size will also determine your air purifier selection. Check the label of the air purifier you intend to buy and see how many square feet it can handle. 

To know how many square feet and particles, a filter device can reach, look out for its clean air delivery rate (CADR). The HEPA filters, for example, can clean minuscule particles like smoke from tobacco. Aside from that, it can also filter large and medium particles like pollen and dust and have a higher CADR. 

The bits and pieces of information you read here are enough to guide you well on your first air purifier purchase. In case of doubt, you can always refer to the product guide that comes along with every air purifier. Good luck, and here’s to breathing cleaner and safer indoor air!

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