An air purifier is a device that removes particles from
the air by forcing air through a dense filter to trap small
particles smaller than 0.3 microns in size. Air purifiers are often called air
cleaners as they both refer to the same thing.
The reason air purifiers or air cleaners are used is
to improve the air quality in your home and to reduce allergic
reactions that many allergy and asthma sufferers have to pollen, dust, molds,
pollution and pet dander. There are several air purifiers that remove
odors and second hand smoke as well as harmful gases such as VOCs, Formaldehyde,
Ozone and Ammonia.
The EPA has conducted research with evidence that the
quality of air inside homes are inferior compared to the outside air. This is a
serious problem especially when homes are designed to be air tight to
conserve energy and to improve efficiency. This results in a higher level of stagnant air
that is poor quality and can create additional health issues.
The most common air purifiers from Alen™, Honeywell and
BlueAir, reduce the level of allergens such as dust, pollen, pet dander and mold
spores. There are specialized units from IQAir and Austin Air that remove
hazardous smoke particles and airborne gases. For more information on selecting
and choosing air purifiers, please visit our Air Purifiers site.
What should you look for when purchasing an air purifier?
Customers should investigate several factors such as the air purifier’s particle
removal performance and effectiveness since the better the unit is at removing
most of the harmful particles, the better you will breathe and feel in the
morning. Many customers also have a high preference for the look and feel as it
may be important how the air purifier looks in your bedroom or living room. The
noise level is especially important when you put the air purifier in your
bedroom or in your living room. A noisy unit may interfere with your sleep or
when you watch television. Lastly, the frequency of filter replacements are
important as it is better to replace air filters on a regular basis to avoid
mildew, mold and other contaminants from growing in your air purifier.
At Air Conditioners America, we recommend purchasing only
HEPA air purifiers as it has been proven to reduce allergies and asthma.
Electrostatic air purifiers where you can wash the metal filters are harmful to
humans as a level of ozone is generated from these machines. For more
information on selecting an air purifier, visit our air purifier buying guide.
