FAQ About Air Purifiers

An air purifier is an appliance that removes certain airborne contaminants from the air and improves the indoor air quality. They are most frequently used in homes and offices and are helpful to people who suffer from allergies, asthma, chemical sensitivity and other respiratory related symptoms.

An air purifier will improve the overall indoor air quality and in turn, improve your health. We tend to associate air pollution only with outdoor air; however the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that indoor air pollution levels can be as many as two to five times higher than outdoor pollutant levels. In fact, indoor air pollution is one of the top environmental concerns in the country. Many of the pollutants removed by air purifiers are known to trigger allergies and asthma; therefore an air purifier will offer relief to those suffering and lessen the possibility of a person contracting them if they don’t already suffer from them. Infants and small children are especially susceptible to contracting asthma and allergies since they spend a majority of their time indoors.

An air purifier draws polluted air in from a given space and passes it through several layers of filtering devices. Particles, allergens and contaminants are trapped onto a filter and the purified air is then recycled back into the room.

Modern homes are built and sealed to be energy efficient and hold air inside. While this is great for reducing your energy bills, it doesn’t allow the home to “breathe.” Pollutants such as pollen, mold, dust, pet dander and tobacco smoke then become trapped and recirculated indoors instead of being released outside by natural means

Since there are different types of air purifiers that all vary in their effectiveness based on different problems, you should first determine what problem you are trying to solve. Some air purifiers are better at removing particles, others are better at getting rid of odor and some are better at removing chemicals. Once you’ve determined the problem, determine the best technology and choose the right model for the room size. If you have asthma or morning congestion, you would want to look at purchasing a HEPA air purifier, especially one to keep in the bedroom. If you have a moldy basement, you would require an air purifier that can remove both airborne mold spores, as well as the musky odor. If you have a smoker in the house, you would need an air purifier with activated carbon. If you home has indoor pets, you’ll need an air purifier that can trap and remove pet dander from the air. If you have no specific purpose other than improving overall indoor air quality, then any of our purifiers will work for you.

There are air cleaning systems available that can be installed to clean your entire house; however, they tend to be more expensive than a portable unit. If an installed system is out of your budget, then portable air purifiers in key rooms are the way to go.

If you are buying a HEPA air purifier, don’t forget to check how much the replacement filters will cost. If your unit includes both a HEPA filter and a carbon filter or other combinations, they will most likely need to be replaced separately and may last for different periods of time. Generally, pre-filters need to be changed every 4 to 5 months and HEPA filters every 2 to 4 years. Home environment factors such as indoor pets, tobacco smoke, a fireplace or someone with moderate or severe allergies or asthma can play a big role in how often the filters need to be replaced. Some brands have electronic indicators and others have a manufacturer designated time period that the filters should last.

An air purifier uses several different filtering (purification) technologies to remove airborne pollutants such as dust, smoke, pollen, pet dander, mold & mildew spores, bacteria & viruses, and other airborne particulates as small as 0.3 microns.

The air inside many homes often is many times more polluted than outside air. Here are some little known facts about the air inside many homes: • The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that indoor air pollutant levels may be as many as two to five times higher than the pollutant levels outdoors. • Indoor air pollution is one of the top environmental concerns in the country • Americans spend up to 90 percent of their time indoors which can be alarming considering current indoor air quality concerns. • Indoor air pollutants such as tobacco smoke, pollen, mold, dust and animal dander often are associated with asthmatic and allergic reactions in people.