If you are new to air purifiers, you might be asking “what do air purifiers help with?” Don’t worry – in this article, we’ve got you covered by breaking down the facts about these air-cleaning machines.
The main purpose of an air purifier is to get rid of dust floating around, as well as other particles such as pet dander, pollen, and the like, which can cause allergies and asthma. Aside from that, an air purifier is also one of the best products to make the house smell good due to its odor-reducing filters.
Living in an urban landscape isn’t always pretty, especially if you’re often experiencing unclean air, which you might have been desensitized to. To prevent the long-term effects of polluted air, having an air purifier at home lessens the allergens and irritants that you breathe.
How do I maximize my air purifier?
If you feel that your air purifier doesn’t seem to make any difference, you might need to do the following to maximize its usage:
- Keep it on all the time. Take this for an example: just merely running the air conditioner for 30 minutes won’t guarantee a good night’s sleep if it’s in the middle of summer. This is the same concept applied with air purifiers – you have to leave them on all the time for them to fully work. Most air purifiers will take about 1 hour to fully clean indoor air, especially if your room is large.
- Replace filters as needed. A common mistake with people who use air purifiers is that they just set it and forget it, not knowing that an unchanged filter will only result in the dust blowing back into the air. Read the manual or check the filter replacement indicator (if any) of the device and replace the filter as needed.
- Place your air purifier strategically. Placing your air purifier at a higher point or near the sources of air, such as a fan, air conditioner, vent/exhaust, or window, will make it easier to deliver clean air as it goes around your house or room. You can also put your air purifier in a specific area of the room or house where dust and allergens are more likely to settle.
- Use it only for the rated area size. There’s a reason why all air purifiers have a rated size – to let you know which room they can effectively clean. It is better to know your room size first before buying an air purifier.
- Close the doors and windows. By keeping the air inside circulating well without easily going outdoors, the air purifier can do its job more efficiently without loss of power.
What is the most effective air purifier?
An effective air purifier, regardless of brand, must have most of these features that will help clean the air most efficiently:
| True HEPA filter | Nearly all air purifiers in the market have HEPA or true HEPA filters. They are special filters that can clean up to 99.97% of particles as small as 0.3 microns.
H13 true HEPA filters also exist – they are capable of handling much smaller particles, which make them ideal for hospital and nursery settings. |
| Activated Charcoal or Carbon Filter | This filter is usually placed alongside the true HEPA filter and is the key filter for removing bad odors. It can remove VOCs, cooking smells, tobacco, pet odor, and the like. |
| UV Lamp | The UV lamp can disinfect spaces by killing viruses and germs on its way. However, too much UV is also bad for human health and that’s why many air purifiers have an on/off control for this one. |
| Washable Pre-Filter | The washable pre-filter is placed outside of the true HEPA and activated charcoal/carbon filter. This larger device filters out the bigger particles so that the true HEPA filter will only need to take care of the smaller ones. |
| Custom Filters | Some air purifier brands have custom filters for different specific situations, such as:
Allergies |
| Multiple Speeds | An air purifier with different speeds will help you fall asleep much better than a single-speed one with jarring noise levels. |
| Automatic Air Sensor | By having an automatic air quality sensor, you don’t have to frequently set the fan speed depending on the air quality levels. |
Are home air purifiers worth it?
Yes! Air purifiers for the home are worth investing in because they will help with your respiratory help in the long run. It will also freshen your home for your family, friends, and guests, making it a comfortable and healthy place to live in. Not all air purifiers are expensive – as long as they have the necessary filters and features, they will work just fine for your indoor space.
How can I improve the air quality in my home?
If you want to know how to get the dust out of the air or if your house smells when you walk in, here are some sure-fire ways of controlling your air quality at home:
- Use an air purifier. Due to their effective filters, air purifiers will clean the indoor space from dust, debris, pollen, allergens, and even bad smells such as cooking odors and smoke.
- Clean the house more often. If you perform vacuuming and surface wiping, less dust will settle in your household.
- Indoor plants can help. Having more plants indoors will improve the oxygen levels for cleaner air to breathe.
- Launder bed sheets, carpets, and curtains. These often get dust and bad smells stuck on them, so it’s a good idea to launder them regularly.
- Impose a no-shoe policy at home. By having a shoe rack outside, you’re keeping most of the outdoor dust away from your indoor space.
- Keep your pets groomed. If you regularly bathe and trim Fido or Tabby, you’ll have less pet dander and awful smells lurking around your home.
Conclusion
We care about your overall health, that’s why we suggest having an air purifier at home. It will help in lessening the dust and pollution you inhale indoors, resulting in less likelihood of respiratory problems.
Whether you’re often trouble with allergies or you just want to breathe clean air for your family and guests, air purifiers will do the job as long as you maintain it and place it strategically in your indoor space.
