Everyone
wants fresh and clean air in their home to breathe healthy and maintain hygiene
and therefore air purifiers have become absolutely necessary for
indoor spaces with increasing pollutants such as dust, CO, volatile matters and
allergens present in the atmosphere.
Air
purifiers provide clean air by removing harmful
pollutants, dust, and odors from your home so you can breathe comfortably.
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| Best air purifier for home |
How to find best air purifier for home – types and how they work
It
is not necessary that the outdoor air is only polluted, the indoor air can also
be polluted by emissions from household products such as deodorants,
evaporation of plastic items, synthetic fibers, dust, cleaning chemicals fumes,
inkjet printers, etc. An air purifier is also recommended for
people allergic to dust, asthma, or any other respiratory illness. Air
purifiers control air quality by filtering airborne dust, fibers, killing
germs and removing other contaminants invisible to the naked eye. Some air
purifiers also absorb any type of unpleasant odor from paints and
varnishes.
How the air purifier works
There
are different types of air purifiers and they purify the air
using different mechanisms including mechanical, ionic, electrostatic or hybrid
filtration. The air purifier draws in air from the intake, passes
through various filters, disinfects the air, and then returns it to the room.
It can purify pollutants, dust, kill germs, and even absorb odors to purify the
air inside your home.
Types of home air purifier
There
are five main types of air purifiers, each with its own
advantages and disadvantages. If you are looking to buy the best air
purifier for your home, here is the guide to choosing the right one.
Ionic
Purifiers / Air Ionizers - Don't buy for your home
Ionic
purifiers can work on the principle of ionizing or electrostatic precipitators.
The ionic purifier purifies the air by emitting negatively charged ions that
attract positively charged pollutants, including dust and other infectious
substances, causing them to escape from the air and adhere to surfaces such as
ceilings, walls, and furniture.
This
type of ionizing purifier can be used in the clinic or hospital to stop the
spread of mold and infectious bacteria in sterile environments, but it is not
suitable for the home because it does not remove contaminants. The ionization
technique used in such an air purifier can remove pollutants from the air, but
in the end, they just stick to nearby surfaces. Therefore, this does not solve
the problem. Also, when you inhale, these heavy deposited particles can inhale
into your airways and lungs, which can cause breathing problems.
Additionally,
the ionizing air purifier produces ozone and even at low levels, indoor ozone
can irritate the airways, trigger asthma attacks, and damage the olfactory
organs.
So,
don't buy an ionizer air purifier. They do not remove particles from the air
and the ozone they produce can have harmful side effects, although the purifier
claims that they only charge the particles "a little".
There
is a second option, an electrostatic precipitator type air purifier. It also
works the same way, but instead of depositing particles outside, the particles
are deposited on positively charged plates inside the purifier that can be
easily cleaned instead of cleaning the entire room. You may prefer it for your
home, but don't buy an ionizing air purifier.
HEPA purifiers best for your home
It
is the most economical purifier for your home compared to other types of air
purifier.
The
High Efficiency Air Purifier (HEPA) works with a physical filtration technique
to filter out microscopic particles. It is the most efficient air
purifier which can filter about 99.97% of particles 0.3 µm in diameter.
It
has a dense filter with a random arrangement of fibers capable of capturing
airborne particles. The filtration technique is similar to masks used by people
working in industries or mines to prevent toxic dust from entering their lungs.
It is equipped with a fan that sucks the polluted air into the device, then
passes through a filter, usually made of fiberglass, where airborne particles
are trapped. On the outside is another component called diffusion which filters
particles smaller than 0.1 µm and finally the purified air released into the
room.
Today,
HEPA purifiers come with a UV filter, which also kills germs and provides
fresh, clean, sanitized air for healthy breathing.
Remember
that the HEPA purifier mechanically filters the air and is therefore able to
remove only airborne particles and is ineffective at removing odors or other
gases / fumes. If you want to purify the air, including removing odors, you
should consider an adsorbent air purifier.
Adsorbent air purifiers
Adsorbent
air purifiers contain activated carbon which can trap
fumes and odors. It is also equipped with a pre-filter to remove suspended
particles.
It
works according to two techniques, physical adsorption or chemical adsorption.
In physical adsorption, it uses electrostatic forces between molecules where
polar substances are attracted to polar adsorbents and non-polar substances are
attracted to non-polar adsorbents, while in chemical adsorption technique, it
uses chemical adsorption substances that chemically bind to the adsorbent.
As
air passes through the adsorbent purifier, smelly fumes or gases are adsorbed
onto the porous bed of adsorbent material, releasing clean, fresh air.
UV air purifiers best purifier for your home
With
dust free air, if you want sanitized air, UV purifier is perfect for your home.
UV purifiers are equipped with ultraviolet light which kills germs and provides
you with germ free air.
UV
purifiers are also available with a HEPA pre-filter which helps provide you
with dust and germ-free air to maintain perfect hygiene in your home.
Ozone generators - not suitable for home
The
ozone generator is not recommended in occupant areas and therefore not suitable
for home use, but can be used in industries. Ozone generators use corona
discharge or ultraviolet light to split oxygen molecules into two oxygen atoms,
where they recombine into a single molecule and form ozone.
Ozone
generators are widely used in industries, garages, workshops and large
restrooms to suppress odors and purify the air by removing harmful bacteria.
Ozone
generators purify the air by filtration, produce ozone, and treat the room's
ultraviolet rays.
Ozone
gas (O3) is normally present in the Earth's atmosphere at the stratosphere
level which protects life on Earth from ultraviolet (UV) rays by absorbing it.
This gas is extremely reactive and can easily react with substances such as
ammonia and thus helps prevent unpleasant odors.
In
the ozone generator machine, the air is sucked into the suction chamber and
purified from germs and bacteria by air filters and special UV lamp treatment.
The air then passes through the ceramic plates, where the oxygen is converted
to ozone by electric discharge. Finally, the ozone is released into the room
from the front of the device. The released ozone gas reacts with a bad smell
(ammonia) and suppresses it. Hence, the ozone generation process even removes
harmful mold spores from the air, relieving allergies and protecting your health.
Ozone
in the air we breathe above the threshold can be harmful to our health,
especially on hot, sunny days. Ozone generators are used to generate ozone in a
closed room in order to kill harmful bacteria at a certain concentration which
can also be harmful to humans. Therefore, it is recommended to restrict the
entry of people or animals when the ozone generator is in operation. With
precautions such as respirators with full protective clothing can be used to
enter the area for an urgent reason.
It
is recommended to ventilate the area for 15-30 minutes after ozone treatment
and then to remain empty for 2 hours before you can use it normally.
People
with asthma and vitamin C and E deficiency are at increased risk of exposure to
ozone.
There
should be no flammable or explosive gases near the ozone generator. Read the
instruction manual carefully before working with the ozone generator and follow
all safety instructions.
Conclusion
HEPA
purifiers are best for removing suspended particles, but if you want to remove
odors and some VOCs, use an adsorbent purifier with a pre-filter. You can
find the air purifier with HEPA pre-filter, as well as UV protection and
adsorbent for fresh, clean and germ-free air. Never use ozone generators in an
occupied space; otherwise, follow the manufacturer's instructions and take
safety precautions during and after use.
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