Air purifiers filter and remove
pollutants from the air and provide you with clean, hygienic air for healthy
breathing. Air pollutants, including airborne dust particles, fumes and harmful
germs, pose health risks, and people with respiratory problems need to be extra
careful.
There are five main types of
air purifiers in total viz. ionic air purifier, HEPA purifier, adsorbent air
purifier, UV air purifier, and ozone generator. You can choose the right one after
studying its pros and cons.
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| Air purifier for home buy guide |
What to see before buying the best air purifier for your home?
HEPA purifiers are best for
removing airborne particles, but if you want to remove unpleasant odors and
some VOCs, an adsorbent purifier with a pre-filter will be the best option for
your home. Today, many air purifiers are working in combined
functions, such as an air purifier with a HEPA pre-filter, as well as UV
protection and adsorbent for fresh, clean and germ-free air.
Each one has a different
working mechanism, shapes, sizes and capacities. However, if you want to choose
the best air purifier for your home, never use ozone generators
as it is not suitable for an occupied space; otherwise, follow the
manufacturer's instructions and take safety precautions during and after use.
In this technological world,
most of the air purifiers come with smart features that allow you to operate
and control the air purifier remotely via your smartphone.
How to choose the right air purifier for your home?
The requirement for an air
purifier may be different for each individual, but the ultimate goal is to
maintain clean and hygienic air in your home for healthy breathing.
When buying the right air
purifier for your home, you should consider the important point below
Identify your needs and study the location
In the locality where there
is a risk of exposure to industrial pollutants or near roads, an air purifier
with activated carbon filters is preferable to eliminate dangerous and
unpleasant odors.
The HEPA purifier can remove
99.97% of 0.3 µm particles in the air with its true HEPA filter technology. It
also has a second filter to remove suspended particles down to 0.1 µm,
including germs.
People with respiratory
problems such as asthma should prefer air purifiers with true HEPA filters and
never choose ozone-based purifiers.
Choose an air purifier that
allows you to easily clean it or replace the filter on your own.
How to consider the types of filters?
The air purifier comes with
different sizes and types of filters, such as Pre-Filter, True HEPA Filter,
Activated Carbon Filter, UV Filter, Electrostatically Charged Media Filters,
and Photocatalytic Oxidation. The type, size and amount of filter media in a
HEPA filter are important because they determine how well it will trap
particulate matter and how long the filter will last.
Different materials are used
in the pre-filters such as foam and non-woven polyester to remove large
particles in the air before the next filtration step. True HEPA filters are
made of fiberglass that can clean 99.97% of all 0.3 µm particles in the air. Activated
carbon filters in combination with other filters can remove unpleasant odors
and fumes.
You should replace the
filter from time to time. UV filters and HEPA filters are used to kill germs.
Electrostatically charged filters, as well as a mechanical filter, are used to
remove tiny 0.1 µm airborne particles. The photocatalytic oxidation filter made
of a metal plate covered with titanium dioxide and ultraviolet light can
physically oxidize and break down chemicals during the filtration process.
Select the right filter
types with the right size and quality. An H-13 or H-14 grade HEPA filter with a
MERV7 or MERV8 pre-filter is preferred to remove airborne contaminants and
improve filter life. Also consider the volatile organic compound (TVOC) filter
to filter unpleasant odors or harmful gases from the air.
How to consider the size of an air purifier for your home?
When purchasing an air
purifier for your home, you need to consider the right size so that it can
provide the right CFM (cubic feet per minute) for the size of your room.
As a thumb rule, the larger
the room, the higher the CFM to achieve the desired number of air changes.
You need to calculate the
volume of your room where you plan to install the air purifier. Simply divide
the volume of that room by 60 (minutes in an hour) and it will give you the CFM
you need to achieve 1 air change per hour. If you want 2 air changes, just
double that number.
Large spaces will need larger air purifiers, but for a bedroom, choose an air purifier that makes less noise so you can sleep peacefully. The air purifier with smart functions for a living room allows you to increase or decrease the variable settings when no one is in the room.
How to consider the air change rate of the air purifier?
The air change rate per hour
(ACH) of an air purifier indicates exactly how many times the purifier filters
the air in the entire room in an hour.
ACH decides how much
protection you want for your home. The more ACH, the greater the protection and
vice versa. Many factors determine the value of ACH, such as density of people
in space, type of occupants such as high risk people, amount of pollutants,
frequency of pollutant generation, and level of pollution exposure.
You need to consider the fan
power, if the fan power is too low, it will not move or distribute the clean
air properly and leave a pocket of clean air near the air purifier instead of
the whole room.
How to consider CADR of air purifier?
CADR stands for Clean Air Delivery Rate and is the measure of the delivery of purified air by an air purifier at its maximum speed. It indicates the amount of air flow and the efficiency of the filter in combination.
The CADR rating indicates
how quickly the air purifier can clean the air in a particular size room, and
therefore when purchasing an air purifier, look for the highest CADR value.
Design and durability - Air Purifier for home
When choosing the best
air purifier for your home, aesthetics look is also as important as its
technical features. Apart from that, consider its construction design, the type
of fan and bearings used, the smoothness and efficiency with which it exhausts
air, and the noise level.
The air purifier comes with
a plastic or metal casing which also affects durability and noise level. The
type of fan and its lifespan have a big impact on the reliability, lifespan and
noise level of a purifier. A cheap air purifier can use poor quality materials,
and poorly designed fans can cause excessive noise and shorten life.
Customer service, warranty and performance check
Every air purifier requires
regular maintenance of the filter and fan. Therefore, after-sales service must
be good to be able to replace it quickly and comfortably. After purchasing the
product, a technical problem may arise, so you should consider the air purifier
with a long warranty.
The performance of the air
purifier can be checked online by reading the customer review.
Summary
When buying the perfect
air purifier for your home, consider the size of your room to decide
the CFM, AHC, and CADR. Prefer high CFM and AHF for larger rooms. Filter and
fan design types should also be considered in conjunction with CADR. Always try
to buy a hybrid air purifier with smart functions
so that you can operate and control it from the remote. Do not buy ozone
generator for your home. Always prefer combination of HEPA filleter of
appropriate grade along with UV protection and absorbent.
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