40 - 3 Things to Watch out for When Shopping for an Air Purifier

If you think the interior of your house or apartment is clean, think again. Even if you spend hours cleaning each week, you’re probably not doing much about the air you breathe.

EPA reports indicate that most homes have abysmal air quality, (1) and the outside air might be as much as five times cleaner! Think about it: every time you take a breath, you might be taking in a whole range of harmful pollutants or contaminants. (2) Statistics indicate that there are 4.3 million deaths related to indoor air pollution, mostly from diseases affecting the pulmonary system. (3)

Luckily, there is a simple solution to this problem. Instead of breathing in contaminated air, you can clean it with an air purifier. These devices can work in any room and remove various toxins, allergens, and contaminants. If you are interested in buying such a device, don’t rush with your decision. First, read the three most important things to watch out for when shopping for an air purifier.

1. Figure out What Type of Air Purifier You Need

There is a great variety of air purifiers out there and a lot of models available. When you start browsing products, we recommend that you first figure out the type of air purifier best suits your needs.

To do this, find out which pollutants you have to remove from the air in your home. Some air purifiers do what others cannot, so it’s important to purchase a product that can take on the biggest hazard to your health.

In most cases, an air purifier will filter out the following things:

Dust must and dust.
Bacteria and mold.
Allergens in the air.
Pet hairs and dander.
Smoke and related odors.
Various asthma triggering pollutants.

When you come up with a list of things you want to be filtered out, you will be one step closer to finding the best air purifier for your situation. Some models will be better at specific things, others will target all the contaminants listed above. Here are the four types of air purifiers you should consider:

HEPA Air Purifiers

According to HomeAirGuides, [4] HEPA filtration is the best around. Models with this technology can get rid of harmful pollutants in the air and trap them in their sophisticated paper filters. HEPA-based air purifiers remove 99.97% of tiny particles such as fungi, mold spores, dust, hair, smoke, and pollen. (5)

Ionic Air Purifiers

Whereas HEPA purifiers use paper filters, Ionic ones are filter-free. These machines dispense a charged ion cloud that attracts contaminants floating in the air. Following that, the pollutants fall to the air and are easily cleaned up. This type of device can neutralize dust, mold spores, smoke, some bacteria and pollen.

Carbon Air Purifiers

Filters in carbon air purifiers use activated charcoal, a material with incredible absorption properties. Keep in mind though that these machines don’t remove contaminants – they only absorb things like fumes, bad smells, and gasses, which makes them a perfect odor removal.

UV Light Air Purifiers

Air purifiers that use ultraviolet rays target airborne contaminants with invisible light and practically sterilize the air in your home. UV air purifiers are best used for killing germs, bacteria, and viruses.

2. Find the Right Size Air Purifier for You

When you know which pollutants you want to remove and which type of air purifier to buy, you can think about which size you need to buy. Sizes vary widely and a device too small might not be effective at all. To determine the right size air purifier, check how much area (expressed in square footage) they can serve.

3. Get the Features That You Need

Finally, think about the features your air purifiers should come with. Although the main task of a purifier is to filter air, additional functionality can make quite the difference. Below we’ll outline some more common features you get with air purifiers:

Digital Controls to let you adjust filtering options more accurately.
Programmable timers that let you purify air at certain times.
Sensors for air quality that measure pollution.
Pre-filters that offer extra protection for dust and hair.

Buying the Right Air Purifier is Crucial

As you now know, picking the right air purifier is very important. Not just any model will do because each home is different. Always get a device that can filter out contaminants common for your home.

Use this guide to narrow down your options, but don’t forget to continue your research online. Compare different models, options, and features, as well as price, to find an air purifier that fits not just your needs, but your budget.

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