An air purifier is a device that allergy sufferers and people living in areas where smog is a problem should think about buying. Which air purifier should you choose to breathe freely in your home?
What kind of air purifier to buy?
An air purifier is a device that filters the air in a room by sucking it in and removing contaminants such as allergens or dust from it. The type of pollutants filtered out depends on the type of device and the filtering elements in it.
The most common solution used by manufacturers is a combination of two types of filters: HEPA and carbon. They clean the air of pathogenic bacteria and viruses, with carbon filters retaining 99.9% of particles of 0.1 micrometers and larger (including the highly dangerous PM10 and PM2.5), and HEPA filters retaining 97% of particles.
Made of fiberglass, the HEPA filter will additionally trap allergens such as dust mites and pollen. The carbon one, on the other hand, will eliminate unpleasant odors. A combination of both types of filters will therefore be a great all-around choice.
Read the article – Best air purifier for 1200 sq ft.
Air purifier – which one to choose?
An air purifier can cost from several hundred to even several thousand zlotys. However, before deciding on the purchase of a particular model, we should consider the following aspects: the square footage of the apartment, the number of rooms, and sensitivity to sound (some devices can work quite loudly).
It is also worth considering whether there is an air pollution problem where we live and whether we have an allergy problem (or someone in the household has one). After answering these questions, it is necessary to analyze the functionality of the various models of purifiers and thus choose the one that will best suit our needs.
The already mentioned combination of filters: HEPA and carbon will be the best solution, especially in cities, since water filters have a problem with retaining the already mentioned PM10 and PM2.5 particles. Alternatively, an electrostatic filter can be used, since it can also cope with dust mites or mold.
Which air purifier should I choose for my apartment?
When buying an air purifier, it is good to pay attention to its efficiency. It is usually assessed by checking the number of cubic meters of air that the purifier filters per hour.
Therefore, before buying, it is worth carefully reading the information on the packaging, as well as calculating the cubic capacity of our apartment – 50 square meters in a block of apartments, where the apartments are 2.5 meters high, is a completely different area than 50 meters in a tenement house, where the walls can be a meter higher. If our apartment consists of several rooms, it will be good to think about several smaller purifiers spaced in different rooms. With doors closed from individual rooms, we will make it difficult for one larger unit to work.
What kind of air purifier is for the house to choose from?
If you are disturbed by the noise of household appliances (such as a refrigerator or dishwasher), when buying an air purifier, it is worth paying attention to its volume. Any equipment will generate more or less noise, but some manufacturers have managed to keep it to a minimum.
Such appliances sometimes also have a night mode, which turns on spontaneously when the lights in the room are turned off when it is already dark outside. Then it reduces the intensity of the device and reduces the noise. Wanting to check the volume of the equipment, we need to see the value given in decibels. A noise level of 10 to 40 dB should not bother anyone. Larger numbers will certainly not work for people who are sensitive to sound.
In addition to night mode, purifiers may also have other additional features, such as an air quality sensor, which automatically adjusts the fan speed to the current conditions. Some units are also equipped with an air quality indicator and ionization.
Which air purifier is for an allergic person?
If you have an allergic person at home or are allergic to dust or pollen, buy a purifier that will clean the air of allergens decently. A good choice will be a device with a HEPA filter or a combination of HEPA and carbon filters, although water purifiers will also work well in this case. Whichever filter you choose, be sure to change them regularly – this is what ensures the proper functioning of the device. It is worth knowing that some equipment that improve the air quality in the house is both humidifiers and purifiers.
Let’s get interested in them if you suffer from too dry air in the apartment during the heating season. Then the device will not only properly humidify it, but also clean it. This, in turn, will improve the quality of our sleep and reduce susceptibility to respiratory infections. Breathing comfort will also be affected by the ionization function, which will saturate the air with negative ions. Due to the presence of many electrical appliances, the air in our homes tends to be saturated with positive ions, making it less crisp and fresh.
