Air purifiers filter the air that you breathe by eliminating harmful irritants such as pet dander, dust, and mold. That is why selecting which air purifier to buy is such an important decision. It is often helpful to consider a few fundamental options before making your final choice.
Room Size Plays a Factor in Your Search for an Air Purifier
Created for various-sized rooms, air purifiers will only be effective in a room that is within the perimeters it was designed to filter. Each air purifier should include square footage specifications and limits, and you should ensure that these specifics are approximately the same or slightly greater than the square footage for the room where you plan to use the purifier. Larger air purifiers are recommended for family and living rooms. For bedrooms, smaller units are suggested.
What Pollutants Do You Wish to Eliminate?
Different air purifiers take aim at particular pollutants, so it is essential to establish which contaminants you wish to eradicate from your home when you are considering which air purifiers to buy.
Dust mite allergen, plant spores, pollen, pet dander, mold, and tobacco smoke are all airborne particles and the most common cause of asthma attacks and indoor allergies. The best way to vanish air particles is with an air purifier with a “High-Efficiency Particulate Air” or HEPA filter. HEPA filters can remove 99.97 percent of particles that are 0.3 microns or larger from the air.
Household gases and odors include tobacco smoke, cooking aromas, kitty litter, gaseous pollutants such as indoor aerosols and pesticides, and other varied toxins. For gases that are too tiny to be captured by a HEPA filter, activated carbon filters are ideal.
Air Filter and Purification Type
Generally, the more filtration you have, the better the purifier. Just as different purifiers target distinct contaminants, specific air purifier filters are also devoted to special types of purification and pollution.
The most popular air purification filter is the HEPA filter. These filters were originally created by the Atomic Energy Commission. to catch radioactive dust particles. Only extremely small molecules pass through HEPA filters. Animal dander, dust, and mold spores will get trapped in the filter. The filter’s efficiency depends on its material, size, and construction. The more square feet of filter material, the more particles that will be removed. The primary disadvantage of the HEPA filter is that is must be replaced periodically. This can be expensive, however, its advantages outweigh the additional costs.
Normally used in conjunction with other kinds of filters, activated carbon filters are excellent for nullifying and adsorbing typical household odors, smoke, gases, chemicals, and fumes that are often released during cooking. The reaction of “adsorption” occurs as materials attach through a chemical process. The activated carbon in the filter has been treated with oxygen, which expands and opens millions of pores within the carbon. In just one pound of activated carbon that has been oxygen-treated, there are so many of these tiny pores, the carbon has a surface area that equals 60 to 150 acres. This vast space makes it perfect for the adsorption of odors and gases. While these gases may be too small to be captured by a HEPA filter, they easily adhere to the immense activated carbon surface.
Germs and bacteria are eliminated with germicidal and antibacterial filters. These filters utilize an ultraviolet light source to alter the DNA of viruses and bacteria so they become inactive, and are no longer able to reproduce. Air purifiers that use UV filters are mostly used in sterile environments such as hospitals, daycares, restaurant kitchens, and labs. For home usage, they are great for mold control. For someone who is often sick, germicidal and antibacterial filters are a top choice.
We know the value of clean air here at Heat Source Mechanical. And we want to make sure that you choose the right air purifier for your home and are completely satisfied with your decision. Ready to purify the air in your house? Contact us today if you would like more information. “Everyone loves pure air!”—especially here at Heat Source Mechanical!
