In this article you will learn all about air purifier:What is a purifier and who needs it, How to choose a purifier, Best 5 air purifier, Filter types, How to choose best air purifier and care for it ETC.

Clean air is especially important for people with allergies, asthma, and simply for those who maintain a healthy atmosphere at home. Air purifiers are simple and effective devices for creating a microclimate in the house. I’ll tell you what this technique is and how to choose best air purifier.

The air we breathe contains invisible particles of dust, skin, fur and other allergens that can cause discomfort. Emissions from production, car emissions and other external factors also worsen the air quality in the apartment.

Household air purifiers will help to cope with this problem. Usually it is a compact and mobile device that runs on electricity and cleans the air with built-in filters. They are able to trap dirt, dust, bacteria, viruses, allergens and unpleasant odors.

Contents

1 What is a purifier and who needs it
2 How to choose a purifier
3 Best 5 air purifier
4 Filter types
5 Performance and Power
6 Additional characteristics
7 How to choose an air purifier and care for it
8 About the cost of air cleaners and their maintenance

What is a purifier and who needs it

Air purification in an apartment is currently of particular importance, because the amount of exhaust gases is off scale even in small towns. To get rid of dust, gas, allergens, bacteria, many install air conditioners and do not open windows. But this is not the best solution, because fresh air is essential for health.

A more efficient way is to purchase an air purifier. It will improve the microclimate and reduce the number of respiratory diseases. Such a device is necessary for those who suffer from asthma, seasonal allergies and chronic bronchitis. Also, families with small children need a purifier, because the children’s pulmonary system is still developing. Therefore, it is more difficult for her to cope with polluted air.

But even if you do not have problems with the respiratory system, the purifier will still be useful. Have you thought about how much dust is in the air we breathe? Incredibly, even if you do not open windows and doors at all, approximately 1,000 dust particles per square meter of horizontal surface will accumulate in an apartment per day. And imagine that we constantly open windows for ventilation, go out and go in, so the figure can be increased several times.

Add here the WHO statistics, which states that up to 40% of the population suffers from dust allergies. And if you constantly breathe dust, even if you do not have allergies, it threatens with chronic diseases of the respiratory system, frequent headaches, irritation of the mucous membranes of the eyes and constant lethargy.

How to choose a purifier

Before choosing an air purifier for your home, decide on the area of the room where you plan to install the device. It is also important to pay attention to exactly where the cleaner will stand. If on the floor, the filters will quickly fail because they collect the largest grains of dust. For durability, it is better to purchase a wall or ceiling fixture. The quality of the air cleaner depends on the power – the higher it is, the better it copes with the task.

Modern devices can not only clean, but also humidify and ionize the air. Before you settle on any model, study its parameters in order to choose the best option in terms of price / quality.

Best 5 air purifier

Filter types

Various filters are used in purifiers:

Coal;
Electrostatic;
HEPA filters;
Photocatalytic;
Water.

Each of them performs a specific task and has its own characteristics. The quality of air space treatment depends on the filters. The cleaning efficiency is increased with complex filtration, when the device has a primary filter, carbon and HEPA.

To decide which air purifier to buy, you need to understand the properties and characteristics of the filters. Let’s talk in detail about each of them.

Carbon filters

This is a common option for air purification because charcoal is an excellent sorbent. The fine filter can cope with various odors and gas impurities. To increase efficiency, a purifier with a carbon filter is supplemented with auxiliary cleaning components – mechanical or photocatalytic filters, sometimes with ultraviolet lamps.

It should be noted that carbon filters are often filled with powdered charcoal – such devices quickly lose their effectiveness. It is better to purchase a filter with granular carbon, which has a longer service life. The frequency of replacing carbon filters is twice a year. If this interval is not observed, they themselves will begin to pollute the air. We must also remember that they cannot be kept in wet rooms – they will quickly fail.

Carbon filters are an effective option, but they are not able to clean the air 100%.

Electrostatic filters

These filters work in the same way as ionizers. They form an electrostatic field that attracts dust. The metal plates that act as a filter are easy to clean and do not require replacement. It is advisable to wash them once a week.

These devices will purify the air up to 90%, cope with dust, soot, allergens, but at the same time they will be powerless in front of toxic and volatile elements.

HEPA filters

These are filters with a high degree of efficiency that can handle even the smallest dust particles. Made from porous fiberglass material. Due to the corrugated fibrous structure, dust is reliably retained in the filter and does not fall back into the air.

The more bends the filter has, the higher its efficiency – it can protect against fungal spores, plant pollen, human and animal dander. But HEPA cannot cope with gas impurities, additional carbon filters are needed.

HEPA filters are replaceable, they get clogged with dust and soot over time, they need to be completely changed periodically.

Photocatalytic

Photocatalytic filters are among the most efficient today. Inside they have an ultraviolet lamp and a catalyst, which together give a very deep cleaning. Thanks to such a device, the filter can clean the air from bacteria, fungi, dust, viruses, dust mites, carbon monoxide, tobacco smoke and much more.

Such models cannot be kept in a child’s room for a long time, because they destroy neutral bacteria, otherwise they can affect children’s immunity.

Water

This category of devices works on the principle of washing:

Air is sucked in by an electric fan;

Mixes up with water by means of rotary impellers before occurrence of dispersed dust;

Is cleaned of impurities that settle inside the device;

Goes back into the room.

Water purifiers often have additional carbon or photocatalytic filters that can be connected as needed. Also, such devices humidify the air and can have an ionization function.

How to choose the best coffee maker for home

Performance and Power

Before choosing an air purifier, it is recommended to calculate the parameters of the room. To do this, multiply the area by the height of the ceilings and a factor of 3. Choose a device with an area margin of approximately 5 square meters. m. It is easy to find a suitable cleaner – devices are produced for both 2-8 square meters. m, and industrial models – for 200-260 sq. m.

Air exchange shows how much passes through the filter in one hour. If the performance is high, the air is cleaned better. The minimum indicator is the passage of air through the purifier 3 times in one hour.

Power depends on performance, but purifiers use little energy. Even the most powerful device consumes no more than 180 watts – about the same as a small light bulb.

Additional characteristics

Air purifiers can have the functions of disinfection, humidification and ionization. Additional features include the following options:

noise level – you should pay attention to it if your device works with a fan, in other cases the noise level does not exceed 50 dB;

the type of control is mechanical or electronic – choose according to your taste;

the timer is useful, as you can set the time to turn on and off, for example, when you are not at home;

the filter clogging indicator will indicate when it is necessary to replace or wash them;

The air condition indicator will help you determine when to turn the purifier on and off.

How to choose an air purifier and care for it

Air purifiers are water and dry. Water ones are cleaned by a water tank, and dry ones – by built-in filters.
Dry air purifiers are more popular, but water purifiers are better for rooms with antique furniture and plants.
The most common filters are coarse and fine filters, HEPA and AK filters. They purify the air from dust, dirt, harmful impurities, gases, allergens and unpleasant odors.
Air purifiers may have additional functions: disinfection, humidification and ionization for complete air control.
The device is best installed at a low height, in an open space, away from windows and batteries.
It is important to monitor the condition of the device and change the filters in a timely manner so that it works for a long time and with high quality.
In the air washer, you need to change the water and wash the container.
It is important to observe safety in handling the device and follow the instructions for use.

About the cost of air cleaners and their maintenance

Before choosing a particular model, you must first deal with some issues.

1. Is the extra cost of caring for your purifier important to you?

If this does not matter, feel free to buy a model with high power and replaceable filters. If you do not plan to spend much money, then limit yourself to buying an ozonizer or ionizer. They do not require much attention and work without filters.

2. How much time are you willing to spend on instrument maintenance?

In order for the device to work for a long time, you need to take care of it. If you are ready to spend at least daily time on this, then a sink or humidifier will suit you. If you want to turn on the device and forget about it for a while, the electrostatic model is for you. Her records need to be washed about once a week. Well, if it’s completely stressful over time, the ideal way out is an ionizer and an ozonizer. Vacuumed once a month and that’s it!

3. How often do you plan to use the device?

If it is on all the time, then choose devices with low power. They are more economical. If air purification is required periodically, then it is better to prefer more powerful models that will quickly get the job done.

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