Do Air Purifiers Work
It may seem like they are a new invention, air purifiers were there in existence for 200 years and more. They were initially meant as protective masks for firemen, but now they have evolved to the capability to keep us safe from pollutants in the air.
More and more people are affected by asthma and allergies in today’s world, which has created new concerns for clean indoor air. People all over the world, and especially in developed countries are looking at methods to improve the quality of their air indoors. It is interesting to know that do air purifiers work in order to lead the movement aimed at cleaner air.
Invisible pollutants
Allergens like mold spores, smoke, bacteria, pollen, pet dander, viruses and others damage the immune system and lungs. Unfortunately, most of the pollutants are not visible to the naked eyes. Air purifiers remove the pollutants and allergens that we can or cannot see.
For this purpose electrical attraction, filters or ozone are used in air purifiers. Air filters consist of fine sieves which filter the particles from the air around us. If the sieve is very fine it will be able to filter the smaller particles and answer the question do air purifiers work?
The Benchmark For Air Filters
The standard for air filters and their efficacy has been set by the High Efficiency Particulate Air filters which give a guarantee of filtering 99.9% airborne particles which are bigger than 0.3 microns. The standard units for measuring particles in the air are microns.
A micron equals 1/25400 inch. You cannot see something so small with the naked eye which is why pollutants like viruses and bacteria are often not detected. The filter of an air conditioner in the room only filters particles that are 10 microns or more. While HEPA filters take care of smaller particles like smoke, dust, asbestos, chemicals, pet dander, and pollen. This is important while understanding how do air purifiers work.
Working mode of purifiers
The greater the number of times the air goes through a HEPA filter it becomes cleaner. All air purifiers have different room capacity and it is this capacity which will decide whether the purifier is sufficient for your room or not. Top brands of air purifiers provide around 15 air exchanges in an hour within a room of average size.
These purifiers also contain around 15 lbs of zeolite/carbon blends which remove the odors and chemicals from the air. Some of the filters other than HEPA filters also contain an option of medical grade Ultra Violet light system which works at destroying bacteria, viruses and fungi when they enter the purifier. This ultra violet light also works at protecting the filter from microbial contamination. Hence we can understand how do air purifiers work.
Electrical attraction happens to be one more technology used by some purifiers to remove particles from the air. There are three varieties of cleaners in this category – electrets filters, electrostatic precipitating cleaners, and generators of negative ions.
Electrostatic precipitating cleaners – These attract particles inside with the use of a fan and give them a high voltage charge with many wires. Some plates carry the opposing charge and hence trap the particles. They are best for people who want to avoid the high cost of replacing HEPA filters. Good brands provide almost 95% particle removal and also run at low energy costs
Electrets filters – make use of synthetic fibers for creating a static charge that attracts particles. These filters are available in the disposable, plain, pleated or reusable varieties.
Negative ion generators – make use of small charged needles or wires which create gas molecules having negative charged ions that stick to the particles in the air and collect them inside the filter. Even so, some ions go back into the air and stick to surfaces and furnishings creating ugly stains
Ozone generators – make use of a high voltage electrical current in order to make ozone from oxygen. Ozone is a powerful oxidant and disintegrates microorganisms and molecules in the air.
Both ionic air cleaners and ozone generators produce ozone which can be harmful to the health hence it is best to use electrostatic or electrets filters. Now that we understand how do air purifiers work, we can make an informed choice regarding the air purifier that we should use for our homes.
Medify Air MA-40-B1 V2.0 Air Purifier with H13 HEPA filter – a higher grade of HEPA for 840 Sq. Ft. Air Purifier, 99.9% | Modern Design – Black
- A higher grade of HEPA – H13 Filters (higher rated than True HEPA) 99.9% particle removal.
- Cleans a room up to 1,600 sq ft in one hour, 840 sq ft in 30 minutes, 420 sq ft in 15 minutes (CADR 330)
- To make V2.0 quieter in ‘Sleep Mode’ and Speed 1 the ionizer is automatically turned off, on speed 2 and 3 it can be turned on/off as needed | CARB, Energy Star & ETL certified.
- Tempered Glass panel (like your cell phone, easy to clean, won’t scratch like cheap plastic models), Sleep Mode and 3 fan speeds, 8 hr timer, night mode, child lock
- Genuine Medify Replacement Filter: B07MTQFFNT, 110 Volt units, USA registered Lifetime Warranty