You may not really notice the air in your house until you come home and find you’re greeted by a stale smell or heavy atmosphere as you open the front door.
Unless you live with your windows and doors open constantly (and what about outside pollutants?), most of the air in your home is recycled. So, that’s cooking odors, smoke, and pet hair and dander, which could all be causing you harm.
This article takes a deep dive into the world of air purifiers. We look at how they work, consider different types, and the benefits of using them in your home.
What Does an Air Purifier Actually Do?
Cleaner air is better for your overall health. Air purifiers clean the air in your home by removing harmful particles such as dust and pet dander, pollutants including allergens and smoke, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
Filters in the unit trap particles and gases that you can’t see or smell.
As well as promoting general health, purifiers also support family members with pre-existing respiratory conditions like asthma and allergies, including hay fever.
Types of Air Purifiers
It’s no surprise that air purifiers tend to be classified by the pollutants they tackle and the space/size they operate in. There are more specialist purifiers, too. Let’s look at the most common types.
- Whole-house purifiers: These devices integrate with HVAC systems, which usually feature their own in-built air filters to manage all the air in your home. Typically, they utilize HEPA filters (more on that later) and UV-C light to manage the entire building. Consequently, whole-house purifiers usually require professional installation and come at a higher cost than smaller portable units.
- Portable air purifiers: Compact and movable, these units work in single rooms and are ideal for spaces like a home office, bedroom, or nursery. Again, they typically feature HEPA technology.
- Medical-grade purifiers: These are designed for homes where there are occupants with chronic conditions like asthma or severe allergy problems. Purification comes from HEPA filters or UV-C technology.
Understanding the different types of air purifiers will help you choose the right one for your home.
Consider room size and clean air delivery rate (CADR). Clean air delivery rate means how fast the purifier works. Bigger rooms need units with higher CADR.
Noise level is relevant to quiet rooms and bedrooms.
You’ll need to change the filters in a purifier, so it’s important to understand the frequency and cost of replacement parts.
How Do Air Purifiers Work?
Air purifiers draw in the existing air and treat it before releasing it back into your home. That’s the simple version. Now, here comes the science.
Most types of purifiers use a fan and a filtration system. You might see on the box the acronym HEPA, which stands for High-Efficiency Particulate Air. This is the most prevalent technology found in the different types of units.
Minute particles, once inhaled, can cause serious health impacts involving the heart and lungs. HEPA filters can trap particles as small as 0.3 microns with a capture rate of 99.97%. Trapped particles cannot recirculate into the airspace.
Carbon filters are another type of filter typically found in air purifiers. These remove household odors, smoke, and VOCs, which circulate around your home, emanating from everyday products like household cleaners and personal care products.
Some purifiers also use UV-C light to disrupt the DNA of viruses and bacteria, effectively rendering them ineffective.
Most purifying units use a combination of different filters to capture particles and gases of all sizes and then break them down. It all boils down to something pretty simple: dirty air in, clean air out.
Some air purifiers also offer smart technology, so you can use voice apps to operate and control units in your home. Quality sensors automatically adjust to different environments to optimize performance, providing real-time quality monitoring.
What Do Air Purifiers Remove From the Air?
Dust, Pollen, and Airborne Allergens
Dust is a hazard in any home, no matter how scrupulously clean you keep it. Ironically, dusting disturbs dust particles, and wet dusting doesn’t capture all of them.
As well as eliminating dust particles, air purifiers can also remove dust mites, which cause allergic reactions and respiratory issues.
Pollen is a problem during the spring and summer and enters homes naturally from outside, even if you don’t have houseplants or cut flowers. Pollen exacerbates asthma and causes hay fever.
Pet Dander and Hair Particles
One of the downsides of having pets is that their hair and dander accumulate in your home, no matter how regularly you vacuum. Dander is minute skin particles that your pet sheds naturally. They become airborne, and you won’t see them.
Some pet hair is visible, but not all, even if you have a ‘no shed’ breed. Dander and pet hair can trigger rhinitis and other allergies in humans.
Smoke and Fine Particles
Air purifiers can capture the particulate matter and gaseous pollutants in smoke, as well as fine particles like bacteria.
Odors, Gases, and VOCs
Air purifiers remove household odors from sources like cooking and pets.
VOCs are organic chemicals that evaporate at room temperature and originate from certain solids and liquids within the home, which are emitted as gases.
Culprits include regular household items such as bleach, disinfectants, and personal care products, and even room fresheners and deodorizers.
VOCs contain carbon and potentially other harmful elements like nitrogen and sulfur.
Mold Spores and Airborne Irritants
Mold and mildew spores are particulate matter, growing on surfaces in damp, poorly ventilated areas like kitchens, bathrooms, and laundries before becoming airborne.
Mold and other airborne irritants make you unwell, irritating the eyes, nose, and throat. They also exacerbate symptoms for people with pre-existing conditions like asthma and allergies.
What Air Purifiers Can’t Do
Air purifiers can only purify the air; they cannot stop the cause of the contamination or solve underlying problems in your home.
If you have a damp, humid environment, then a purifier will filter mold and mildew particles. What it can’t do is remove visible mold from windows and surfaces and stop it from occurring.
Removing the problem completely involves tackling the cause of the damp at source, which may involve finding a leak or something as simple as improving ventilation and using dehumidifiers.
A purifier can help with respiratory health conditions or allergies by reducing symptoms, but it won’t completely cure them, although sometimes, a cleaner environment may support a reduction in medication.
Although air purifiers can’t tackle household problems at source, they are still a worthwhile investment for households with specific issues, and for those people who just want to optimize their living environment.
The Benefits of Using an Air Purifier in Your Home
Healthier Respiration
Clean air is essential to good health and is especially important for the young and old in your household. Air purifiers promote healthy lung function by removing dust particles, pet hair and dander, pollen, and mold spores.
Odor-free Living
Household odors from cooking, smoke, or pets are inevitable in a busy home. Carbon filters neutralize unwanted and unpleasant odors, so your house smells fragrant without the use of artificial scents and deodorizers.
Improved Sleep
Poor quality air can disrupt sleep, particularly in those with pre-existing conditions or coughs and colds. Purification minimizes coughing and sneezing, and that promotes uninterrupted rest for everyone.
Supporting Allergy Sufferers
Reducing pollen, dust, and pet dander should be a priority for those with hay fever and asthma, significantly lowering symptoms and helping to reduce reliance on medication.
Wildfire Smoke Protection
If you live in an area prone to wildfires, then it’s challenging to protect your indoor environment, even if you seal the house against smoke and fumes.
HEPA and carbon filters in air purifiers eliminate harmful smoke particles and VOCs, protecting respiratory health during environmental challenges and emergencies.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Are Signs You Need an Air Purifier?
Consider introducing an air purifier to your home if you’re experiencing prolonged allergy symptoms, such as sore or itchy eyes and repetitive sneezing. An air purifier will also help remove pet odors from typical household animals such as cats and dogs.
Is There a Downside To Air Purifiers?
Some air purifiers may have a persistent operating noise level, but this varies between models and specific settings. Owners may also incur costs from filter replacements and energy use. They are also more effective in smaller spaces compared to large ones.
Do Air Purifiers Really Work?
Air purifiers really do work, but it can be hard to quantify the benefits if you don’t have pets or someone in the household who has health issues like asthma or allergies. Check your filters for dirt when you change them or consider using an external air quality monitor.
Are Air Purifiers Worth It?
It’s easy to think that air purifiers are a waste of time if no one in your household has allergies or health problems, and you don’t have any pets. However, bad air is invisible, and it affects everyone. A vacuum cleans the dirt you can see, and an air purifier cleans the dirt you can’t.
Air Purifiers Remove Airborne Pollutants and Enhance Home Comfort
Air purifiers allow you to take control of the quality and cleanliness of your home environment, protecting the health of your family. They’re rapidly becoming a household staple, just like your washing machine and vacuum cleaner.
The increasing popularity of purifiers is reflected in the choice of different types. Technological developments mean that these devices are now more efficient and can be targeted to room size and specific issues like pets or health problems.
Keep your home and its occupants happy, healthy, and comfortable. Dreame has an air purifier to suit your needs, meaning cleaner and healthier air and better sleep time and awake time for you and your family.
References:
- Indoor Particulate Matter | US EPA. Available at: https://www.epa.gov/indoor-air-quality-iaq/indoor-particulate-matter
- Effect of air filtration on house dust mite, cat and dog allergens and particulate matter in homes. Available at: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9022093/
- The Surprising Benefits of Air Purifiers for Hay Fever Relief Available at: https://www.britishallergyclinic.com/post/the-surprising-benefits-of-air-purifiers-for-hay-fever-relief
- How Air Purifiers Can Help Hay Fever Symptoms Available at: https://parcglobal.com/how-air-purifiers-filter-allergens-and-alleviate-hay-fever-symptoms/