An Introduction to Air Purifiers and Filters
This wouldn't be the case if they fully understand the true health benefits that air purification provides their family.
In an effort to change this situation, we've created this introduction to air purifiers.
Why do I need an air purifier? No matter how clean your home is, there are pollutants in the air that your family breathes.
Some of it originates in the home, but a great deal of it enters from the outside.
These substances include dander, dust mites, mold, pollen, and VOCs (volatile organic compounds).
These pollutants force you to work hard for the oxygen that you need, and that causes you to be less healthy than you should be.
How does air purification work? There are four basic styles of air filtration: activated carbon, charged media, electrostatic, and HEPA air filters.
- Activated carbon filters are very effective and very popular because the chemical reaction that occurs with the carbon allows it to bind to vapors, VOCs, and other gases.
Another great aspect of activated carbon-based systems is that they are able to remove unpleasant odors from the air.
- Charged media filters give particles an electrostatic charge as they pass through and onto the traditional filter.
The electrostatic charge makes the particles easier to trap.
Therefore, it's an efficient method, but there are drawbacks, such as releasing ozone, which actually helps to pollute the air in your home.
- Electrostatic filtration traps particles on a collector plate using an electrostatic charge.
While extremely effective in the short-term, the collector plates fill quickly.
As the plate fills, it becomes exponentially less effective.
- HEPA air filters are the king of the air purification hill.
Using multi-layered fibers, HEPA air filters are able to trap as much as 99.
97% of the particles that pass through down to the 0.
3 micron size.
This is the preferred filtration style by hospitals, military installations, and research facilities throughout the world.
Can I use a HEPA air purifier? Yes, they are also the perfect choice for home use.
For best results, you want to place them in a high-traffic room several feet from a wall or window.
In order to achieve the maximum benefit, you must ensure that you have whole-house coverage.
However, it is possible to buy a HEPA air purifier that you can move throughout the day to wherever the family is centrally located.
Is any air purifier better than having no filtration? No.
There is a reason why Clean Air Plus does not stock certain types of air purifiers.
For instance, ozone generators and ionizing air cleaners work well in theory, but in practice, they actually contaminate the home air.
This is the reason why you often see these units sold at such low price points.