Interested in keeping the air in your home clear of pollutants? Air purifiers a a great choice for anyone who has issues with common air pollutants like pollen and dust. With a little bit of research, finding the right air purifier for your home can be a simple task.
Getting Started With Air Purifiers
Air purifiers come in two basic options: portable purifiers and whole house options. Most options designed for an entire home require forced air heating and cooling, so many homeowners and renters will need to choose a portable air purifier. Air purifiers can't do anything about indoor air problems caused by radon or carbon monoxide, so testing for these serious air issues remains important no matter what air purifying option you choose. The appropriate measurement for an air purifier is the clean air delivery rate (CADR), which should be above 100 all the time and above 350 if possible.
The Types Of Air Purifiers
- House Air Cleaners - These air purifiers require forced air heating and usually need professional installation in the ductwork of a home. Whole house air cleaners generally wire into a home's electrical system and remove things like smoke and dust from the air. Some of these cleaners use a type of purification that produces a small amount of ozone as a byproduct.
- House Air Filters - Special filters that go on a home's furnace in place of a traditional filter can help purify the air in homes with a forced air heater or cooling system. These filters aren't as good at cleaning the air as a dedicated whole house air cleaner, but they do an effective job of removing some pollutants from the air.
- Room Air Purifiers - Room air purifiers are a portable option that can sit on a table or roll on casters in a room. They frequently work in the same way that a whole house air cleaner works, though on a less efficient scale. Room air purifiers frequently use technology that releases small amounts of ozone in the room and may deposit pollutants on a wall where they vent.
- Ozone Generators - A small number of room air purifiers are designed to simply generate ozone in order to get dust and pollen out of the air. Since ozone is a lung irritant and problematic for long term health, these models are rare.
Typical Air Purifier Features
- Fan - Most air purifiers that aren't clearing air through a forced air ventilation system use a fan to push air through the filter. Fans can make an air purifier louder, but the trade off is a significant improvement in efficiency.
- Indicator - Once a filter starts to get clogged, an air purifier will no longer produce quality air. An indicator that lights up when the filter needs to be cleaned of dust or pollutants can improve the efficiency of the air purification system.
- Air Quality Sensor - Some air purifiers come with an air quality sensor that can turn the fan up or down depending on how much dust and pollutants are in the air in order to save energy while improving air quality when necessary.
The Brand Names In Air Purifiers
There are quite a few brand names that produce air filters and purifiers. Look for options from Blueair, GE, Germ Guardian, Holmes, Honeywell, Hunter, Idylis, Kenmore, Orek, and Whirlpool. Some brands specialize in filters for existing forced air systems while others produce portable air purifiers and whole house air purifiers that need professional installation. Holmes and Honeywell are the leading brands available, with the others filling niches that need to be filled.
Air Purifier Shopping Tips
- Determine whether you need a portable air purifier or can get away with adding a purifying filter or air cleaner to your existing forced air furnace.
- Make sure you know how your purifier will be installed if you opt to get a whole house air cleaner.
- Check your home for radon and carbon monoxide by installing appropriate detectors when you don't know why the air in the home is causing discomfort.
- Make sure the purifying option you choose can handle the pollutant you are having trouble with.
- Listen to the fan on air purifiers you are considering before making a purchase to avoid high noise levels.
- Look for an air purifier with a high clean air delivery rate for the best results.
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