Air purifiers can be a great way to improve the air quality in your home, but they can also make it worse if you don't choose the right one. Poorly designed air purifiers can cause headaches, sore throat, cough, asthma attacks and shortness of breath. Fortunately, there are some air purifiers that work as advertised and can help people with common allergies by trapping pollen and other irritants inside their filters. To make sure you get the best air purifier for your needs, it's important to understand what makes some types of air purifiers work wonders for your health and well-being, while others can be unsafe.
Ionizing air purifiers are the only type that can exacerbate allergies, so it's important to avoid these. Ozone air purifiers don't remove asthma triggers from the air and can actually worsen asthma symptoms. In addition to avoiding toxic particles, it's important to consider other factors when choosing an air purifier. Reusable and washable filters require meticulous maintenance, so they are not usually found in the most effective air purifiers.
Electronic air purifiers draw in air which is charged electronically, but if they have a limited ability to filter allergens then the problem has only worsened. Ionizers are another type of air purifier that help attract particles such as static negative ions which bind to dust and allergens and cause them to be deposited out of the air. However, there are other things happening in your home that can affect effectiveness, such as ventilation (windows open or closed) and new particles that constantly emerge, so the air may not be as filtered as the claims lead you to believe. When buying an air purifier, it's important to consider not only the purchase price but also operating costs and filter replacement costs.
As air moves through the filter, contaminants and particles are captured and clean air is expelled into the living space. By using an indoor air purifier, you can eliminate most sources of pollution and dramatically improve air quality. The appliance industry has established a Clean Air Supply Rate (CADR) to allow consumers to adapt the right room air purifier to the room they want to treat. For best results, make sure that the air purifier you have is in the room you spend the most time in, that it has a suitable HEPA filter installed, and that it is running all day.
