FAQs for Air Purifiers

by Matthew Cook SEO Copywriter

You're planning on buying the best air purifier for silica dust, or pollen or mildew or whatever. But you don't know everything you think you should to make a decision you won't regret later. And that's quite normal. It almost always happens when you're about to make a decision involving a significant amount of money.

That's why I wrote this. As someone who's bought such a machine in the past, I'm familiar with some of the questions you're asking. This small post strives to answer some of those question to make your shopping journey a bit less bumpy.

So, let's dive in

What are Air Purifiers?

Air purifiers are machines used to sanitize the air in an enclosed space. That could a room at home or at the office. Most use fans to suck in dirty air and filter it via filters or some other mechanism. Finally, they push out purified air into the room.

Scientists also call these machines Portable Room Air Cleaners (PRAC).

As indicated above, not all air purifiers use fans. Some like the Airfree brand don't even have fans or filters. These air purifiers (Airfree, specifically) leverage convention to pull in untreated air and use ultra-high temperatures to exterminate germs. Finally, they release it via the top.But such machines aren't often what you'd call super effective.

Note: it's not uncommon to find an air purifier that combines several filtration methods. For example, Winix air purifier combine True HEPA filtration, activated carbon filtration, and ionization.

What Do Air Purifiers Do?

They remove dust, pollen, pet dander, mold, pet hair, dust mites, and many other contaminants from the air. These pollutants are classified into broad types based on size: PM2.5 and PM10.

PM10 particles are pollutants whose diameter ranges from 2.5 to 10 microns. One micron equals to 0.0025 mm. On the other hand, PM2.5 particulates are those that are smaller than 2.5 microns.

Of the two particle types, PM2.5 particles are more lethal. Some of them may end up in the lungs and other delicate organs. And "end of life" often begins at that point.

As explained above, these devices may use physical filters, UV radiation, convection, or any other method to do the job. If you buy the right air purifier, you should sense freshness in your air within a couple hours after the install.

Which is the Best Air Purifier?

Everyone's situation is different. Different types of air purifiers work differently. Some pump out ozone, and as you know, ozone can make respiratory diseases worse. So if you have asthma, OCPD, or suffer allergies, you'll not want to pick such options. And if microbial organisms are the most irksome air quality concern you have, consider buying a UV-C light air purifier.

In most cases, though, air purifiers using the awesome True HEPA filtration technology to purify the air are the best options. These filters have been proven to extract almost 98% of air pollutants down to 0.3 microns. In fact, some have been found to perform even better, removing microscopic particles as small as 0.01 microns!

Also, the best air purifier is one that effectively bundles out both PM10 and PM2.5. The Medify MA-112 is one such product.

Well, most True HEPA purifiers can filter out PM2.5, but not every machine will be insanely effective if the particles are too small.

How Many Types of Air Purifiers are There?

There are 5 different types of portable air cleaners. These are:

1. True HEPA Air Purifiers

2. Activated Carbon air purifiers

3. Ionizers

4. UV light air purifiers

5. Ozone generators

This comprehensive air purifier buying guide provides detailed info on these devices.

Do Air Purifiers Really Work?

Yes, air purifiers actually work. There's tons of scientific research that show these machines do what their makers say they do. This study, and this, and this provide a more detailed and concrete answer.

But that's not saying some unscrupulous manufacturers don't overstate the capabilities of their air purifiers. They do. But then, doesn't that happen everywhere?

In addition, many, many verified buyers on Amazon and lots of other places unanimously agree these devices work. However, I've also come across more than a few consumers that are totally disappointed with their product.

Do Ionizing and UV Light Air Purifiers Produce Ozone?

Yes, they do. And pretty much every manufacturer that makes these air purifiers says the amounts generated are inconsequential. I'd say they’re right, but here's my advice. If you battle respiratory issues, avoid ionic, UV, or full-blown ozone generating air purifiers. They all produce ozone. And this gas is a documented irritant.

What Are the Best Air Purifier Brands?

I'd say:stick to well-known brands. You don't want to deal with "nameless," fly by night companies. Companies that probably have no physical presence in the U.S.

That said, not all air cleaning devices manufacturers or brands are created equal. The following 5 brands have built quite a reputation in the marketplace:

· Honeywell

· Winix

· Dyson

· IQAir

· Blue Air

· Coway

Final Thoughts

At least 5 different types of air purifiers exist. Each category generally uses a particular filtration method or may combine two or more methods.

And yes, these devices work.

The best ones have the capability to cleanse the air down to the smallest particulates. Believe it or not, some air purifiers can even handle particles with a diameter that's as small as 0.01 microns.

One more thing: if you're sensitive to ozone, avoid ionizers, ozone generators, and UV light air purifiers.