Are Air Purifiers a Waste of Money?
Air purifiers have become increasingly popular in recent years as people look for ways to protect themselves and their families from air pollutants. For those who suffer from respiratory problems or allergies, air purifiers may be a smart investment.
But is there any science to back up the purported benefits of air purifiers? Some believe they're nothing more than an expensive gimmick, while others argue that they are an essential tool in ensuring clean, healthy air in our homes.
So, are air purifiers a waste of money? No! Not at all! But let's take a closer look at the benefits air purifiers can offer us within our homes and offices.
How do Air Purifiers Work, and What do They do?
Air purifiers are an integral part of the modern home, offering a number of benefits for both health and comfort. An air purifier is a device that helps to reduce airborne contaminants and poor indoor air quality, such as dust and pollen, creating cleaner, fresher air quality. It works by drawing air through a filter, which captures and removes various particles from the circulating air. This process helps to remove harmful particles, odors, and other contaminants so that you can breathe clean, healthy air in your home.
Air purifiers can be used in virtually any room or space where indoor air pollution may be present. Common uses include bedrooms, living rooms, offices, nurseries, bathrooms, and basements. Air purifiers come in a variety of sizes and styles to suit any room size or budget. They may also feature additional features such as an activated carbon filter, HEPA air purifier, UV air purifier, or even ozone air purifiers (although make sure you do your research on these particular kinds of home air purifiers) that help to destroy microorganisms and allergens like mold spores.
When shopping for an air purifier, it’s important to consider the size of the area it will need to cover—the larger the area, the more powerful the unit should be—as well as how much noise it will make. Additionally, you should look at what type of filter it uses; HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) filters are considered most effective for capturing particles from the air because they have small pores which trap even the smallest particles like smoke and dust mites.
Another important consideration is whether or not your unit has adjustable fan settings; higher speeds create more power but also more noise, while lower speeds create quieter operation at a cost of reduced efficiency.
Using an air purifier can not only improve your overall health by reducing airborne pollutants but can also provide relief from allergies and asthma symptoms caused by these same pollutants. Studies have found that using an air purifier can reduce asthma attacks by up to 50%, helping those with respiratory illnesses lead healthier lives free from worrying about airborne pollutants, making them sicker.
In addition to this improved physical health benefit, there are psychological advantages too; having cleaner air around us creates peace of mind knowing we’re breathing healthier all day long without having to worry about contamination from outside sources.
Functionality & Features to Consider When Shopping for Air Purifiers
If you are thinking about purchasing an air purifier, you should take a moment to read through our in-depth comparison post.
When shopping for an air purifier, it is important to do research on each individual model before making any decisions so you know exactly what kind of performance and features they offer. With all of these factors taken into consideration, you should be able to find the perfect unit for your needs and enjoy cleaner, healthier air in no time!
What is its Clean Air Delivery Rate (CADR)?
CADR is a rating system used to indicate how well an air purifier can remove different types of contaminants from the air. It measures the volume of clean air delivered by the air purifier in one minute, so it is important to make sure you purchase a unit with a high enough CADR rating that it can effectively clean your indoor environment.
What Filters does the Air Purifier Use?
In addition to CADR ratings, another important feature to look at when purchasing an air purifier is its filter type. Many portable air purifiers come with multiple filter options, such as HEPA filters, activated carbon filters, or combination filters that combine both technologies into one unit.
HEPA filters are capable of improving indoor air quality by removing up to 99% of particles, including dust, pollen, pet dander, smoke, and other allergens from the air, while activated carbon filters eliminate odors and harmful VOCs such as formaldehyde and benzene from your home environment, going a long way to improve indoor air quality.
Does it Come with a HEPA Filter?
When choosing an air purifier, it’s important to select one that uses HEPA filters. These filters are designed to capture particles down to 0.3 microns in size—smaller than most airborne pollutants—which makes them much more effective at improving indoor air quality than standard filters.
It’s also a good idea to select one with multi-stage filtration capabilities; this will allow it to capture larger particles (such as dust) before they can settle on surfaces and contribute further to air pollution.
What Size Room are You Trying to Cleanse?
Size is also an important factor when considering which type of air purifier is best for you. If you have a large area that needs cleaning, then you may want to opt for one of the larger air purifiers that is capable of filtering more square feet at once.
On the other hand, if your space requirements are limited, then there are plenty of smaller air purifiers available on the market today that can still provide effective filtration and improve indoor air quality without taking up too much space in your home.
How Noisy is the Air Purifier?
Noise output should also be taken into consideration when buying an air purifier, as some models produce loud sounds while running. Fortunately, there are some models available today that feature quiet operation settings, so you don’t have to worry about being disturbed by loud noises while trying to sleep or relax in your living space.
Additionally, many newer models now come with programmable timer settings allowing you to set a specific time each day when your machine will turn on or off automatically, depending on your preferences.
What Air Pollutants are You Trying to Eliminate?
The most important thing to consider is what kinds of pollutants the device is able to filter out. Most purifiers can remove large particles, such as dust and pollen, but some can also eliminate smaller particles, such as smoke and mold spores.
If you live in a heavily polluted area or if you have certain allergens that trigger symptoms for you or your family members, then an air purifier might be worth the investment so that you can safely improve your indoor air quality.
Do You Suffer from Allergies?
But even if you don't suffer from respiratory issues or allergies, there are still potential benefits to using a HEPA air purifier with an activated carbon filter. Studies have shown that improved indoor air quality can lead to fewer headaches and colds—which means fewer sick days at work or school—and even improved sleep quality.
So while these devices may not necessarily be able to prevent serious illnesses like asthma or lung cancer, they could still provide some protection against everyday viruses and bacteria floating around in the air.
What Kind of Maintenance Will Your Air Purifier Require?
Finally, it’s important not to forget about regular maintenance of your unit; some manufacturers recommend replacing filters every 6 months (or sooner if they become clogged), while others suggest changing them annually depending on how often the unit is used and how much airborne contaminants are present in your home environment.
Failing to clean and replace filters according to manufacturer recommendations could render your unit less effective over time—so paying attention to this aspect of maintenance is crucial if you want your device to perform optimally year-round!
Conclusion: Air Purifiers are a Valuable Addition to Your Home
The benefits of using an air purifier in the home are undeniable. In addition to better indoor air quality and improved indoor air quality, which helps reduce allergies and asthma symptoms, having an air purifier in your home may also help to reduce energy costs because it removes pollutants from the air before they make their way into the ventilation system. This can result in lower energy bills every month because you won't have to use as much power to heat or cool your home due to pollution built up within its walls.
The American Lung Association
A study conducted by the American Lung Association revealed that people who used an air purifier experienced a significant reduction in their symptoms of asthma compared to those that did not have one at all. Indoor air pollution and poor indoor air quality are commonly recognized as one of the leading causes of respiratory problems such as asthma attacks, so installing a high-quality air purifier could potentially prevent future breathing difficulties from happening again in the future.
Air Purifiers are worth considering if you want cleaner indoor air quality without having to worry about pollutants settling into your furniture or carpets over time, making them difficult to remove later on down the line.
Now that you understand how air purifiers work, as well as the importance of purchasing a model with top ratings and replacing its filter regularly - you’ll end up with an improved overall indoor environmental quality that will feel healthier. Happy shopping!
