Factors to Consider Before Buying Air Purifiers for Homes

Air purifiers are manufactured to cater to a variety of sectors like industries, health-care, hospitality, and homes as well. The basic concept of all these purifiers is the same, to purify the surrounding air by removing the contaminants present in it.

Industrial purifiers are required to rid the air of pollutants that may include oil and mist. The units used in the hospitality industry are required to free the air of tobacco (cigar and cigarette) smoke. Keeping the air pure of all air contaminants is very important in the health-care industry to safeguard a patient's well-being.

Home air purifiers help you get rid of a variety of contaminants including particles released during normal kitchen processes of cooking and cleaning, tobacco smoke pollutants that remain suspended in the air, and air that gets stale and full of contaminants due to improper circulation.

Most of the air purifiers used at home are HEPA (High Energy Particulate Arrestance), ionic, and UV (Ultra Violet) based. HEPA certified units get rid of 99.97% particles in the air that measure 0.3 micrometers.

Ionic units give a negative ion charge to all suspended particles, making them heavy and allowing them to settle on the ground. These particles can be vacuum cleaned. Certain models trap these particles, allowing you to clean the filter later.

UV-based purifiers circulate the air through it, destroying all the airborne particles using ultra violet light. Air that comes out of the unit is pure and free of any suspended particles.

Even sources such as cleaning solvents and air fresheners contaminate the air. Breathing such air over long periods of time is the cause of many respiratory problems.

Check for the efficiency of the unit. Consider the percentage of suspended particles that it will be able to remove/destroy. Find out the air handling capacity of the unit.

A unit that takes too much time to circulate all the air in your home may be of no use, since it gives ample time for the air to be re-contaminated. Find out approximately how much air the unit will have to process and only then make the final decision.

Whatever unit you purchase, regular maintenance as specified by the manufacturer, is very crucial. An air purifier using a filter to trap the pollutants will circulate these very pollutants and not be able to trap existing pollutants if not cleaned at the specified time.

At such times, your unit won't help you get rid of pollutants in the air, but instead, will contribute to indoor air pollution.

Ionic air purifying units could produce and disperse ozone in your home. Ozone is a known lung irritant. This can happen if the unit is not installed properly, or if maintenance is not carried out as per the manufacturers instructions.

In addition to the price and its running cost, you should also take into consideration recurring costs such as the regular change of air filters. Good air filters of the highest quality are expensive, so consider these after-costs too, when making your decision.

Check with your neighbors and friends who own an air purifier at home. They will be able to guide you, too with the good points and the bad, efficiency, and time duration between servicing and total ownership costs.

Always go in for a reputed brand that uses components of the highest quality. It's no use if you pay more for the equipment and for future maintenance and spares, but are not guaranteed of constant pure and fresh air inside the confines of your home.

Remember: Do not smoke indoors, especially when there are children at home. Fitting even the best of air purifiers at home does not give you permission to smoke when there are children around.