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Air purifier and bowl of lemons

Breathe a Sigh of Relief: What You Need to Know About Air Purifiers

Clean Air, Healthier Life

While you might think you keep your home fairly clean, even using a robot vacuum cleaner to cut down on dust and dirt, you probably haven't considered the air quality. An air purifier eliminates the amount of contaminants in the air, helping to create a cleaner and healthier environment at home or at work.

Some of these contaminants could potentially harm our bodies and include viruses, bacteria, molds, pollen, pet dander and carbon-based impurities.

Air purifiers are helpful for people who suffer from allergies as well as breathing difficulties such as asthma. From commercial grade purifiers to standalone versions for the home, air purifiers have the capability to protect you and your loved ones from contaminants and pollutants.

How Do Air Purifiers Work?

Air purifiers have been around for close to two centuries, since 1830 when Charles Anthony Deane patented a device comprising a copper helmet with an attached flexible collar and garment. Purifying techniques have developed since, with better and efficient purifiers in the market. Here are different ways which air purifiers work:

HEPA Air Filters

HEPA is an acronym for High Efficiency Particulate Airfilter. These filters are very popular since they do not produce any ozone gases. HEPA filters are great for trapping smaller allergens like dust, smoke, chemicals, asbestos, pollen, and pet dander.

The filters are made of small glass fibers that meet the department of Energy standard of penetration of less than 0.03%, trapping 99.97% of airborne particles above 0.3 microns. HEPA filters are fitted with a fan that pulls air through streams of pleated filters to manually trap the contaminant particles.

UV Light Air Purifiers

UV light purifiers use Ultra Violet lamps to sterilize air through electronic radiation to kill bacteria and other pathogens. UV purifiers are most effective in getting rid of biological microorganisms as it creates an environment where bio agents cannot survive. However, UV purifiers cannot purify smoke, odors, allergens, or chemicals.

Ionizing Purifiers

These air purifiers work by using charged electrical surfaces to generate ions. The negative ions attach to positive airborne dust and allergen particles in the air. Ionic purifiers are very energy efficient, producing trace amounts of ozone. They also get rid of odors and smoke very fast.

There are two types: fan-based and fan-less ionizers. The only drawback is when all the surfaces are positively charged, particles from the ionic air tend to attach themselves to all surfaces in the room, including the floor.

UV AHPCO (Advanced Hydrated Photo Catalytic Oxidation)

This method was developed by NASA to purify the area in the space station from ethylene gases and other toxins. It features the latest and most efficient technology that includes high intensity UV light beamed towards a 5-metal hydrated catalyst cell. UV AHPCO gets rid of heavy metals, toxic gases, chemical pollutants and other Volatile Organic Compounds.

NASA’s patented AHPCO is also found in the healthcare industry, food industry as well as laundromats.

Best Air Purifiers to Buy

Winix 5500-2

The Winix 5500-2 is one of the most popular air purifiers you can buy. It has patented PlasmaWave technology that acts as a permanent filter, eliminating allergens and pollutants from the air. The 5500-2 features a True-HEPA filter that captures 99.97% of airborne pollutants. It also gets rid of dust mites, pet dander, pollen and other allergens as small as 0.3 microns.

It automatically adjusts itself thanks to smart sensors that filter the air. The Winix 5500-2 features a washable carbon filter and is CADR rated for 360 sq. ft. room size. Winix 5500-2 is best used in medium and large rooms, children’s bedrooms, hallways and kitchens.

The Winix 5300-2 or the Winix WAC9500 Ultimate Pet True HEPA Air Cleaner are great variations in case you are looking for an alternative product from the brand.

GermGuardian AC4100 3-in-1 Air Purifier

The GermGuard AC4100 is one of the most affordable air purifiers in the market. It’s fitted with a HEPA Filter that captures dust and allergens, pet dander, mold spores and plant pollens. It fits well in smaller places and has additional UV light for killing bacteria and viruses.

In case you need a bigger model you can go for the GermGuardian AC4825 3-in-1 Air Purifier or the GermGuardian AC5350B Elite 4-in-1 Air Purifier with True HEPA Filter.

Hamilton Beach TrueAir

It features a Permanent HEPA-grade filter that removes airborne allergens and only requires vacuuming for maintenance. The Hamilton Beach True Air 3 has ultra-quiet speed settings, and is great for small spaces. This purifier has a variation for pets that features zeolite technology which effectively eliminates pet odors.

Honeywell True HEPA Allergen Remover

In case you have a large room (465 sq. feet) this is definitely the product for you. The HEPA filter circulates air in the room five times per hour when used in the recommended room size. It cleans the air on four fronts: germ, general clean, allergen and turbo.

For smaller air purifiers from the brand, check out the Honeywell 50255B True HEPA Allergen Remover Air Purifier or the Honeywell HPA204.

Levoit LV-H132 Air Purifier

Levoit 3-in-1 features three stages of filtration: fine preliminary, true HEPA, and activated carbon filters. It has a unique design that fits smaller rooms, including office cubicles. The Levoit H132 is completely ozone-free, making it safe for the environment.

It removes 99.97% of dust, pollen, smoke, odor, mold spores, and pet dander. It also filters particles as small as 0.3 microns and larger, and filters air pollution of PM 2.5.

Coway AP-1512HH

The Coway air purifier is ideal for large places (528 sq. feet). It has a HEPA efficiency rating of 99.97%, and uses a four-stage filtration system. Eco mode automatically detects pollutants and shuts off to save energy.