Buy Air Purifiers That Really Work

Types of Air Purifiers

and how they perform against the most harmful pollutants

• Filters & HEPA
• Ionics & Ozone
• UV & Photocatalytic
• Activated carbon

Knowing the abilities and limitations of different types of air purifiers lets you reject poor performers and focus on the best air purifier for your needs.

To help you get closer to a satisfying choice let's examine the most common types of air purifiers and rate how they perform against the most harmful pollutants in your air.

Air Purifiers with Generic Filters

On the positive side these air cleaners can filter large amounts of air quickly.

On the negative side they may not clean to the standard you desire.

Why? Because their air cleaning efficiency is often no greater than 50%.

Air purifiers using filters without a certified performance rating may be completely unable to collect the sub-micron to 2.5 micron particles that most seriously affect your health. Even larger particles up to 10 microns, like pollen, may not be removed effectively.

Short filter life is also common. The greatest scam on the market is to sell cheap air purifiers and bilk customers later with costly filter replacements.

HEPA Filter Air Purifiers - Verified, Guaranteed Performance

A common misconception is that HEPA filters perform less well with smaller particles. In reality, HEPA filter efficiency is higher with smaller particle sizes.

What many are unaware of is a law of particle motion called Brownian diffusion. This effect prevents particles smaller than 0.3 micron from escaping the HEPA filter, enabling it to capture even bacteria and viruses.

It was due to this incredible filtration efficiency that the Hong Kong Hospital Authority chose HEPA based air purifiers to control the spread of SARS virus in their hospitals.

The clear superiority of HEPA filters leads some manufacturers to hype their products by advertising so-called HEPA Type filters. These often fall far short of the HEPA standard, so use caution when considering home air purifiers that don't use true HEPA filters.

HEPA filters may last two to five years. Thus, your actual cost for exceptionally clean air may be quite low in comparison to generic air purifiers that require filter replacement every few months.

Ionic Air Purifiers - Not Recommended

Particle collection efficiency tends to be no greater than 80%. Studies show efficiency can dwindle to as little as 20% in as few as three days as collector plates load with particles.

Regular cleaning of collector plates is a must for continued performance. Many owners complain it is difficult cleaning closely spaced collectors.

Air ionizers that do not use collector plates present other problems. Charged particles cling to any nearby surface. This is called "black wall effect". The EPA warns these charged particles may deposit in the lungs. This makes such air cleaners a health threat.

These types of air purifiers are often praised for being silent. This is a marketing ploy designed to present as an advantage the fact that they move very little air.

Ionic air purifiers also produce ozone which is lung damaging and elevates sensitivity to allergens and irritants. This is the last thing anyone with respiratory problems should be exposed to.

Gas and Odor Air Purifiers - Good Additional Protection

The most effective gas filtration technology is activated carbon. It removes up to 60% of its own weight in chemicals.

A deep bed of activated carbon is best. That is why high quality air purifiers include many pounds of activated carbon.

Thin activated carbon pads are practically worthless. They cannot supply the "dwell time" needed for pollutants to remain in contact with the carbon. Without sufficient dwell time few pollutants are removed.

Rather than a competing technology, gas filtration is considered complementary to HEPA air purification. Combined with HEPA air filters it creates the most effective home air purifiers available.

Ozone Air Purifiers - Reject Completely

These byproducts can be more dangerous than the original pollutants.

Ozone cannot distinguish what is and is not a pollutant. It reacts with almost anything it contacts, degrading materials and creating additional pollutants.

Supporters claim ozone kills bacteria but deny it kills cells in your airway. They reject all scientific evidence and warnings that ozone is harmful.

Sellers of ozone air purifiers are perpetrating a fraud. They get away with it in the US because no federal agency has authority to regulate these products. On the state level, California has enacted restrictions and public warnings.

An ozone air purifier is ineffective and exposes you to danger.

Conclusions About Home Air Purifiers

I cannot overemphasize how important this is. I face MCS, allergy and asthma daily in my family. Finding the best home air purifier was a necessity.

I proved to myself that HEPA air purifiers combined with large capacity actvated carbon chemical removal was best for my own needs.

If you also contend with mild to severe breathing problems, I believe you'll find a HEPA air purifier helps you most of all. For a list of air purifiers I highly recommend check out these top ten air purifiers.

Now that you know more about the potential for health benefits of various air purifiers, I invite you to consider - Why the best air purifier needs HEPA.

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CPSC guide to indoor air quality	American Lung Association guide to air purifiers