5 Things to Consider When Buying an Air Purifier

Because energy-efficient homes trap contaminants inside, your indoor air is often much more polluted than the air outside. A quality air purifier will provide your home or office with clean, healthy air. Consider the follow questions when shopping for the best air purifier for your needs.

1. Why do I need an air purifier?

First, consider your indoor air quality needs. If you have allergies, you should choose an air purifier designed for allergy relief. These units feature HEPA filters, which are proven to eliminate over 99% of common airborne allergen particles sized at 0.3 microns and larger.

If you suffer from asthma, or if your symptoms are triggered by odor and chemical pollutants, you'll want to consider an asthma air purifier or an air purifier that removes odor and chemical traces. These units contain activated carbon filters to absorb odors as well as HEPA filters for allergen removal. (Note: Avoid air purifiers that generate ozone, as ozone may trigger asthma attacks.)

For those who are extremely sensitive to multiple chemicals, we offer air purifiers for multiple chemical sensitivities (MCS). These units contain even more activated carbon and are often manufactured with inert materials that will not off-gas chemicals into the air.

Smoke air purifiers are specifically designed to remove smoke, soot, and other associated odors.

2. Where will I place my air purifier?

In most situations, we recommend that you place your air purifier in your bedroom since that's where you spend most of your time. Keep in mind that air purifiers are designed to purify the air in one room only, so you may need to invest in additional units for other rooms. Alternatively, you can choose a unit that includes caster wheels and other portability features to make it easier to move it from room to room.

To select the right size air cleaner, you must consider how many air changes per hour (ACH) you want in a given room. We recommend 5 to 6 ACH for healthy air.

CFM stands for "cubic feet per minute." A CFM rating tells you how much air passes through the air purifier every minute, and this figure will allow you to choose the right size unit. To find your ideal CFM rating, calculate the total volume of the room (length x width x height in cubic feet), and divide this number by your desired ACH.

3. How much maintenance will I have to perform?

You must replace filters on time to maintain a unit's efficiency. With HEPA air purifiers, you'll need to change the filters periodically, every 3 to 5 years in most cases. Activated carbon filters must be replaced more frequently, generally every 6 months to a year. Most units also have pre-filters that will need to be replaced from time to time. When shopping for an air purifier, take the cost of filter replacements into consideration.

Electrostatic air purifiers collect allergens and other particles on metal plates — so there's no need to replace filters. However, you must clean the plates regularly — typically once a week — for the air cleaner to work properly. Some electrostatic units feature dishwasher-safe plates.

4. Is noise level a concern?

All air purifiers produce some noise. If you're concerned about the noise level, look for the unit's decibel (dB) rating listed in the product specifications. This measurement will allow you to compare the noise level to that of other appliances, such as a fan or a refrigerator. In general, electrostatic air purifiers are quieter than HEPA air purifiers.

5. Do I require any special features?

Some customers require special features such as caster wheels or handles for easy mobility, digital controls, remote controls, multiple fan speeds, filter change indicators, and/or programmable timers. These features add convenience to operation and give you greater control over your air purifier's performance.