As the world re-opens during the COVID-19 pandemic, people are rightfully concerned about their health. At the same time, others fear they’re getting scammed into buying products they don’t need. Air purifiers have been at the center of this conversation. As an air quality expert - I’ve been researching and writing about air purifiers for more than 8 years - I’d like to weigh in.
Air Purifiers: How to Find the Right One for You
Air purifiers are not hoaxes. They aren’t a waste of money, especially when they’re used properly. Articles about overblown claims by air purifiers (KHN.org) have been circulating on social media. In a "headline culture", these articles concern me. It’s not that I don’t understand the concern: Unfortunately internet scamming is common in today’s online world. 
My concern is people will see headlines about being scammed and think air purifiers don’t provide real benefits. That can’t be further from the truth.
Air Purifier Manufacturer Claims
Select air purifier manufacturers offer misleading claims on their marketing materials. At Sylvane, where I gained this suddenly news-worthy air quality knowledge, we’ve understood this for years. It’s not news to us. We created our own system to help customers find an air purifier that will help them. We review product specs and use our own formula to determine each air purifier's best use. 
How to Avoid Air Purifier Scams
There are two easy ways to avoid air purifier scammers and still protect your family against dangerous viruses and airborne particles:
- Read the specs: Even the best marketing gurus can’t spin certain numbers. It’s important to read specs like the number of CFM (or cubic feet per minute). It shows how much air moves through an air purifier per minute. The higher the CFM, the more air is moved and the larger room an air purifier can cover.
- Buy your air purifier from a company you trust: Buy from a company that helps you find the right product for you.
Coverage Area
At Sylvane, we use our own formula to determine the coverage area. You’ll notice our website coverage areas may not match other sites. That's because we use data to determine how many square feet an air purifier covers when replacing all the air in a room 4 times in 1 hour.
How’d we end up on 4 times per hour? Air needs to be replaced in a room at least 4 times per hour to maximize results. This will keep your room clear of dust, allergens and other airborne particles. The sites claiming overly large coverage areas are likely only using 1 air change per hour - not nearly enough to see real results. If you buy an air purifier from Sylvane, you can trust it will actually cover the amount of space we claim. We work hard to figure this out for every air purifier we carry, but we think it’s important to help customers find the right product for them.
Other Air Purifier Considerations
- Look for pictures of the included air filters. Some models, from brands like Austin Air, come with heavy duty air filters while others come with flimsy filters that won’t last. Plus, some filters work better on specific particles than others. For example, carbon is great for smoke and odors but won’t trap the tiniest of airborne particles like true HEPA filters will.
- You’ll likely get what you pay for. That doesn’t mean purchase the most expensive one, but air purification technology and filtration aren't cheap. Expect to spend a few hundred dollars (at least) for a true HEPA air purifier. Note: Price will vary based on filtration level and coverage area.
- Replace your air filters. Most filters only need to be replaced once every 6 months to 1 year - so it’s not too often.
Now What?
If you want to remove unhealthy particles from your air, an air purifier really is the best way to do it. Sylvane has a team of experts to help you find the right one for you. You can:
- Use our website to shop air purifiers.
- Call one of our product experts directly at 1-800-934-9194. We're happy to guide you in the right direction.
I hope this helps you find the right air purifier for you and your family. These are uncertain times, but the right air purifier will help keep your home full of healthy, clean air.
