Air Purifier Buying Guide – How To Choose The Right Purifier?
There are many decisions and doubts when buying an air purifier. You are probably not sure which air purifier to choose. Browsing and reading various reviews only makes you more confused. That is why we have decided to help you and make air purifier buying guide.
Energy-efficient homes trap contaminants inside. Your indoor air is often much more polluted than the air outside. An air purifier will help create cleaner, healthier air in your home or office.
Americans spend an approximately $250 million a year for purchasing air purifiers for their homes. Because energy-efficient homes trap contaminants inside, your indoor air is often much more polluted than the air outside.
Air purifiers are used for getting rid of different various airborne particles like dust, mold, pollen, pet dander, odors, smoke…..
When put in a room and turned on air purifiers will clean all those particles providing fresher, cleaner air.
There are especially recommended if you or someone in your family have problems with asthma or allergies. Some air purifiers are told even to kill bacteria and viruses, but I wouldn’t rely much on that. It is usually just a sales pitch.
Air Purifier Buying Guide
The first step should be that you know what are you looking for from air purifier. There are many kinds of filters which purifiers use, various speed settings, some are quit while some loud, etc.
All air purifiers use filters. Some filters only need to be washed every few months and are called permanent filters. Using air purifiers with permanent filters will save you money as replacement filter is not necessary.
Others use filters which will be required to be replaced from time to time. If the filter needs to be replaced every few months, look at the replacement filter price. If that is the price you can’t afford to give every year or two, then look for the cheaper option.
When looking for an air purifier, it is recommended to search for ones with HEPA filters. Although HEPA filters are expensive, these are considered to be the best performing.
If you are picking purifier with HEPA filter, it is wise to choose one with True HEPA filter. True HEPA filters catch airborne particles in size up to 0.03 microns while usual HEPA filter catches only in size more than 0.3 microns.
Once you have researched some different air purifiers and narrowed down your decision, you may still find that you have many different purchase options.
What Are Factors to Consider When Buying Air Purifier?
These factors may be substantial. Not all will apply to everyone. It depends on what someone is searching for:
- Quit even on high setting
- Affordable price
- Permanent or replacement filter
- Which and how many filters it uses
- Can it remove odors and airborne particles
- Will it help with asthma and allergies
- Does it meet HEPA standard
- Does it uses ionic technology
- Is it intended for small or larger spaces
Because every family’s indoor air quality needs are different, there is no single air purifier considered the best for every home.
The average person only needs a minimal amount of air purification to breathe easily at home.
Individuals who have asthma or respiratory allergies, however, need cleaner air to stave off their symptoms.
Young children and seniors are also more susceptible to the health issues that come with poor air quality; thus, a more powerful air purifier can have a significant impact on their quality of life.
Be careful when choosing HEPA style purifier. So-called HEPA-type, HEPA-like or HEPA-style systems. These machines may still be very effective cleaners, but they don’t meet the 99.7 percent HEPA standard like True HEPA does.
Some types of air purifiers use ionic technology which is on bad voice as it can damage lungs. Ozone generators are particularly controversial because ozone is a potentially toxic gas.
Air cleaner (air purifiers – it is the same) are pretty quiet while working and can be left to work all day.
Most of them produce so-called “white noise” which is barely heard and can even help get you to sleep. Some air cleaners on higher settings may produce more noise.
Of course, there’s the matter of cost. As might be expected, more powerful air purifiers also tend to be more expensive.
Purifiers for smaller spaces are often cheaper while those for larger rooms are costly. The average family does not need 99.7 percent contaminant removal to be comfortable at home.
For families with intense allergy sufferers, though, more power may be well worth the cost.
5 Questions You Should Ask Yourself Before Buying Air Purifier
Why do I need an air purifier?
These units feature HEPA filters or High-EfficiencyParticulate Air filters, which are proven to eliminate 99.97% of common airborne allergen particles sized at 0.3 microns and larger. These include pollen, dust, dust mites, mold spores, ragweed and pet dander.
Not sure which air purifiers to choose? We have done research for you. Check out best rated air cleaners
HEPA air purifiers are also widely regarded as the most effective air purifiers on the market.
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 odor and chemical air purifier.
These air purifiers contain activated carbon filters to absorb odors as well as HEPA filters for allergen removal.
Smoke air purifiers are specifically designed to remove smoke, fireplace soot and other associated fumes that could aggravate existing respiratory conditions or cause unpleasant odors in your environment.
Where will I place my air purifier?
Keep in mind that portable air purifiers are designed primarily 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.
As another option, whole house air purifiers are becoming popular choices for clean air in every room of your home. These units connect to your home’s existing HVAC system to purify your indoors as you heat, cool or ventilate your home.
To select the right size air cleaner for your space, calculate the square footage of your room by measuring the length and width of your room in feet and multiplying those two numbers together.
Then, find an air purifier with a square foot coverage range that matches your room’s square footage.
Most manufacturers will list their air purifiers’ square foot ranges in the product specifications.
How much maintenance will I have to perform?
Depending on how many air purifier filters your unit uses, you might need to change them at different times.
For example, your air purifier’s HEPA filter might last approximately one year while its activated carbon filter lasts six months and its pre-filter (if equipped) lasts three months.
When shopping for an air purifier, be sure to take the cost and frequency of future filter replacements into consideration. The typical filter life of all included filters is often listed in the product specifications.
Some air purifiers, like Winix air purifiers, use one combination filter as the only filter that needs to be replaced.
Also, other types of air purifiers, such as our AirFree air sterilizers and Germ Guardian air sanitizers, use heat or ultraviolet light to purify your air and kill germs and allergens.
These units never need filter replacements for your convenience.
Is noise level a concern?
This measurement will allow you to compare the noise level to that of other appliances, such as a fan or a refrigerator.
Do I need any special features?
Added features may include caster wheels, handles for easy mobility, digital controls, remote controls, multiple fan speeds, filter change indicators, programmable timers, air quality sensors, and more.
These features add convenience to the operation and give you greater control over your air purifier’s performance.
Air Purifier Buying Guide Final Words
Picking the right Air Purifier is not an easy task. Plenty of reading and researching, a lot of comparing specifications and prices, reading reviews and buyers testimonials…. If you are not sure which Air Purifier would be best for your needs, feel free to contact us.
Just let us know which attributes are you looking for in air purifier, price range, room size, your country, and we will do the research for you. After research, we will send you an email with recommended air purifiers per your instructions!