You are dedicated to improving the indoor air quality around your home. You are also aware of certain steps which must be taken to reduce the amount of allergens and particles in the air. Two of these steps, source control and ventilation have probably already been taken care of. Next comes the use of an air purifier. But how do you go about finding the best personal air purifier for your use? If you are not sure what to look for, this can be confusing.
Understanding Air Cleaners
Once you understand the basic types of air cleaners and how they work finding the best personal air purifier will be much easier. Proper research and information from organizations such as the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers which review and annually certify air purifiers makes it simple to compare different models and manufacturers.
Types of Air Purifiers
There are five types of air purifiers available:
1. Ozone Air Purifiers - these release small amounts of ozone into the air to reduce pollutants.
2. Electrostatic Air Purifiers - these use static electricity which draws particles into the filters within the unit.
3. Electrostatic Precipitators - these are similar to Electrostatic purifiers except there are no filters to throw out. These use metal plates which attract particles to them. When the plates are coated, you simply remove and rinse them to clean.
4. Ionizers - these release magnetic charges into the air causing particles to stick to the filters
5. HEPA filters - these are designed to remove over 99% of pollutants as they pass through the filter. Lack of moisture kills trapped germs which is why these are mainly used in operating rooms and electronic labs.
Any one of these units can be the best personal air purifier depending on the situation. You can also get more than one type and combine their use.
Will it Work?
There are ratings which have been developed to help compare brands and styles of air purifiers. Two things to look for whenever shopping for the best personal air purifier are:
1. MERV - Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value; this is the rating system developed by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers. The higher MERV the better the filter.
2. CADR - Clean Air Delivery Rate; this helps you figure the amount of clean air in a room. There are 29 manufacturers which list this number on their models for comparison.
Cost
Cost issues are part of finding the best personal air purifier. Many cost factors figure into this.
1. Purchase price - this does not always match the quality of the device.
2. Operating cost - how much does it take to run, filter replacement cost and cleaning included.
3. Extras - such things as programmable ozone monitors are available.
A review of personal air purifiers will allow you to find which product is best suitable for your specific needs.