Air purification is something we often tend to overlook in our everyday lives.
The human eyes can only see particles of significant sizes. Micro-contaminants and allergens often go unnoticed from our vision. This psychologically makes us take the air we breathe for granted, considering it to be safe for respiration. However, it is false.
Starting from your television remote and window screens to fans and other devices, an average room is filled with contaminants, pollutants, pollens, dust, allergens, and more. It gives rise to the need for air purifiers, which play an immense role in keeping your room or household as pure as possible. The basic role of an air purifier is to attract such invisible contaminants and filter them out. The technology is designed in such a way that the minutest of allergens and contaminants are detected and their presence is eliminated to a significant extent.
Todays air purifiers are compact and are perfect for your office spaces, living rooms, bedrooms, and other places in which you usually spend a major part of your time in. Talking about spending time indoors brings us to another important concept, discussed below, in detail.
Indoor Air Pollution as a Health Risk
Air pollution is one of the major causes of health issues today, and it also includes indoor air pollution. Even when you are at home, you are breathing polluted air that is contaminated by several microorganisms and foreign particles invisible to the naked eye. An instance of an immediate consequence of breathing polluted air is the moment you sneeze or cough when cleaning up an old briefcase from the attic. The coughing or sneezing is your bodys defense mechanism against the particle that attempted to enter your body through the respiratory tract.
Not just this, your respiratory system is further prone to and can be damaged by the following
1. Unclean or dusty rooms.
2. Fungi including mold spores arising out of unclean objects.
3. Smoking both active and passive.
4. Emissions from old components and spare parts of heating, ventilation, or air conditioners.
5. Chemicals from solvents, pesticides, paints, aerosols, and adhesives.
If you take a moment to think, all these elements are not something you will find in industries or in massive manufacturing units.
Consequences of Breathing Polluted Air
The human respiratory system works in a way such that, your diaphragm tightens when you inhale and loosens up when you breathe out, taking in oxygen and releasing carbon dioxide, respectively. When you breathe in impure air with invisible foreign particles, it is at that very moment that you kickstart complications in your respiratory tract. Ailments such as bronchitis, asthma, and more, that sometimes become lethal, develop due to the inhaling of unclean air.
Apart from damaging the respiratory tract, Air Pollution has serious consequences on other vital organs as well:
1. It shortens our lifespan.
2. Increases the chances of cardiovascular and respiratory diseases.
3. Damages cells in our respiratory system.
4. Adds stress to our heart and lungs, because of which the heart has to pump harder to maintain consistent volumes of blood and oxygen.
5. Reduces lung capacity.
6. Onset of chronic ailments like bronchitis, asthma, emphysema, and even cancer become a possibility.
How Does an Air Purifier Work? The purpose of an air purifier is simple to make the air as unadulterated as possible by absorbing any foreign particles or chemicals that pollute it, and make it suitable for breathing. To understand how air purifiers work, you need to know about micron which is nothing but the standard unit of measurement of particles. As far as the human eye is concerned, it cannot detect particles which are less than 10 microns, and air carries with it particles less than 0.2 microns.
To ensure that you breathe pure air, air purifiers are fitted with what is known as High-Efficiency Particulate Air filters (HEPA), which are fixed in the form of sieves inside the purifiers. The finer the sieves are, the purer the resulting air. Todays air conditioners are designed to capture airborne foreign particles as small as 0.3 microns and the high-efficiency particulate air filters ensure that the air you breathe is 99.97% pure.
Additionally, todays air purifiers come with an incremental component called the ultraviolet light system that captures bacteria, fungi, and even viruses and protects the air from possible contamination. Apart from the HEPA filters, another technology commonly deployed by air purifier manufacturers is the electrostatic precipitating cleansers, which work on the simple principle of attracting particles and charging them over a range of high-voltage cables. The precipitating cleansers carry charges opposite to that of the particles and efficiently attract them as they traverse through the plates. The major advantage of this technology is that the cost of servicing it is very less when compared to the comparatively expensive HEPA filters the technology uses. However, this technology ends up creating ozone, which is a major shortcoming.
Air Purifiers FAQs
1. Are air purifiers safe to use? The primary role of an air purifier is to absorb or filter contaminants from the air and make it more suitable and purer to breathe. Air purifiers are entirely safe to use.
2. How long does it take for an air purifier to work? It depends on the size of the room. If you place an air purifier designed for a room of the size 750 sq ft in a room of 375 square feet, it will make the air uncontaminated by 95% in under 60 minutes. If you are planning to run the air purifier for the first time in a room, consider running it at its highest speeds for a time anywhere between 45 to 120 minutes.
3. Can you run an air purifier all the time? Yes, you can. Though it takes an average of 60 minutes to purify the air in your room, the air remains suitable for breathing and unpolluted only when the machine is at work. So, you can run it all the time when you are at home.
4. Do air purifiers use a lot of energy? Todays air purifiers are energy efficient and designed keeping in mind the modern consumer. The purifiers consume approximately 50 to 200 watts of power. Comparatively, an air purifier uses less than the extremities of a lamp and a computer.
5. Do air purifiers work for dust? They work for dust and most other invisible contaminants that seep into your home. Air purifiers filter the airborne particles and make it more suitable for breathing.
How to Choose an Air Purifier? Since air purifiers are directly related to our health and wellbeing, additional care should be given to its purchase. If you have never bought an air purifier before or chose the wrong one last time, consider the following points to make an informed decision.
1. Features
One of the basic factors to consider is the range of features your air purifier offers. When buying, look for the technology used take pointers from the ones we have mentioned options like programmable timers, so you dont have to wake up to turn it on or off, remote controllers, sensors for air pollutants, ionizer, carrying handle, and more. Also, check if the filters can be detached and washed.
2. Efficiency or Performance
When it comes to air purifiers, efficiency is synonymous to the effectiveness of its functionality. There are air purifiers in the market that promise to remove contaminants and allergens on the label but on functionality, they only end up eliminating dust and comparatively bigger foreign particles. Symptoms of asthma and headache still persist amidst customers who bought the air purifiers with the purpose of eliminating them in the first place. That is why the air purifier you intend to buy should be efficient enough to take charge of what it claims to do in its functionality. Similarly, if a model claims over 2,000 hours of lifespan for its filter until its next replacement, efficiency should guarantee its proper functioning until then too. You can gauge the efficiency of an air purifier through online reviews and opinions from retailers and experts.
3. Size, Style, and Placement
Size is a major criterion for the purchase of air purifiers. Considering that we move from one room to another frequently, it becomes important that your air purifier is compact and portable enough to be carried across rooms. The style and placement also matters as it would act as a home décor item as well. If you are keeping it in a room that has kids, it should be placed in a place unreachable by the kids, and if you are putting it in a room for the elderly people, it should be appropriately placed for them to be able to operate it.
4. Cost
Cost, we would say, should be the last thing you consider while buying an air purifier. As we mentioned earlier, air purifiers work on promoting a healthier lifestyle and offer a better breathing space. So, it is more of an investment you put in for good health. The only factor to consider here could be the expenses involved in the replacement of filters, which depend on diverse brands. Do look out for that when buying one.
5. Warranty
There are some brands that promise a substantial lifespan, but two weeks down the line, all you remember is taking it to a service center. Being an electrical appliance, we cannot always be sure of its lifespan. So, go for a brand that offers the longest warranty period and pay attention to the inclusion of free replacement or service.
Models
Now that we have discussed the factors to consider while buying an air purifier, check out our list of recommendations for you. These are handpicked considering all the factors mentioned above so you can purchase your preferred model.
Air Touch I8 Air Purifier Honeywell
Compact and highly efficient, the air purifier from Honeywell works on HEPA and HiSiv technologies to cleanse air from all probable contaminants and make it perfectly suitable for breathing.
Best for - People who suffer from frequent headaches, asthma, and allergies.
Air Touch Air Purifier Honeywell
This model works on a 3D airflow design that promises enhanced air suction and zero blind angles for complete air purification. It also offers a long filter life that works for over 3,000 hours guaranteed. With low-noise and automatic modes, it features the best of convenience as well.
Best for - Mitigating frequent headaches, asthma attacks, allergies, and respiratory complications that arise because of impure air.
One of the best features that sets this model apart from the others is the fact that it operates on a multi-layered filtration system that includes a pre-filter, a HEPA filter, and an activated carbon filter. This comprehensive technology simply ensures you a good life and a healthy respiratory tract by making the air as pure as possible. It also offers a runtime of over 4,000 hours.
Best for - People who are looking for a user-friendly Air Purifier for indoor usage
Non-Electric Air Purifier For Car, Bathroom, Kitchen - 200 Grams - Dr. CHARCOAL
One of the most organic air purifiers out there, it does not depend on electricity for air purification. With charcoals, the air purifier is eco-friendly and is optimum for removal of bad odor, pollutants, moisture, and allergens. Keep it in your wardrobe, office cabin, living room, or in refrigerators. It lasts for over a year.
Best for - People who are looking for organic air purifiers.
Non-Electric Air Purifier For Bedroom, Living Room, Pet Areas - 500 Grams - Dr. CHARCOAL
A beefed up version of the previous model; it comes with 500 grams of charcoal with a long-lasting shelf life. It is completely non-toxic and removes bad odour, moisture, mold, allergens, and pollutants.
Best for - People who are looking for organic air purifiers with a long shelf life.
Non-Electric Air Purifier For Wardrobe, Shoe Rack, Fridge - 75 Grams - Dr. CHARCOAL
If you are on the lookout for a more compact and portable air purifier, this is the one that will fit your bill. Perfect for keeping in bags that you frequently carry such as office and gym bags, shoe racks, wardrobes, refrigerators, and more, this will purify your space from possible allergens and pollutants wherever you are.
Best for - People who are looking for portable, organic purifiers.
One of the most state-of-the-art air purifiers in the market today that offers features like wireless connectivity! Thanks to this, you can now operate your air purifier remotely and get real-time details on air pollution levels and filter indications on its tailored smartphone app. Apart from filtering objects less than 0.3 microns, it also filters pollens for added purification. It is also eco-friendly as it doesnt emit byproducts like ozone during or after its operation.
Best for - People who are looking for more convenient and environment-friendly options.
Eco-friendly, low-noise producing, low consumption of electricity, compact and multi-layered filtering technology are some of the basic features this air purifier offers. Besides that, it is sleek with touch panels, includes a pre-filter that is washable and a high-efficiency filter that is patented. With over 3,000 hours of functionality, this is as optimum as it gets.
Best For - People who are looking for user-friendly and environment-friendly air purifier for indoor usage.
Guaranteeing a filtration technique that takes out over 99% of allergens, pollutants, and particles, this is the air purifier that every household deserves. Be it its eco-friendly features or a sleek design, it takes benchmarking standards up a notch with its functionality and aesthetics.
Best For - Families that have infants and elderly people and require optimum air purification.
By now, the importance of breathing pure air and the inevitable role air purifiers play in our lives, is clear. Apart from offering good health, air purifiers also help in eliminating paranoia from our minds about breathing unhygienic air. That is why we have made it convenient for you to instantly buy a model that you feel is preferable. Depending on your budget and other factors we have shed light on, choose an air purifier today and make way for a better and healthier lifestyle this year.
