5 Common Myths about Air Purifiers

There are many misconceptions on the understanding of air purifiers and how it works. Not every air purifiers in the market is good and the important thing is to get one that suits your needs. A lot of marketing materials in the market will try to convince you that theirs is the best.

So we need to do some study before making a decision. In this article, I would like to address some of the myths regarding air purifiers that people often misunderstand. This is so that you will be able to make a better understanding and also make a better choice in selecting the best air purifier for your household.

Myth 1: Air purifier’s sizes are all the same

Air purifiers come in different shapes and sizes depending on the design and its function. There is a measurement known as Clean Air Delivery Rate (CADR). This rating is a measurement of the ability of the air purifier to filter air in cubic feet per minute. The higher the rating indicates that it is more effective.

CADR measurement is different for each type of pollutant, hence, you will notice one model will have multiple CADR ratings depending on the types of pollutant. In order to choose the right unit, you need to know the types of pollutant that is the main issue to you. For example, if pollen is the main pollutant that affects you the most while smoke is secondary. Then you should look for a model that has the highest CADR rating on pollen then only followed by smoke and other pollutants.

Besides that, all air purifier models have recommended room size to be used on. Certain models is only efficient in filtering air in a small-sized room. While some models works well in a large-sized room. Therefore, you may need to know the size of the room that you want to place the air purifier so that you can buy the right one for optimum coverage.

Myth 2: HEPA filter, HEPA-like filter and normal filter

High Efficiency Particulate Filter or commonly known as HEPA filter is a high performance filter that can effectively trap 99.97% of particulates as small as 0.3 micron. HEPA filter is the most effective filter in trapping particles but due to the high density and tightly woven filter, it requires strong amount of air pressure to pull the air into the filter.

HEPA-like filter works almost similar to HEPA filter however it is less effective because it does not follow the same testing standards as HEPA filter when produced. Regular filters effective trap particles for sizes ranging from 0.3 to 10 microns. It is a relatively cheaper filter.

Many models that use normal filter can be placed permanently in the device and can be cleaned through washing or wiping. On the other hand, HEPA filter or HEPA-like filter cannot be washed and need to be changed every 6 to 8 months.

Myth 3: All air purifiers can eliminate odor

Only air purifiers that has a filter made from activated carbon has the ability to absorb odor effectively. It is made from charcoal treated with oxygen. It contains many little pores which functions to absorb odor in forms of gases and liquids. In air purifiers, activated carbon filter is the first layer of filtering system that absorbs smoke and volatile chemicals from the air before passing through HEPA filter.

This level of filtration filters out larger particles, before the air passes through HEPA filter thus making HEPA filter to filter more effectively and also last longer. Similar to HEPA filter, activated carbon filter will lose its effectiveness when the pores are filled with contaminants will therefore require replacement from time to time.

Myth 4: You do not need to clean house when you have an air purifier

Air purifiers can filter much of the particles including dusts, pet dander, and pollens from the air. However it doesn’t mean that you no longer have to clean your room. It is effective in reducing the amount of dust in the room but does not completely eliminate it.

Dust will settle on the furniture or floor which may not pass through air filtering, hence it will be accumulated. Perhaps you can reduce the frequency of cleaning but it is still necessary to ensure good hygiene in the house.

Myth 5: You do not need to open doors or windows with air purifiers

Air purifiers are effective in circulating air and provides better ventilation; however, we still need to get fresh air from the outside. Indoor air that are trapped and recirculate may be losing essential gasses such as oxygen. Lack of oxygen in the air will cause symptoms such as nausea and increased heart rate. So always have some opening in the room to allow fresh air from the outside to come replace the stale air indoors.