How to Choose the best Air Purifier
With air pollution touching new highs in Delhi and PM2.5 (Particulate
matter less than 2.5 microns in size that can penetrate the lungs and cause
damage ) levels almost at hazardous levels and normal surgical masks
being useless against pollution;getting an air purifier at your home and
office is no more a luxury or a fad .
Indoor pollutants are generally the ones that cause more
harm since that is where we spend the chunk of our time. Read more about indoor
pollution here.
Air purifiers are devices that clean the indoor air by
removing suspended impurities such as dust particles, pollen, smoke and other airborne allergens. They help in providing less contaminated air, though many
companies also claim that their purifiers reduce allergic reactions and asthma
attacks. Air purifiers cost anywhere between INR 5,000 to INR 95,000.
Common Contaminants in the Indoor air
Pollen - (Average size 5-100 microns) - Having a green cover
near your house is great for photography and brochures but God forbid if you
are allergic to pollen or have too many indoor plants then you might need to
consider an air purifier that reduces the pollen levels in the air .
Dust and dust mites – (Average size 0.5-50 microns) – Every
house has dust and indoor dust particularly houses dust mites that are known allergens.
Pet Dander - (Average size 0.5-100 microns) – If you have a
pawed friend or a winged companion and frequently suffer from allergies, you
might need to consider an air purifier to get rid of pet dander and mites.
Molds - (Average size 2-20 microns) - Molds and fungus
usually thrive in damp and dark places.
Smoke and VOC – Even if you are not a smoker, kitchen fumes
and chemical odors from floor cleaners, deodorants ,stationary etc. can cause
breathlessness and you might need to consider this while buying a purifier.
Bacteria and Virus – (0.35-10 microns) - These are
omnipresent.
P oints
to Remember when buying an Air Purifier
Coverage area – You need to consider the size of
your room or office to select a purifier just like an air conditioner.While selecting do consider the area of the space that needs to be purified .Most affordable room purifiers cover an area of 200-350 sq feet but if you need a purifier for a larger area then you shall need to choose your air purifier accordingly .
Filter Type - It is important to consider the kind of filtration your office or home will need before zeroing on one product .
1.Activated carbon Filter- Activated
Carbon filters have small absorbent pores that chemically react to pollutants
as they pass through the filter. effective at clearing smoke, odors, chemicals
and even gases from the air, rarely used as stand-alone filters , mostly used
in combination with other filters.
2.HEPA Filters -HEPA (High Efficiency
Particulate Air or high-efficiency particulate arresting) filters work by
pulling or pushing the air through a filter screen that catches these
contaminants. A HEPA filter can trap 99.97% of all household airborne particles
as small as 0.3 microns in size and 95% of minute particles down to 0.1 micron.
HEPA air filters are the most recommended and useful for removing dust, pollen,
mold and spores, though they are not very effective in removing VOC, smoke,
odors and bacteria.
3.Ionizer Filters – Its a device that uses high voltage to ionize or
electrically charge air molecules. Once a particle is charged, it will be
attracted to anything with the opposite charge. Two metal plates within the
purifier are charged (one negative, one positive) to attract these particles.
Also, particles in the air will be drawn to each other if they have opposite
charges. Once attracted to each other these particles clump together, get
heavier and eventually they settle out of the air. They are very quiet compared
to most HEPA machines. There are two major subdivisions: the fan less ionizer
and fan-based ionizer. Fan less ionizer is noiseless and use little power, but
are less efficient at air purification. Fan-based ionizers clean and distribute
air much faster. Ozone may be produced in minimal quantities. The Ionizing
filter effectively removes dust, pollen smoke and bacteria.
4. Photo Catalyst Oxidation Filter – It uses short-wave ultraviolet light (UVC), commonly used for sterilization, to energize the catalyst (usually titanium dioxide (TiO2) and oxidize bacteria and viruses, effective on VOCs.
Portability – Room filters can be fixed to the
wall or can be portable .Choose as per your requirement.
Clean
Air delivery rate ( CADR) – It determines how well the ambient air has been purified, if the
purification process is very slow then the purifier is not going to help much . A CADR rate of 300 MCH is considered good enough .
Energy usage - While most units do not consume much energy in terms of wattage ,it does not harm to do a comparative check .
Noise levels - Some units are prone to make more noise which may be disturbing so this needs to be factored in .Some manufacturers specify and some do not specify the decibel levels.
Display
to show Air Quality index (AQI ) - This warns about when it is time to change the filters .
Great post. What do you think of pollution masks?
ReplyDeleteThanks!The N 95 approved masks are good enough for outdoors.
DeleteGood job, very informative for a noob like me will certainly help for deciding an optimum purifier for my home.
ReplyDeleteReally glad that you liked it Rajeev!
Deletevery nice, thanks for sharing with us.
ReplyDeleteHappy to be of help Kalaa Shree !
DeleteGreat information on indoor pollution. Very timely too.👍🏼
ReplyDeleteThank you Bushra!I was driven to do the market research because of the current toxic condition in Delhi.
DeleteThe other day a salesman did try to convince me in buying air purifier for home. You do make make valid points.
ReplyDeleteWell, I am no salesman here ,but in case you live in a place that has hazardous levels of air pollution then this guide might help you .
DeleteSuch an in-depth post and so well articulated. Enjoyed reading this.
ReplyDeleteThank you very much for your kind words.
DeleteQuite a detailed and informative post. Much needed attention in these days when Delhi NCR is covered with smog
ReplyDeleteHopefully we well also adopt some long term measures till air purifiers and masks give us a breather.
DeleteFrom the way Delhi is going, AirPurifiers is no longer a luxury but rather a necessity. I hope the government reduces the price of these products quite substantially
ReplyDeleteCouldn't agree more with you Karthik.
ReplyDeleteBefore purchasing an air purifier, one ought to be clear about the reason for his buy and needs to check in the event that it is satisfying the same or not. best air purifier for smoke
ReplyDeleteExactly Jane. An air purifier is not for everyone.Elderly or asthmatics may need it more .If you are blessed with a healthy and clean residential area then you might not need one.
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