Air Purifiers

The air inside the typical home is generally dirtier than the air outside, because a house can be a source of air contaminants. Moisture can lead to the development of mold and mold spores. Forced-air heating and cooling systems circulate dust particles and bacteria throughout the house. Pets shed fur and give off dander, while smokers pump toxins into the air. Pollen and other outdoor allergens can blow in through open doors and windows (or through a window or door screen) and become caught in carpet or upholstery.

An air purifier or air cleaner is a device which removes contaminants from the air in a room. These devices are commonly marketed as being beneficial to allergy sufferers and asthmatics, and at reducing or eliminating second-hand tobacco smoke.

Although they may seem like a new innovation, air purifiers have been around for more than 200 years. What started as protective masks for fireman, air purifiers have now evolved the ability to protect you and your family from airborne pollutants.

Air filters utilize fine sieves that filter particles from circulating air. As air flows into the air purifier, the finer the sieve used, the smaller the particles it traps. The accepted benchmark for air filters has been set by the High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filters, which are guaranteed to trap 99.97% of airborne particles larger than 0.3 microns .HEPA filters remove smaller allergens like dust, smoke, chemicals, asbestos, pollen, and pet dander. The more times the air passes through the HEPA filter, the cleaner the air becomes. The room capacity of a HEPA air purifier will determine whether the air cleaner can handle your air purifying needs.

Electrical attraction is another technology utilized by air purifiers to trap particles. Three types of air cleaners work using electrical attraction: electrostatic precipitating cleaners, electret filters, and negative ion generators.

Some brands combine the HEPA technology with their own electrostatic media filter technology, which charges the incoming particles instead of the filter. By marrying the two unique purification systems together, a more effective air cleaner is made.