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Air Purifier FAQs

What should I know about Air Purifiers?

Air pollution is usually associated with outdoor air; however, with the growing epidemic of asthma in the United States in the last 20 years, especially among infants and children, attention has turned to indoor air. In 1990 the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ranked indoor air pollution as "a high priority public health risk," and recommends the following strategies:

Control sources of pollution
Adequate Ventilation
Purifying indoor air

What are the main sources of indoor air pollution?

The following are the different classes of indoor pollutants as described by the US EPA:

Environmental Tobacco Smoke: "Second Hand Smoke"
Other Combustion Products: Exhaust from stoves, heaters, furnaces and fireplaces.
Animal Dander, Molds, Dust Mites, Other Biologicals: A common source of contaminants in many homes.
Volatile Organic Compounds: Household cleaners, pesticides, solvents, paints. Fumes from these chemicals.
Heavy Metals: Lead and Mercury: Airborne lead particles from lead based paint and Mercury from latex paint containing phenylmercuric acetate, a preservative used to prolong its shelf life.
Long Term Risks: Radon, a naturally occurring gas, and Asbestos contamination

What are the various types of Purifiers?

Mechanical Purifiers: Force air through special mesh that traps airborne particles
Electrical Purifiers: Use electrostatic charge to attract and capture airborne particles. The Ionic Breeze is a well known brand of Electronic Purifiers.
Hybrid Purifiers: Use both mechanical and electrical filtration methods.
Gas Phase Purifiers: Remove odors and fumes; but fail to remove particulate matter.
Ozone Generators: Currently being sold as a purification system; however, the EPA does not recommend these as ozone is harmful to the lungs.

What should I look for when purchasing a Filter or Purifier?

The first thing to check for is UL approval and Class II FDA approval, which means the device has been proven effective. Next you should ask the following questions:

What substances will the system remove and what will it not remove?
Is the efficiency rate "True HEPA" or better?
Will the device cycle enough air to change the intended room every four to six minutes?
What is the device's CADR? (Clean Air Delivery Rate)
Is the filter difficult to change or clean?
How expensive is the replacement filter?
How much noise does the device make? Can I sleep through it?

What are HEPA filters?

HEPA stands for "high-efficiency particulate air". To qualify as a "true HEPA" filter, a device must be able to capture at least 90 percent of all particles 0.3 microns or more in diameter that enter it. The EPA recommends a HEPA filtration system for indoor air filtration.

Can I build a filtration system into my air conditioning system?

Yes; however, this depends on many factors and a professional should be consulted.

For More Information:

This information was derived from an article on WikiFAQ.com.