Improving Your Air Quality With An Air Purifier
Improving your Air Quality with an Air Purifier
According to a 2002 survey by the American Lung Association and 3M, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ranks poor indoor air quality among the top five environmental risks to public health.
Indoor exposure to contaminants in the workplace, tobacco smoke, mold and biological pollutants, hospital pollution, and pet dander and odors can trigger disorders like multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS), as well as asthma and allergies. Indoor air pollutants have also been shown to cause and exacerbate symptoms such as eye, nose, and throat irritations; headaches; fatigue; and dizziness. Even the EPA has noted that air purifiers and cleaners are an effective way to remove particles and pollutants from indoor air.
Consequently, with this increased interest in air purification technology, there has been a surge of air purifiers flooding the market, and choosing an effective air purifier may seem like a daunting task. With several air purifiers utilizing technologies such as HEPA filtration, ionization, ozone, and ultraviolet (UV) light, it is not surprising that many consumers may feel overwhelmed when shopping for an air purifier.
As well, the noise level of an air purifier, the energy the purifier consumes, and the square footage of the area being purified should also be considered.
Whether you’re an asthmatic looking to decrease the amount of dander in your home, or whether you need to maintain germ-free air for your clean room, an air purifier can help keep the air you breathe contaminant-free.
Air Purifiers Demystified
1. What are the main benefits that come with an air purifier?
Air purifiers benefit your health by removing or reducing the occurrence of harmful particles in the air. There are a variety of air purification technologies available at Air & Water to reduce odors, reduce particulates in the air, and to destroy living micro-organisms that float through the air you breathe.
Ionic purifiers contain a device that “ionizes” the air passing through it, causing the particles contained to gain a charge (either positive or negative, depending on the machine). After the air has been charged, one of two things can happen: the particles in the air can be attracted to an oppositely charged plate in the purification process or the particles can be attracted to other particles that have received an opposing charge resulting in the two particles sticking together and falling out of the air. 3. What does a HEPA filter offer?
In comparison, a smoke particle is 0.5 microns in size, nearly twice as large as the particles that HEPA purifiers are designed to catch.
Active carbon purifiers and filters use highly reactive carbon to chemically react to materials as they pass through the purifier. Most activated carbon appliances use a HEPA filter as well to provide the top quality, clean air output.
