Headaches, sore throat, coughing, Asthma attacks, and difficulty breathing are a few of the symptoms that can be brought on by some air purifiers. Yes, that's right. Your air purifier may actually aggravate many of the health issues you hoped it would solve.
HEPA filters are limited to particulates. There are harmful gases and fumes that may just pass through a HEPA filter. HEPA filters may cause air to become too dry. Finally, some HEPA filters may produce ozone, which is an unhealthy gas that can irritate the lungs.
While HEPA filters do release a very small number of fiberglass particles into the air, their overall effect on the human body is negligible.
It detects the number of contaminants and dust in the air and turns on automatically when necessary. If yours doesn't have an auto setting, you can run it between 12 and 24 hours. The more often you run your air purifier, the better it'll do at cleaning your air.
Should I Sleep With an Air Purifier On? The short answer: yes. The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) recommends an air purifier during bedtime to promote better breathing while you sleep.
Bottom Line: Can I Turn on My Purifier and Open a Window? Will the Air Purifier Still Work? Even with a window open, air purifiers can work decently and still meaningfully reduce particulate air pollution in the home – by 60% in 20 minutes in our tests.
"We recommend air purifiers with a HEPA filter; HEPA stands for high-efficiency particulate air," says Dr. Meng. "Stand-alone air purifiers are designed for a single room, so you should use it with the door closed and check that your air filter can accommodate the size of the room.
Air purifiers can help prevent the spread of COVID-19 in indoor environments to some extent, but the EPA notes that a purifier alone will not provide full protection against the virus. A 2022 study found that devices with HEPA filters are reasonably successful at filtering out airborne COVID-19.
Air purifiers are not dehumidifiers. Indeed, they can reduce humidity since they increase air circulation. However, the amount of humidity reduced by an air purifier is almost wholly neglectable. Therefore, air purifiers do not dry out sinuses under normal conditions.
Won't remove every particle: Unfortunately, HEPA filters will not remove pollutants from the air that are smaller than 0.3 microns, including viruses, some bacteria, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). VOCs are household items like hairspray and ammonia that are too small for a HEPA filter to eliminate.
The research shows that air purifiers can reduce or remove many of the contaminants known to exacerbate lung problems and respiratory illnesses. By running a high-quality air purifier, you can improve your indoor air quality while reaping significant health benefits.
Since air pollution is a pervasive and continuous problem, it's best to leave your air purifier on all day. There are no perceived drawbacks to keeping your unit running all the time, and if the filters are changed on time it can help to reduce pollutants in the home.
ULPA filters trap more and smaller particulate matter than HEPA filters. ULPA filters are 99.999% effective at removing submicron particulate matter of 0.12-micron diameter or larger, while HEPA filters are 99.97% effective for eliminating particulate matter of 0.3-micron diameter or larger.
High-efficiency particulate arrestance (HEPA) filters: These are the true high end of filtration and are able to filter out 0.3 micron particles. HEPA filters drastically restrict airflow and should only be matched to a compatible system.
Because of their powerful filtration capabilities, HEPA filters are dense and can reduce airflow in some home comfort units. It's crucial to call a heating and cooling professional like Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning prior to installing one to prevent damage to your furnace.
However, air purifiers don't directly affect humidity, as they don't remove moisture from the air. But they can cause indoor air to feel drier than normal.
When should I run my air purifier? We recommend that you run your air purifier 24 hours a day. However, if this is not practical for your situation there are proper ways to use your air purifier to maximize its performance.
Air Purifier Placement Tips and Takeaways
Keep your device away from heat sources. Keep your device away from moisture or areas with high humidity. Place your device at least 6 inches from walls, furniture, or other items while in use. Place your air purifier near the most likely source of indoor air pollution.
If you decide to purchase a portable air cleaner, filtering air cleaners with High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filters are recommended because these do not emit ozone but do remove particulate matter from the air.
This study provides insights into the proper use and performance of HEPA-filtered air cleaners to prevent the spread of COVID-19. IMPORTANCE Air filtration simulation experiments quantitatively showed that an air cleaner equipped with a HEPA filter can continuously remove SARS-CoV-2 from the air.
The best place to put an air purifier is somewhere in your breathing zone. The closer the unit is to your head, the shorter distance clean air has to travel before it reaches you. In the bedroom, this usually translates to putting the air purifier on a nightstand or small table close to the bed.
Air purifiers are most effective when all the doors and windows are shut. This allows for the air purifier to clean the air in the room without interference from hallways or other rooms.
How Long To Run Your Air Purifier? So to recap, run your air purifier unit for at least 12 hours a day. This is a good rule of thumb. Again, it's okay if you don't stick to this schedule every day, but be aware that the more you run your air purifier the fresher and cleaner it will be all year long.
Running your purifier while you sleep is a great way to spend many hours each night breathing air that was cleaned with your purifier. Overall, removing contaminants from the air will not have a negative impact on sleep.