Home Air Cleaner and Purifier Information

We all heard it said on TV many times now about how the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has stated that the quality of indoor air - air right in our own homes - is really bad and is a major environmental health problem. It is even sometimes said that our indoor air is a few times worse than the pollution outside!

Indoor pollution can be caused by many different sources. Some of these include our own beds: mattresses, pillows and even blankets. Also other furnishing like carpet and plywood. Dust from pets and people also contribute to the problem as do common cleaning products, insects and insecticides, as well as anything damp or moist that contributes to the humidity levels.

Also contributing to low air quality are factors such as the air being too dry in the winter with furnaces running. And when it is hot outside there can be high levels of humidity in the air, leading to mold problems. Smoking also can lower the air quality.

It is believed by many that sinus, asthma and allergy problems, such as hay fever, have increased due to low quality indoor air. Some years ago when allergy and asthma problems starting increasing, it was about that same time when houses were being made to be more airtight. While air tight houses help conserve energy they also tend to trap many allergen in people's homes.

Many people now feel the need to purchase home air purifiers in an effort to clean up the air in their house to make it a healthier place for their families to live. In some cases this can even lead to a reduction of the amount of asthma and allergy medicine needed.

Below is a brief description of some of the popular types of air purifiers.

Brands of Home Air Purifiers

There are many different brands and models of air purifiers available. Here is a list of some of the more popular brands: AirFree, Air-O-Swiss, AirSoPure, AllerAir, Austin Air, Bionaire, Biozone, BlueAir, DeLonghi, Friedrich, HoneyWell, Hoover, IQ Air Purifiers, Neoair Air Purifier and NQ Clarifier.

When considering which type, brand and model of air purifier to buy several things should be taken into consideration. These include how noisy it is, its size, how much power it uses, size of particles it can clean from the air, how big of space it can clean and cost of replacing filters or others parts.

HEPA Air Cleaning Systems

HEPA air cleaning systems are very popular. HEPA stands for 'High Energy Particle Arresting'. HEPA systems involve using a paper or sheet - a filter - that lets air pass through it but traps smaller particles. The air passes through small holes that the particles can not get through. The filters tend to be folded into an accordion like way to increase the amount of surface area which lets a larger volume of air be cleaned.

HEPA filters were first made by the atomic energy commission to clean up radioactive particles that were in the air - for those curious about why the technology was developed! Real HEPA filters are capable of trapping particles as small as .3 microns - smaller than a hair! In addition to homes HEPA filters are also used in medical, scientific and manufacturing facilities where it is necessary to have very clean rooms and air.

Since HEPA systems use filter - these filters must be replaced periodically. How often exactly depends upon the brand and model. Change frequency ranges from six months to five years.

Ion Generator and Electrostatic Air Purifiers

These types of purifiers either produce a stream of ions that are negatively charged that will lead to particles sticking to a surface because of the charge (ion generators) or used electrostatically charged plates to get particles to stick to them (electrostatic purifiers).

Some types of electrostatic purifiers have fans to pull air through it. Others, like the Ionic Breeze from Sharper Image do not have fans, and therefore quieter, but may not be able to clean a large enough volume of air.

Ion generators are used in submarines and by the poultry industry. Many of these types also do not have fans and so they may not be very effective in larger areas.

UV Light Air Purifiers

Ultraviolet (UV) light can destroy the DNA of bacteria and viruses. While it does a good job of reducing the amount of microorganisms in the air it does not remove particles. It is best used in air purifiers that also use an additional technology.

Ozone Generator Air Purifiers

These types of purifiers oxidizes particles and chemicals with the use of ozone. Ozone is made of three oxygen molecules and while we need it in the atmosphere surrounding the earth, it is not safe to breathe in. These are best used for cleaning up situations like sewage or other water messes.

Summary

In summary, the type of technology to use for the air cleaning system in your house depends upon what you need it to clean, among other things. In many cases it would be helpful to use a system that utilizes more than one technology.