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Perfect Air

Thousands of people purchase the wrong air purifiers yearly and have suffered the consequences. These issues include wasted money, lack of cleaner air/better health and many innocent buyers complained of breathing difficulties, headaches, and respiratory complications.

Here are five easy steps to help you find practical, safe, and economical air purifiers for your home.

1) Buy HEPA, Forget Others
The first rule of buying an air purifier is to purchase one with HEPA filters. Initially used by the military for the Manhattan (nuclear) Project, air purifiers that use this filter can permanently trap 99.97% of small, hazardous particles as small as 0.3 microns.

Forget other air purifiers (electronic, electrostatic, ozonizers, etc.) because they are not as effective as one with HEPA filters. Most of these machines do not remove particles. Instead, they make the particles temporarily stick to nearby surfaces. That also means dusty tables, decor, walls, and cloth.

Apart from that, most machines of these types will emit hazardous ozone as a by-product of their so-called “cleaning” process. That’s why some people complain of a musty smell or experience sudden headaches when their cleaner is turned on. Little do they know that long-term ozone exposure will lead to respiratory and lung problems.

So, remember this crucial step. Buy Hepa, forget others.

2) Bigger is Better
When we talk about bigger, we are not talking about the machine’s size. Instead, we mean the area covered by it. Every air purifiers have a maximum effective area that it can cover. Beyond that, it will not be able to do much with the air.

So make sure the air purifier you’re buying covers the area where you intend to put it. For example, if your room is 300 square feet, you need an air purifier with an effective area bigger than 300 square feet, minimum.

That way, the machine works more effectively, and the air in the room is changed faster. The ideal practice is to have one air purifier in each room. However, if you can’t afford that, get one on castors or light enough to be lifted so that it can be moved around. Make sure the area it covers is more significant than the biggest room in your home.

Remember, the bigger, the better.

3) Think Long Term
Many people look at the amount of money they have to part with when paying for goods and never look beyond that.

When it comes to an air purifier, such an attitude could mean losing in the long term. If you skipped the expensive air purifier and bought the cute, tiny one because “there’s no budget for it,” make sure you’ve calculated the long-term replacement filter costs.

Unlike most machines, air purifiers need frequent parts replacement. Thus, check how many filters are in the machine, how long they last, and how much each replacement filter costs. Some air purifiers are expensive upfront but have filters that last far longer than the cheaper models.

We suggest you add the five-year replacement filter expenses to the air purifier cost. That way, you can gauge whether that “cheap” air purifier is cheaper than the “expensive” one.

4) Check Your Needs
The fourth step is a simple one but is new to many people. Most air purifiers, as we all know, trap super tiny particles like animal dander, pollen, and dust. Well, that are the basic things an air purifier should do.

However, some companies have designed unique air purifiers with additional smoke filter ability, ultraviolet light to kill bacteria, or special filters to trap harmful gases. For example, if you live with someone who seems to have an “uninterrupted supply” of cigarettes, you may want to opt for an air purifier with superior smoke control.

If you have multiple chemical sensitivities, air purifiers are built without glue, coating, and filter materials that could cause you allergies.

In short, no one is created equal. The best air purifier for your grandma may not be suitable for you. Just check your needs and ask for unique air purifiers like those mentioned.

5) Look at the Features
The last thing we want you to note before buying an air purifier is the features that come with it. We suggest that you select one that has a filter replacement indicator. Such a feature will help you make a fast replacement when needed and prolong your machine’s life.

Apart from that, if the machine can automatically adjust its fan speed according to how bad the air in your room is, it’s a plus. That way, you can switch it on and forget about the machine (until it’s time to change the filters).

Lastly, if you’re buying it at a store, turn the air purifier to its maximum and listen to its humming sound. Ask yourself if you could stand that sound by your bed all night. In short, choose and listen carefully.

I hope those five steps can help some of you in choosing the perfect air purifier. I can write technical jargon and go deep into specific details. However, that would only confuse at least half of my readers.

Just remember the five steps. Buy HEPA only, check the effective area covered by the machines and think long-term. After you have done those three things, you must also decide if there’s a specific need that you need to address. If there are none, look at the air purifiers’ features.

That way, you’ll be an intelligent and informed buyer. And enjoy better health due to cleaner air in your home.

More Information from FLAME on Indoor Air Quality:

 
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