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How to Choose and Use an Air Purifier for Your Home.
You also need to know how to use your air purifier for maximum results
According to the EPA, indoor air pollution is one of the top five environmental risks to public health. The World Health Organization considers PM2.5 the world’s single biggest environmental health risk. New research is showing that exposure to ultra fine particles can compromise cognitive functioning in children.
The US Department of Energy Office of Scientific and Technical Information reports that "Chronic exposure to elevated PM2.5 has the potential to damage human respiratory systems and may result in premature death."
Reporting from the American Heart Association News shows some surprising connections between air quality and heart health, including: "breathing polluted air may trigger skipped heartbeats in otherwise healthy teens."
So, there’s good reason to be concerned about your indoor air quality. The good news is that the right air purifier, properly used, can be highly effective, significantly improving your indoor air quality, and reducing exposure to harmful airborne toxins and infectious aerosols.
Here are the top five keys to make your air purifier more effective:
#5 Choose the right size air purifier for your space
You want the just right-sized air purifier. Too small and it won’t do the job; Too large and it may be overly loud or expensive to operate.
First measure your room size (width x length) and multiple this number by .66 to get the needed Clean Air Delivery Rate or CADR circulate air through the purifier within 15 minutes (or four to five air exchanges per hour). For example, if your space is 300 square feet (assuming an 8’ ceiling height) you should look for an air purifier that has a smoke CADR of at least 200. Look for air purifiers with this CADR rate. Alternatively, you can multiply and air purifier’s stated CADR x 1.55 to arrive at the maximum recommended room size.
Tip: Keep in mind that the manufacturer’s stated CADR is based on the highest fan speed, so make sure it’s not too loud (or you won’t want to use it).
#4 Position the air purifier optimally for best airflow
This means avoiding airflow obstructions such as walls and curtains, and ideally placing the air purifier close to the center of the space, if possible.
#3 Improve “Source Control”
Reducing the sources of PM2.5 will help reduce dust and allergens in your home. Vacuuming or using a damp cloth to remove dust and dander will help keep these out of the air. You’ll also want to keep your doors and windows closed when the air purifier is in use, to prevent infiltration from outdoor pollution sources.
#2 Run your air purifier 24x7
It can be difficult to predict when outdoor air quality changes may happen, so leaving the air purifier on will ensure that your air quality remains good. This will also keep your air clean if there’s a lot of outdoor particle infiltration from doors opening and closing.
Tip: Be sure you are using an Energy Star certified air purifier, so you are using power effectively and at lowest cost.
#1 Make sure your filters are doing their job at peak performance level. At all times.
All the keys to effectiveness are important, but unless your air purifier is operating at peak performance level (meaning it is filtering at or near its new filter CADR), you won’t be getting optimal air cleaning effectiveness.
Regular maintenance is suggested by all manufacturers, however their guidelines for filter replacement may not deliver the best results. This is because HEPA filters begin to clog immediately on use (it’s how they work) reducing airflow; When a HEPA air purifier filter clogs, less and less air can flow through it, and as a result less air can be cleaned in the space. To use a plumbing analogy, think of an old water pipe that only delivers a trickle of water; HEPA filters are the same – as they clog, the airflow drops to a trickle.
The Problem With HEPA Air Purifiers
To sum up the HEPA problem: As airflow is reduced, the air isn't getting cleaned as quickly, and all the while, additional pollution is coming into the room, making it a challenge to overcome the problem and clean the air. Time only compounds this problem, as the air gets dirtier, and the HEPA air purifier falls further behind in its task. Airflow is the key to air purification. No airflow. No air purification.
There are two solutions to this HEPA filter-clogging problem. The first is very frequent filter changes. Manufacturers usually recommend changing filters every 6- 12 months, however performance by that point may have already dropped by half. Or more.
To solve the HEPA clogging problem, you could ignore the manufacturer recommendations and change the filter every two to three months, or four to six times a year. But when you do the math, this can be very expensive and also time consuming. Most people don’t even want to change a filter once a year!
The other option? Choose an the best air purifier with better technology for effectiveness.
For more effective air purification, the Brio® Air Purifier with APART™ Advanced Particle Removal Technology is a better choice. Rather than pushing air and particles into a clogging mechanical filter, Brio draws particles away from the air flow. Viruses, gas stove combustion, woodfires, smoke, dust, mold, and pollen, among other particles, are electrostatically charged and attracted to and trapped in dense foam within the APART Collection Cartridge.
With APART technology, the clean air delivery rate (CADR) stays constant, and effectiveness stays high until the high-capacity, long-life collection cartridge is completely full.
Brio’s long-life, high-capacity APART Collection Cartridge can last 12 months or more, with no drop in peak performance. This small annual filter cartridge replacement cost gives Brio a more affordable cost profile than many HEPA-style or HEPA air purifiers. When you look over several years, and with multiple air purifiers in a home or office, the difference can be surprising.
With Brio’s innovative, patented APART technology, you can enjoy constant effectiveness and no cost surprises. With Brio, you get better indoor air, by design.
Find out more about Brio.