空氣清新機 is a significant difficulty. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), air pollution levels are two to 5 instances higher indoors. In some buildings with a lack of suitable ventilation, the indoor air might be 100 times additional polluted than the air outdoors! This is mainly because contemporary buildings are constructed with energy efficiency in thoughts. Even so, the tight seals that make a house energy-effective also trap pollutants inside. On prime of that, the average American requires nine out of ten breaths indoors, so it really is imperative to make certain that your indoor air is absolutely free of allergens and other impurities.
Air purifiers remove allergens, toxic chemical substances, and other harmful pollutants. This report explains why men and women use air purifiers, how they operate, which air purifiers you need to stay away from, and how to select the best air purifier for your requirements.
Prevalent Indoor Air Pollutants
What is the source of indoor air pollution? In terms of organic pollutants, mold and dust mites are everywhere – and they are the two most popular causes of year-round allergic rhinitis (hay fever). Pollen is also a pervasive allergen that often finds its way into your home considering that it is so smaller and sticky. If you have pets, they will certainly spread their dander to every single nook and cranny of your household. Many viruses and bacteria are also airborne.
Even though they are not organic allergens, Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) lead to numerous people to expertise allergic reactions and other wellness troubles. VOCs contain formaldehyde, fragrances, pesticides, solvents, and cleaning agents. VOCs can enter the air by means of chemical off-gassing from furnishings, new carpets, adhesives, plastics, and numerous constructing components. Additionally, quite a few VOCs are recognized carcinogens (cancer-causing agents).
Environmental contaminants like cigarette smoke, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and nitrogen dioxide could also be present in your indoor air, as nicely as toxic heavy metals like airborne lead, mercury vapor, and radon.
How Air Purifiers Function
HEPA air purifiers use a HEPA air filter, which was developed by the Atomic Energy Commission in the 1940s as a way to filter radioactive contaminants. HEPA filters set the standard for air purifiers: to be classified as HEPA, a filter have to capture a minimum of 99.97% of pollutants at .3 microns or larger. Best-selling HEPA air purifiers incorporate the Austin Air purifier, readily available with a HEGA (High Efficiency Gas Adsoprtion) filter, along with air purifiers from IQAir, Allerair, Blueair, and Honeywell.
Activated carbon filters get rid of gases, odors, and chemical toxins. The carbon is “activated” when it is treated with oxygen, which opens up millions of tiny pores to attract and adsorb chemical compounds. Impregnated carbon filters have been treated with an additional chemical, usually either potassium iodide or potassium permanganate these chemicals, known as chemisorbents, boost the carbon filter’s ability to trap VOCs and other chemically reactive gases.
Electrostatic filters use an electrostatic charge to attract pollutants and trap them on collector plates. These filters are wonderful for individuals who don’t want to have to worry about altering HEPA filters, but if the collection plates are not cleaned often, they promptly drop efficiency. Also, beware that some electrostatic filters emit ozone, which is identified to be a highly effective lung irritant and can be pretty irritating to some men and women with asthma or allergies. The Friedrich air purifier is, by far, the best electrostatic air purifier, as effectively as the general leading-ranked air purifier in prior Consumer Reports rankings.
Charged media filters give pollutants an electrostatic charge before collecting them in a classic filter. Charged media filters are normally quite efficient, but like electrostatic filters, they drop efficiency swiftly-and they may well call for frequent and pricey filter changes. Some charged media air filter units also emit ozone. The advantage of charged media filters is that they are quieter and more energy-efficient than HEPA air purifiers. The Blueair air purifier is the most effective charged media filter, and it does not emit ozone.
Where and How to Use an Air Purifier
If you suffer from allergies (in particular if you happen to be allergic to dust mite allergen), then the ideal location for an air purifier is your bedroom. It’s crucial to have clean air in your bedroom simply because you commit about a third of your life there. If you happen to be allergic to animal dander and have pets, then you might want to spot an air purifier in the room exactly where your pets commit most of their time-and maintain the pets out of your bedroom! Also, you must not location an air purifier in the corner of a area it really should be at least a couple of feet away from the walls for maximum air flow.
You ought to run your air purifier continuously for optimum performance. Most air purifiers have high and low settings. Even if you go on trip, we propose that you retain your air purifier operating on low. Otherwise, you will return to a property complete of polluted air! If you are concerned about your electric bill, uncover out how substantially power an air purifier uses ahead of obtaining it. Standard HEPA air purifiers can use anyplace from 50 watts on low to 200 watts on higher. For comparison, a typical lamp uses about 60 watts, while a common laptop or computer uses about 365 watts.
Air Purifiers to Prevent
Steer clear of ozone generators and ionizing air cleaners. These air purifiers produce ions that attract pollutants on the other hand, quite a few of the pollutants are released back into the air, frequently occasions major to dirty spots on nearby walls. Apart from the reality that they do not do a fantastic job of cleaning the air, ozone generators and ionizing cleaners also emit ozone. Ozone, a principal element of smog, could potentially lead to a significant asthma attack.
Furthermore, David Peden, researcher at the Center of Environmental Medicine and Lung Biology at the University of North Carolina, has examined how ozone exposure might exacerbate the allergic response of people who are allergic to dust mites, and his benefits suggest that ozone worsens the asthmatic response. The EPA has warned customers against making use of ozone generators, and Customer Reports recommends against the newest Ionic Breeze Quadra, despite the addition of OzoneGuard, a device meant to do away with some of the unsafe ozone emitted by the Ionic Breeze.
Consumer Reports points out: “Our air-cleaning tests show that the Ionic Breeze with OzoneGuard does a poor job of removing smoke, dust and pollen particles from the air when new and following 500 hours of continuous use” and “the Ionic Breeze with OzoneGuard nonetheless adds ozone to the air.”