When the US Environment Protection Agency declared that the quality of indoor air is 2-5 times more polluted than the air outdoors, they also recommended the use of air purifiers to improve the quality of air indoors.
There are several air purifiers available in the market – each having a specific purpose. They can be categorized on the basis of their filtration techniques, area coverage, price, problem areas and brands.
Here’s a quick summary of the filtration techniques used by air purifiers: … [ Read More ]
- Electrostatic Filters: These suck the air into the unit, collect the particles onto the electrostatic plates and then release the purified air outside.
- HEPA Filters: These utilize electric fans inside the purifying units to pull the air in, pass them through a series of filters, before releasing the purified air. The standard filtration achieved is 99.97% of particles measuring 0.3 microns or larger are removed by the HEPA filter.
- Ultraviolet (UV) Lights: These use UV lights to kill germs and microbes when they pass through the unit. UV lights are often combined with other filters to improve the efficiency of the air purifier.
- Activated Carbon Filters: These are utilized in conjunction with other filters to get rid of odor, smoke and chemicals in the air.
- Thermodynamic Sterilization: These pass the air through a heated chamber that kills germs and allergens and disinfects the air.
- Ionizers: These emit negative ions in the air to attract positive ions like allergens and dust. The particles become heavy and fall on the ground. While ionizers purify the air, they do not get rid of the particles.
- Ozone Generators: These use UV light to kill allergens, but produce ozone as a by-product, which can be harmful.
While improving overall air quality, the use of air purifiers can also help control or prevent allergies and asthma. Portable models can be used in small spaces like desks at the workplace, room air purifiers can purify the rooms in which they are placed, while whole-house purifiers can cleanse the air throughout the house. Commercial air purifiers are also available for industrial units. [ Minimize ]
