I NEED TO GET ONE, BUT WHICH ONE?

 

With studies showing that you don’t have to be able to see air pollution to die from it, the need for clean air is being met by a growing number of air purification products.

Sure we want the best for ourselves, but with all the new names and technologies available today, making that choice may not actually be the easiest thing.

This information was prepared with you in mind; to address the things you need and want in an air purifier; to suit you.

 

THE TASK – AIR PURIFICATION

As you may have already found out, the word ‘purification’ can either be interpreted as what a manufacturer tells you it is or what you expect an air purifier to do.  Here are a couple of things you may wish to consider for your air purifier to be active against:

Fine Particles – In recent years, these have been shown to be directly linked to early death; the higher the number of tiny particles (<10 microns in diameter) in the air, the higher the death rate.  These particles are produced from just about everything – cars, power plants, construction, agriculture and road-related pollution such as bits of brakes and tires.

Biological Contaminants – These include anything biological in nature that may or may not be living and have the ability to cause detrimental effects to health such as allergies or illness.  Examples include allergens (these are anything that cause allergic reactions or the over-reaction of our immune-system in our bodies), viruses, bacteria and mold.

Gases and Fumes – Almost everything is chemically derived or treated before being made available to us in today’s world and the air that we share with these items may not necessarily be the best for us.  Ironically enough, the cocktail of solvents or plasticizers that we associate with new things (such as the new car smell) has been proven to be bad for health.  These mainly fall into the category of VOCs and cause a wide variety of symptoms ranging from headaches and dizziness to hallucinations.

Unpleasant Odors – The thing about some odors is that they are subjective with respect to acceptance.  One person’s attraction may be another’s repulsion, or in certain cases it’s merely a matter of the wrong smell in the wrong         .

place.  In these instances odors are best kept to a minimum.  In certain cases, odors allow us to detect a potential risk or health hazard – whether it is the smell of a gas leak or that of the numerous viable fungal spores that we inhale in musty, damp rooms.

The use of the air purifier must also be put into context and to suit the application.  Be it for general air purification, to kill germs, to remove chemicals, smoke, or to create a pure environment for people with allergies or special needs such as asthmatics and people under critical care, or even for peace of mind, keeping in focus the main purpose for your air purifying device will allow you to match the capabilities of your air purifier to the task or tasks at hand.

 

PRACTICAL CONSIDERATIONS

If you are looking for a solution for everyday, some other things you would like to consider before buying your air purifier are:

Portability       –   Do I need to have it convenient enough to bring it from room to room?

Space              –   Does it take up a lot of space?  Is there an option for wall-mounting it in my room?

Noise               –   Is the unit noisy when switched on.  Can I live with the noise level when I am working, listening to music or sleeping?

Efficiency        –   How much power does my unit consume?  Will it add significantly to my electricity bill?

Safety              –   Is my unit safe to use in the presence of people?  Are there any implications of electrical safety?  If it generates ozone, will it create too much?  If dropped, is it likely to break, spill or leak anything?

Consumables  –   How often do I have to repeatedly buy consumables such as cleaning solutions, filters and batteries to keep my air purification device running effectively?  If I used another brand, would it void the warranty or affect its performance?

Attention          –   How much time and effort will I need to dedicate for cleaning, adding or changing solutions, changing batteries, etc. in order to keep benefiting from it?

Aesthetics       –   Does the unit fit into the décor of my living environment?

INDICATORS OF EFFECTIVENESS

A good indication of whether you are likely to benefit from an air purification device is by asking who else is using and satisfied with the product.

While most customers can tell you of the qualitative benefits they experience, some customers and organizations have actually measured these benefits to make sure that their air purifiers have met their exacting standards.

Many manufacturers subject their products to scientific standards and situational testing.  However, while this measures the level of performance under controlled conditions, variations do exist from test to test.

In practical terms, it is worthwhile noting that no two studies can be exactly the same meaning that direct product comparisons using such results may be of limited value.  Still, while this gives a good indication of the benefits that you are likely to experience, the proof of the pudding remains in the tasting.

YOUR CHOICE IS BEST

If you still can’t make up your mind, don’t despair.  Ultimately, you will want to be happy with what you’ve got, what’s best for you and nobody knows your preferences better than you do.  So take your time to make your decision.

There are many good air purifiers available today and many manufacturers and their representatives will be glad to assist you in arriving at your decision.

And with rising concerns of air pollution, it may just be a good idea to ask the specialists how you can clear the air; to breathe fresh, clean and safe air wherever you are.  It’s just a question away… as easy as that.