Air is one of the quintessential elements for us to survive aside from food and water. As of late, with pollutants and allergens being on the rise, it can be quite tricky to find good quality air to breathe in. Fortunately, there are now air purifiers that are available in various types and models. These devices can come in wall-mounted, free-standing or even portable forms and depending on their features can either trap or outright destroy dusts and the like. In this article, we’ll get to know whether if we really need an air purifier in the household and what are the factors that will affect that need to purchase one.
Air Purifiers for Starters
Before we proceed further into this article, let’s get to know the basics about air purifiers and the various types that you might see on the market. That if you are really considering to get an air purifier for your household.HEPA Air Purifiers – These air purifiers rely on a screen of fine fibers that allows small particles to pass through and traps anything that is larger than an air molecule. The end result is that the filter will end up capturing unwanted particles such as dust and dander. At the same time, cleaned air will pass through without any trouble. The downside here is that if you would pick this type of air purifier, it needs regular maintenance wherein the fine fiber screen will need to be replaced. Otherwise, if you don’t, the dust and dander will overaccumulation and will reduce the effectiveness of the air purifier.Electrostatic / Negative Ion Air Purifiers – The air purifiers of this variation utilize an electrically-charged panel wherein the purifier attaches electrically-charged particles to dusts and the like. What happens here is that the dusts become heavier and end up dropping to the floor, overall improving the air quality of the room where it is installed at. The only problem with these variants is that you need to have a broom ready to scoop up the dust that fell to the floor because these purifiers don’t remove them. If left unchecked, the foreign particles could again, negatively affect the air quality.Activated Carbon Air Purifiers – These air purifying systems rely on a very porous screen made out of activated carbon which entraps foreign particles inside the said pores. These particles will no longer be a nuisance to you since they won’t be released back into the atmosphere. An added perk to the activated carbon air purifiers is that they don’t just remove unwelcome particles, they can also take on issues regarding bad odors in the room. The only problem with activated carbon air purifiers is that they’re not exactly known for their longevity. They’ll be needing replacement at one point afterwards.UV Lamps – Often UV lights don’t come in on its own, but instead tend to arrive in conjunction with an air purifying system with any of the previously mentioned variants. The primary purpose of the UV lamp inside the air purifying system is clean up any bacterial or viral presence in the air after the dust and dander have been removed. These lights will irradiate and kill the microbes reducing them to harmless compounds that will be released into the atmosphere. The only issue with the UV light is that they need to be monitored from time to time, and needs to be replaced at some points. Lastly, again the UV lamps don’t come on their own, they are often used in conjunction with an air purifier.
Are they worth the money?
Now we arrive to the point whether an air purifier is worth the investment. Air purifiers are good at getting rid of dust and dander and the like; but this varies depending on the model. There are some air purifiers that are little too overspecialized meaning they’re only tailor-made for a specific type of pollutant. For example, air purifiers that are meant to reduce dust and dander usually have trouble or is not capable of getting rid of bad odors.On the other hand, there are far more versatile air purifiers that are capable of handling both foreign particles and unwanted odors. However, these versatile purifiers tend to come in with a hefty price tag so bear that in mind. Take note though, that regardless of the model used in the household; these devices while they are capable of fulfilling their duty in cleaning the air, they also need to be monitored and maintained. Otherwise, a poorly-maintained air purifier will have either a weakened performance or worse, become malfunctional or no longer working. In summary, air purifiers are worth the money but the benefits come in with the responsibility of keeping the device well-maintained so it can perform optimally. Just make sure to do your research first to pick which one is the best fit for your household and also the right one to address the air quality problems at home.
Do we really need an Air Purifier?
While an air purifier is an attractive choice to consider in the household, it’s not exactly a “need” for homes that don’t seem to suffer from huge pollutant or odor problems. However, if your home happens to face those problems on a regular basis, then you might want to consider investing in an air purifier. As said earlier, know first which pollutants and odors that are considered as bothersome in the household before you can pick the ideal air purifier to address those problems.After all, with the right air purifier for your home means better air quality and a mostly pollutant-free breathing zone. As said previously, while the air purifiers do offer huge benefits, you must maintain the device from time to time. That way the air purifiers can continue to clean the air in the rooms where they are installed at for a long period of time before they can be replaced.
