How To Tell if My Air Purifier is Working
Air purifiers are vital in making sure that the room’s air quality is good for the lungs. However just like any other appliance or device at home, they would soon show signs of age and their capabilities over time will be reduced. Therefore, time would come that you would need to replace the device soon. You also have to keep in mind that not all air purifiers show any signs that they are starting to malfunction, they just lose their efficiency without you noticing it.
(If you want to know what is the best air purifier for removing dust check here.)In this article, you’ll find out how to tell if an air purifier is still in a functional state. That way, you will have a clear knowledge on how to determine whether the air purifier can still be used for a couple of years or if it’s about time to replace it.
Check for Air Circulation
This is the simplest method for you to determine whether the air purifier is still functional or not, and that is to check whether there is a flow of air in and out of the purifier. One must be able to sense the slightest breeze coming out of the device provided that it is turned on.Take note that using this method can provide various results because there are some air purifying models that have automatic-adjusting fans. This depends on the density of pollutants that are present in the room where the air purifier is stationed at. In fact, when the air is at its best quality, these auto-adjusting purifiers will blow little to no air at all and that is for them to save up energy. This method does shine well whenever the air purifier model has fans that you need to set up manually. If you want to set the fan settings to low, you need to detect a gentle breeze coming for the purifier’s air vents.The fans must operate almost quietly (it must emit a gentle whirring sound). The moment you start hearing louder noises coming from the purifier, it could be a sign that something is in the way of the fans inside the air purifier. If the louder noises continue to persist, then you will need to see whether there is something obstructing the fan blades from spinning properly.Speaking of fans, the machine must not operate silently. If the purifier is at a functional state, you must hear a gentle whirring noise that the fans generates. If you can’t hear anything even when you are manually adjusting the fan’s operating speeds, there’s a chance that your purifier has stopped from functioning. At this point, you will need to consult a specialist on how to resolve the problem.
Filter Indicators
This depends on the air purifier model that you’re using. Some air purifiers come in with a filter indicator light to indicate if your filters are still working or you need to replace it. As time goes by, air purifiers will gradually lose their ability to efficiently clear the air of any contaminants that could cause respiratory issues or allergic reactions to your family. If the indicator lights are flashed on, this is a simple sign that you need to get rid of the old filters and have them replaced so that the air purification system can work like it is brand new. Take note though, that sometimes the indicator lights can give you a false read, so you might want to manually check the filters.
Manual Filter Checks
Not all air purifiers have an indicator light to tell you whether it is time to change the old filters for a new one and thus the owner must manually check the filters by themselves to see whether it is due time for a change or can the filter still carry out its duty for a while. However, an indicator light sometimes isn’t a guaranteed sign that the air purifier needs changing, there are some rare instances that it could give you a false alarm and later on, you would just find out that the air filters do not need changing all along.Ideally, from time to time it is advised that you would manually check the filter especially if you are starting to feel that the filtration system is starting to lose its touch. A still functional air purification system can tell you that it is still working whenever you spot hair, debris, dust clods and the like on the filter, provided that the said unwelcome particles are not yet clogging up the filters. If you do find that the filters are starting to accumulate too much of those, then it is a sign that you need to replace the air filters. Bear in mind that this method works best for HEPA air purifiers since those devices don’t even show outward signs or indications of their slowly-declining performance thus this means you need to take a look into it, on the inside.Take note though, that if your device doesn’t continue to work properly despite having the filters changed, it is strongly advised that you would need to consult an expert regarding this matter so they can take a look at it and find out what’s really causing your air purifier to not work optimally. It might be a problem within the device itself at this point.
Use an Indoor Air Quality Monitor to conduct Air Quality Tests
Compared to the other three previously-mentioned methods, the Indoor Air Quality Monitor Method provides a more precise read on the current status of your air purifying device. There are a wide array of options to consider when you’re going to check whether the air purifier is doing its job or needs repairing so it can function like it is brand new. These range from the likes of LCD Particulate Counters up to the WiFi-enabled air quality detectors that will provide you a real-time broadcast of the room’s current air quality status.The digital method of checking the air for any unwanted pollutants gives you a more accurate forecast of what is present in the air within the room. However, take note that there are far more advanced air purifier models that come in with a built-in Air Quality Monitor such as digital air quality monitors that require the use of a browser or an app on your phone so that you are constantly given an update regarding the home’s air quality remotely. If this happens to be the type of air purifier you’re currently using then you don’t need to use something like a LCD counter or a WiFi-enabled air quality detector for this.Through this method, users are given a real-time monitor of how your air purifier is doing in fulfilling its duty to clean up the air within its vicinity. Take note that the moment you see undesirable results not changing over a span of time or has become worse, this could be a notable sign that the air purifier has a problem that requires to be resolved immediately.
Chemical Tests
Last but not least are the Chemical Tests. If you’ve decided to conduct a much more thorough investigation whether to check your air purifier’s functionality without going digital then using Chemical Test Kits would be the method that you are looking for.Through the use of Chemical Test Kits, you can determine whether the air around the room is either clean or is actually filled with dusts, allergens and the like. In order to conduct a Chemical Test, you would need to turn off the purifier first and then wait for around an hour or two and then follow the provided procedures on the Chemical Test Kit. Once done, you can record the data that you’ve gathered and then turn the purifier back on. Make sure to have the air purifier be active for at least 24 hours before conducting a follow-up test to see whether the results have become better, didn’t changed at all or took a turn for the worse. This will determine what you will need to do next.Now if the outcome of the tests remained the same or took a worse turn, then it is a plausible sign that the air purifier has a problem and it is advised that you consult an expert who can help you in resolving this problem. Take note though, this type of test for air purifiers tends to be used for those models that are operating non-stop on a regular basis, often the bulkier and heavy-duty variants to be more specific.
Final WordsThere you have it, those are the five methods on finding out whether your air purifier is working or requires to be repaired. Again, just like every other device or material within the household; an air purifier will gradually show signs that it is starting to require maintenance or at worst, replacement. The signs all range from the following such as weakened fan performance and almost no wind coming in and out of the purifier, allergens still persisting in the air around the room or the indicator lights are glowing.From time to time, it is strongly advised that you would conduct maintenance checks on the filters or the fans whether to see if the performance of the purifier has weakened over time or if the device’s performance is still at a good shape. The moment you see its performance is starting to take a nosedive, it is imperative that you would investigate the matter so that you can find out what steps are needed to be taken so that you can find a way on how to make sure that your air purifier can still function for some time before you would need to replace it.On the other end of the spectrum, is that if you’ve just obtained an air purifier for your household; you would need to conduct some tests first so that you can see whether the purifier lives up to your expectations and performs remarkably or is somewhat defective. If the former is what you’ve noticed then the device itself will make a fine addition to the household for years to come, just make sure to conduct maintenance checks on it from time to time. However, if the latter is what you’ve experienced on the new air purifier you’ve just purchased, it is advised you would bring the purifier back to the store where it was purchased from and request for a better replacement due to a warranty on the devices.
