Which Air Purifier is Best for Your Room? 

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Because we spend up to 90% of our time indoors, we unknowingly expose ourselves to harmful airborne pollutants on a daily basis, and even seemingly harmful household items and products such as carpeting, furniture, and cleaning products can cause irreparable damage to the respiratory system over time. As well, apartment-dwellers are even subjected to poor indoor air due to improper ventilation, maintenance work, and the improper placement of outdoor air intakes.

For smaller areas such as bedrooms or even office cubicles, select an air purifier based on your air purification needs and your square footage.

For particles such as dust or pet dander, look for a room air purifier utilizing HEPA filters. HEPA filters, or High Efficiency Particulate Air Filters, were originally developed by the Atomic Energy Commission to capture radioactive dust particles, and air purifiers utilizing HEPA technology offer superb particulate filtration, as they are over 99.97% effective at controlling particles as small as 0.3 microns. In order to purify the air, the inlet grill of an air purifier draws in dirty air, and pollutants such as pollen, dander, dust, and mold become trapped. Once the dirty air is filtered, a fan sends it back to the room, therefore making it easier to breathe.

For odors, find a room air purifier with Activated Carbon filters. Many HEPA air purifiers also use Activated Carbon to remove noxious odors from the air. Activated carbon filters excel at adsorbing odors and gases, and have the ability to neutralize fumes, chemicals, and smoke through millions of tiny pores. These pollutants normally bypass HEPA filters, but they bond to the large surface area of a carbon filter.

To destroy viruses, bacteria, and mold, look for an air purifier with a UV lamp. UV light is one of the most effective methods to reduce and control airborne pathogens, and for this reason, UV air purifiers often used in the medical setting. As polluted air is passed through intense UV light, bacteria, viruses, and organic compounds are destroyed, as the UV rays damage the DNA of the microorganisms and render them harmless.

Lastly, in order to ensure proper purification of your room, pay attention to room size. Air purifiers are usually rated based on area size, and be sure that the air purifier you choose will be able to handle the size of your room. For example, the Blueair Airpod is perfect for a desk or personal area, but it cannot sufficiently handle a normal bedroom measuring 150 square feet.

Because of the smaller square footage of individual rooms, noise levels may also be a factor to be aware of (especially in areas such as bedrooms). Most air purifiers are relatively quiet at the low setting, but HEPA air purifiers in particular may be noisy when operating at high power. If noise is a primary concern, consider using an ionic or ozone air purifier, as these are almost completely silent.

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