Air purifiers are devices that get rid of contaminants in the atmosphere to enhance the quality of air. Generally, the technologies behind the air filtration processes differ, but they entail passing the air circulating in a room through a machine and releasing cleaner air. Regardless of the technology, air purifiers offer us numerous benefits. With that in mind, here are five amazing benefits of air purifiers:
1. Helps With Asthma
Allergens in the home such as dust, smoke, mold, pet dander, and pollen from outside can trigger asthma. Air purifiers can help asthmatics breathe better by getting rid of such irritants. When it comes to eliminating allergens, High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) air purifiers are a great choice because they are designed to trap both tiny and large particles.
HEPA air purifiers come in different grades. HEPA 13, being the most suitable for home and office use, filters up to 99% of particles in the air. Also, they do not emit ozone into the atmosphere like some other types of air purifiers. In high levels, ozone can cause bronchospasm, which can worsen asthma.
2. Gets Rid of Odors
Air purifiers refresh the air and eliminate odor by circulating the air in a room using a fan and passing them through carbon filters. Activated carbon filters in air purifiers effectively trap odor-causing molecules in the process, thereby reducing their numbers. If the air is saturated with odor particles, the filters quickly become clogged up. Some air purifiers have removable activated carbon filters that can be washed with soap and water and reused. Hence, you can use them for months without needing replacement.
HEPA filters cannot get rid of gaseous odor molecules, but they can eliminate solid odor particles. This feature helps when the odor originates from substances like smoke, mold, pet dander, and bacteria. Air purifiers with both HEPA filters and activated carbon filters offer excellent protection against odor in the home. You can find a device for rooms of all sizes and use cases, whether you need an air purifier for a large room in a residential or commercial space.
Ionizing air purifiers neutralize odors in a room, but they do not use a technology that eliminates odor particles with a filter. Therefore, they are not as effective against odors as purifiers with filters.
3. Eliminates Harmful Chemicals
Harmful chemicals in the home called Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) evaporate from several household products at room temperature. Some familiar sources of VOCs around us are varnishes, paints, cleaning chemicals, gasoline, pressed wood furniture, cosmetics, adhesives, air fresheners, newspaper, and upholstery fabrics. Hence, keeping the doors and windows of a house shut doesn’t guarantee protection from harmful gases. Air purifiers are built with technology that stops these toxic chemicals from circulating in the air.
Air purifiers with Photo Electrochemical Oxidation (PECO) technology eliminate VOCs in the atmosphere by trapping them in a filter and destroying the molecules. Therefore, they prevent the chemicals from returning into circulation due to filter saturation. This technology does not create ozone in the process which can harm the lungs when inhaled. Instead, it offers the advantage of reducing ozone levels in circulation.
Air purifiers with carbon filters also eliminate harmful chemicals from the air. However, unlike PECO filters, they only collect the particles without destroying them. Over time, the carbon filters become saturated and are unable to trap more chemical molecules. They may begin to release already trapped VOCs back into circulation. Hence, when using air purifiers with carbon filters, it is best to clean the filters regularly (if they are reusable) and change them when needed.
4. Improves Sleep
Allergens like dust and mold spores affect our ability to sleep by causing symptoms like congestion, shortness of breath, headaches, and sneezing. Air purifiers improve sleep by trapping airborne contaminants that can affect our sleep, preventing them from circulating. In addition, some air purifiers release soothing sounds known as white or pink noises from their fans. White and pink noises can serve as sleep aids and allow you to sleep faster by blocking out external noise to a large extent.
Also, air purifiers freshen the air around. Hence, the environment becomes odor-free, making it more comfortable and conducive for sleep.
5. Reduces Risk of Airborne Disease
Airborne pathogens like viruses, fungi, and bacteria easily spread in a confined area and cause diseases. Air purifiers lower the risk of airborne diseases by getting rid of droplets and particles in the atmosphere which may contain harmful organisms. The series of filters in air purifiers are designed to collect polluted air and release clean air into a room.
Apart from lowering infection risk, air purifiers also promote quicker recovery from diseases that affect the lungs by preventing inhalation of infected air and re-infection. Also, they reduce the severity of infection in hospitalized patients.
