What to Know About Air Purifiers
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution has become the world's single greatest environmental health risk. Reports by WHO also show that one in eight global deaths results from air pollution. Exposure to outdoor and indoor air pollution plays a role in developing respiratory diseases, cardiovascular diseases, and even cancer.
The indoor air you breathe is more polluted than the outside air. Factors like radon, dust, dander, cooking gas, cleaning supplies, building materials, and outdoor pollutants affect your indoor air quality on a daily basis.
Considering that we spend most of our time indoors, we’re exposing ourselves to indoor pollutants each and every day. Using an air purifier is a reliable way to improve indoor air quality and lower the risk of health problems.
What is an Air Purifier?
An air purifier is an appliance used to improve air quality by filtering allergens, pollutants, and irritants. It does this by trapping dangerous particles in both solid and gaseous forms.
How Does an Air Purifier Work?
An air purifier is one of the best ways to improve your indoor air quality. The air you breathe is purified by passing through multiple layers of filtration within the device. Most air purifiers have HEPA filters that capture tiny particles as little as 0.1 microns in size.
For instance, the Sans air purifier has a three-layer filtration system: the pre-filter, HEPA 13 filter, and an activated carbon filter. It ends with pulses of UV-C light. Let’s look at these layers a little more closely!
- Pre-filter: This is the first layer of protection in the air purifier. It traps large particles like pollen, hair, and dust. The helps the following layers do their jobs better.
- HEPA 13 filter: The Sans air purifier uses a medical-grade HEPA 13 filter. The filter traps microscopic particles that you can’t even see. This type of filter is capable of trapping 99.97% of particles down to 0.3 microns and 99.95% of particles down to 0.1 microns. You should regularly replace your HEPA 13 filter for your purifier to work effectively. We strongly suggest you avoid washable filters. (More on this in a minute!)
- Activated carbon filter: This is the third layer of protection in the Sans air purifier. This filter neutralizes harmful gasses that you cannot see, taste, or smell. Gas like carbon monoxide and radon can seep into your house through cracks, which can be hazardous to your health. Activated carbon filters also neutralize volatile organic compounds in our homes that come from personal care products, adhesives, and coatings. Finally, an activated carbon filter can neutralize unpleasant odors in your house.
- UV-C light: This is the final layer of protection. An internal UV-C light that is completely ozone free to combat pollutants trapped on the filter.
Replaceable HEPA 13 Filters vs. Washable Filters
A HEPA 13 filter can trap particles tinier than you’ve ever imagined and must be replaced regularly to maintain efficiency. The regular replacement of the HEPA filter has some people leaning toward washable filters. Buying washable filters might seem like a more efficient strategy. However, when it’s time to remove and clean them, you’re exposing yourself to all of the dangerous particles it trapped.
Plus, washable filters don’t always work as well in the first place. While a washable filter might seem easier, a replaceable filter is going to work far better and keep you safer.
Air Conditioners, Humidifiers, and Air Purifiers: Are They Similar?
Air conditioners and air purifiers affect indoor air quality in different ways. ACs focus on cooling the air while purifiers clean the air you breathe.
An air conditioner cools the indoor air throughout the house and transfers heat from the inside to the outside. The air conditioning process helps in regulating temperature and humidity levels. And by maintaining the proper humidity levels, you protect your home against mold and mildew, with thrive on moisture. So, to an extent, yes — an air conditioner helps to keep the air clean.
However, that’s not its main purpose. On the other hand, we have the air purifier, which traps allergens and pollutants in the air, ensuring improved indoor air quality. Their sole purpose to is purify — not manipulate the temperature or humidity level.
Plus, other contaminants like toxic gasses and VOCs also need to be captured, and an air conditioner simply isn’t designed to do this.
A humidifier's primary function is to add moisture to the air. It accomplishes this by introducing water vapor into the atmosphere. There are also dehumidifiers, which do the opposite.
Should an Air Purifier Be Switched on 24/7?
It’s perfectly safe to leave your Sans on and running throughout the day. It’s whisper quiet, so you won’t even notice it. Where should you put your air purifier? A safe bet is to put it in areas that are high-traffic and/or areas you spend a lot of time in. For example, if you spend most of the day in your home office, keeping your air purifier nearby is a smart idea!
Owning an air purifier comes with many benefits. An air purifier will:
- Neutralize volatile organic compounds.
- Help in reducing airborne illnesses.
- Lighten the allergen load in the air.
- Neutralize unpleasant odors.
- Help in relieving symptoms of asthma.
- Improve the quality of your sleep.
Owning an air purifier is one of the best things you can do for your home. Be sure to opt for one with a medical-grade HEPA 13 filter. Change the filters when the device notifies you. And as a result, you’ll be able to keep the air in your home safe and easy to breathe.
Shop with Sans today and feel the difference.