What two criteria do you look at to make a good home air purifier choice? Since the air problems found in most residential homes are similar, let's start by looking at typical
residential spaces.
Most homes have similar challenges.
Every home has dust and dust mites, food odors, and pollution entering the house from outside. We typically add contaminants from cleaning and beauty
products, painting and home repair, as well as out-gassing from new furniture or carpeting. Many have pollen, mold, and other allergens entering the home regularly. Some of us have pets. Others
have seasonal projects that affect the air. Some people smoke or entertain regularly. We all bring in "stuff" when we are out coming and going. All of these are relatively normal
residential challenges for a home air purifier.
Some homes with basements have a slight leak or small water problem or foundation problem and may have a musty or moldy basement. A small roof or
wall leak can also cause a room or rooms of the house to be musty. An air purifier can help these situations as well, but it is always wise to find the root of the problem and fix it if
possible. These types of problems generally get worse over time. They occur more often in older homes or certain rainy parts of the country.
Some places are dustier, more polluted, or have seasonal challenges. Sometimes there are forest fires or other environmental hazards. Apartments and other houses close together can share air
flow at times. Cooking, smoke, and grill smells can sneak under doors in hallways or outside windows. Again, these are common challenges for a home air purifier.
One major difference between a residential space and a commercial space is that most of us sleep at home. Since the average time spent sleeping is about 8 hours, you may pick this as a place
that you want clean air.
You may have a business in your home or live in an adversely polluted environment or you may have special needs. If you have any out of the ordinary home air situations that are ongoing, you
may need to consult a specialist to solve your air cleaning needs.
The two criteria needed to make a good decision
1) Do you want to clean one room, multiple rooms or the whole house?
This is a primary decision you will need to make. You may just want to clean a certain room or have a purifier where you sleep. In some cases budget can be a limitation. In other cases it
can be the size of your home or your homes layout. Even the cooling/heating system can be a factor in this decision.
Let's look at each of these.
First though, if you have made up your mind and only want to clean the air in one room, If you are not sure, continue on.
Budget: Cleaning the whole house will generally be more expensive than effectively cleaning just one room. One good active or passive home air purifier will clean one room. If you want to
clean multiple rooms or the whole house it can get a little more complicated. If you are on a budget you will need to look at cost effective solutions.
Home Size: Home size generally only matters if you want to clean more than one room. When using passive technologies your choices are limited. A single passive air purifier will clean only a
single room or space. Some passive technologies can be hooked up through your HVAC system and thus reach the whole home. To do the whole home with passive technologies your choice is limited to
more than one unit or a more serious whole home unit hooked through the HVAC. Active technologies may provide more "bang for the buck" for whole house cleaning. Read my section on
whole house/ multiple room air cleaning for a more detailed discussion. Layout: Homes can be single story or multiple stories. Some have basements. Some offer an open layout and some a closed
layout. No matter what air cleaning choice you make, you will have to make some concessions. No layout or home air purifier combination is a perfect fit. Looking at all the options and having a
plan will be helpful, but will not eliminate some in-home "tweaking" once you pick a home air purifier. One nice thing about most air purifiers is they are moveable. You can move them
around and find the best spots.
Heating and Cooling: A home air purifier works better with air flow. Central air and heat systems or HVAC are best at doing this. If you are in a home without central air and heat, consider
installing a ceiling fan or using some sort of fan setup to get better air flow. Both passive and active systems will clean the air better with increased air flow. 2) Which contaminants do you
want to clean?
Basic Particles – dust, pet dander, allergens: Use HEPA, Electrostatic Precipitators/Charged Media Filters, or Ionization
Smells and Gases – cooking odors, kitty liter, aerosols: Use Activated Carbon Filters, Ozone or Advanced Filterless Technology
Basic Microorganisms – each technology has varying effectiveness: Use Antibacterial and Germicidal Filters, UV, Ozone, or Advanced Filterless Technology
Advanced Microorganisms – some technologies have proven studies: Use Advanced Filterless Technology
Small Particles – like tobacco smoke: Use Ionization or Electrostatic Precipitators/Charged Media Filters Ok, time for a plan of action!
Plan of Action:
1) Decide if you want to clean the whole house or just one or two rooms.
2) Make a list of all major known contaminants in your home. Figure out what you want to clean and add to the list anything else you want removed from your air.
3) Review the appropriate section on single room or whole house/ multiple room.
4) Review the technologies again if needed and know which ones interest you.
5) Go to STEP 3 Reviews and start your review of air purifiers That's it! You have your plan, let's go forward …
Return to STEP 2 Types from Residential Home Air Purifier