Contents
In line with its mission, the Editorial Board of MedTvoiLokony makes every effort to provide reliable medical content supported by the latest scientific knowledge. The additional flag “Checked Content” indicates that the article has been reviewed by or written directly by a physician. This two-step verification: a medical journalist and a doctor allows us to provide the highest quality content in line with current medical knowledge.
Our commitment in this area has been appreciated, among others, by by the Association of Journalists for Health, which awarded the Editorial Board of MedTvoiLokony with the honorary title of the Great Educator.
Air purifiers are increasingly appearing in our homes. Since the WHO (World Health Organization) recognized that clean air has a direct impact on our life expectancy, and the level of air pollution in Poland continues to increase, we are increasingly deciding to buy a home air purifier.
Air purifier – how does it work?
The operation of a home air purifier is to filter the air in the room where the purifier is located. The air purifier sucks them in and then filters out impurities. The type of contamination that the air purifier filters out is closely related to the type of device. Usually, air purifiers remove dust, but if they have a carbon filter, they can filter out the so-called dust from the air. volatile organic compounds, i.e. fragrances.
Some of the available air purifiers also offer the option of humidifying the air. This is the case with water air purifiers. In water air purifiers, filtered air comes into contact with the water in the device, which leads to the so-called wet depositionthat is, putting harmful substances in the water. In addition to cleaning, the air is also moisturized.
Unfortunately, water air purifiers require very frequent cleaning – even a small amount of dirt in the device can make the air filtered in this way more harmful to us than before the cleaning process.
In air purifiers that use water, fungi and bacteria can grow, which makes the air that comes out of such a purifier even more polluted.
Check what happens when the heating season starts
Air purifier – how to maintain?
For the proper maintenance of your air purifier, the most important thing is to clean and replace the filter regularly. In addition, water purifiers require frequent water changes to prevent the growth of microorganisms. It is not worth following the assurances of some manufacturers that the filters can be simply washed – it only means that a cleaner with such a filter is less efficient.
The impurities filtered out by the purifier are so strongly deposited on the filter that it is not possible to clean them with water. Manufacturers offering washable filters actually offer ineffective filters.
Check also is it safe to dry your laundry at home
Air purifier – which one to choose?
When choosing an air purifier, we should be guided primarily by the size of the surface we want to clean. The cheapest purifiers will not clean the air in the entire apartment of 50 meters at the same time, and the most expensive purifiers will clean it, but with a delay.
The best solution is to buy several air purifiers for each room separately.
When deciding to buy one, small air purifier, it is worth considering in which room you will place it. Usually, we spend the most time in the bedroom while sleeping, and placing the air purifier in this room is the best for us. However, not everyone is able to accept the sounds that the purifier emits. One solution is to move the purifier.
However, it must be remembered that the air filtration process does not take several seconds or minutes, and the device needs time to effectively clean the air in a given room.
When considering which air purifier to choose, it is worth paying attention to two things: what surface it is intended for and how high the efficiency of the HEPA filter is.
The best HEPA filters achieve an efficiency of 99,97 percent for contaminants with a diameter of 0,3 micrometers. Interestingly, this information means that the filter works the least efficiently for pollutants of a given diameter – for smaller and larger ones it will work more effectively.
The performance of a HEPA filter increases with use, but only up to a point. Regardless of what filter we have, it must be replaced at least once a season.
It is worth remembering that the prices of air purifiers are closely related to the seasons. It happens that in the case of publicizing the smog alarms, the prices of air purifiers increase several times, only to return to normal levels in the summer. The prices of purifiers are also influenced by where we buy them.
If you are looking for an air humidifier at an attractive price, check the Medonet Market offer. There you will find unique models.
In cities with a high concentration of air pollution, air purifiers have much higher prices than in parts of the country that are less affected by the smog problem. It is worth considering buying an air purifier in the country and at the time of year that seem the least obvious to use this invention.
we recommend: Dirty air harms nerve cells
Air purifier – types of purifiers
Air purifiers can be divided into several types. The division usually results from the use of various types of filters in purifiers or from the requirements that are to be met and so we can name: smog air purifiers; air purifiers with built-in air humidification; air purifiers for allergy sufferers and air purifiers with the function of air ionization, i.e. air ionizers.
Smog air purifiers they are especially useful during the heating season, because it is then that the concentration of pollutants in the air increases and they enter our homes without any problems.
The formation of such pollutants in the air is often due to the popular use of garbage as a combustion product. PM2.5 dust and other substances, such as benzopyrene, dioxins, formaldehyde, benzene, etc., get into the air and penetrate the lungs, as well as blood and organs. Air purifiers of this type use HEPA filters and activated carbon filters.
The quality of both filters plays a key role here for filtration to be effective. In the case of Hepa filters, these must meet the relevant standards to be approved for use, unfortunately there are no such standards in the case of activated carbon filters. It should be noted that activated carbon filters are often sold with the addition of silica gel and zeolite, which significantly increases their effectiveness.
Air purifiers for people suffering from various types of allergies, through which they have symptoms such as coughing, difficulty breathing or watery eyes, which in extreme cases may lead to asthma.
These types of ailments appear every spring, when the plants around us start to dust. The problem affects more and more people and, according to research, allergies are experienced by as many as 40% of the population. Purifiers specially designed for allergy sufferers using the technology of multi-stage air filtering are able to very well get rid of allergens from the air in the rooms where they are placed.
Air purifiers for allergy sufferers use several types of filters, thanks to which they ensure high efficiency, and thanks to air ionization, bacteria, allergens and viruses are eliminated.
Air purifiers with a built-in humidifier, which are especially useful in the autumn and winter season, when the air in our homes is dry and makes breathing difficult, which may deteriorate our well-being or concentration. These types of humidifiers can be divided into two groups:
- Ultrasonic humidification, which consists in spraying water, thanks to the use of a membrane vibrating due to ultrasound, which evaporates moments later. Unfortunately, this method has disadvantages: the minerals in the water after evaporation settle on the furniture, which makes it seem that there is much more dust in the room, and due to the low efficiency of the ultrasound system, the air is quickly saturated with water, which leads to water condensation in the close vicinity purifier. Ultrasound can also lead to pain felt by our pets.
- Evaporative humidification consisting in the use of the so-called the evaporation mat, which is filled with the water in the container and by the air flow through it, the water is released into the air stream. In this case, the minerals that are in the water remain in the mat, so that our furniture will not be covered with sediment. Such a system is much more efficient than an ultrasound system, and thanks to the lack of ultrasound, our pets do not suffer. Unfortunately, evaporative humidification means that you cannot forget about removing minerals from the filter, and periodically, i.e. every few years, replacing it. In addition, it should be mentioned that the purifiers using the above-mentioned method are more expensive.
Air ionizers they are based on the production of negative ions and their release to the environment. Virtually every electrical device in our home produces positive ions, which are responsible for creating the right conditions for viruses, fungi, mites and other allergens.
Negative ions, in turn, are able to counteract this phenomenon by attracting negative ions and causing them to sink to the ground, thanks to which we do not inhale them with the air. It is also worth adding that ionizers are inexpensive and are characterized by quiet operation. However, it should not be forgotten that devices that purify our air only thanks to the use of ionization do not generate too much air movement, so their efficiency will also not be high.
The editorial board recommends: “Time for clean air”. We still know too little about air pollution
Air purifier – types of filters used in purifiers
Air purifiers are characterized by a specially designed filtration system, which is divided into many stages, and the more stages, the better the purifier’s efficiency.
The three most common types of filtration are:
- Pre-filter, whose task is to stop the biggest dirt or hair of our pets, thanks to which the next filters will wear less, and they will be great at dealing with dust particles or microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi or viruses.
- HEPA filterthe purpose of which is to catch small particles. Its effectiveness is demonstrated by the so-called retention, i.e. the percentage rate of air filtration of the smallest particles. Retention should be as close to 100% as possible. Modern purifiers most often have retention levels above 99%. Class 13 and 14 HEPA filters have the best efficiency. It is worth adding that you can make sure what particle size the purifier catches. In order for us to choose an air purifier for our home, we should take this into account (the smallest smog particles are 2,5 micrometers in diameter and smaller).
- Carbon filter, which uses activated carbon, which, thanks to its porous structure, is able to capture volatile chemical compounds and absorb odors such as, for example, cigarette smoke. However, it should be remembered that the carbon filter wears out very quickly, so you should not forget to replace it on average every two or three months.
Sometimes, in addition to the above-mentioned, it also applies ion filterwhich produces negative ions, and thanks to their association with positive ions, such as e.g. dust or allergens, it neutralizes them. It is also worth adding that some models of air purifiers have built-in UV lamps. They ensure the destruction of harmful microorganisms, i.e. fungi, bacteria and viruses. However, these types of functionality are provided by the filters themselves and do not need any additional help.
Worth knowing: Plants that purify the air. Which one to choose?
Air purifier – advantages of using
In order to supply 420 liters of oxygen, which is essential for human survival and functioning, a total of 10 liters of air are injected into the lungs every day. The quality of the air we breathe determines the health of the lungs and other organs. So clean air is considered a basic requirement for our health and well-being. However, air pollution continues to pose a serious health threat worldwide.
According to data published by the World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution is one of the greatest threats to the health of our environment in the world, and in 2012 as many as 7 million people died because of this alone.
Research shows a very strong relationship between exposure to indoor and outdoor air pollution and cardiovascular diseases such as stroke and ischemic heart disease, as well as between air pollution and cancer, and the development of respiratory diseases, including acute respiratory infections and chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases.
When it comes to air quality issues in our homes or rooms we live in, this indoor air pollution consists of a complex mixture of ambient (outside) air and those produced by internal sources. The use of air purifiers and filters is one of the suggested strategies for improving indoor air quality.
Research seems to suggest that reducing particulate matter and allergens reduces symptoms and, in some cases, prevents disease progression in all age groups, including the elderly and children (children, the elderly and women are most vulnerable to the potential health effects of air pollution. indoors as they spend more time in their home environment).
Evidence is seen in chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma and cardiovascular health. High-tech air filter systems are now available that effectively remove particulate matter, providing significant health benefits for patients with asthma and cardiovascular disease.
See also: Proven ways to dry air at home
Air purifier – and allergic respiratory diseases
Air filtration is often recommended as part of environmental control measures in patients with allergic respiratory disease. Air filtration in the apartment can be provided by the home’s heating, ventilating or air conditioning system, or by portable indoor air purifiers, or a combination of both.
According to research carried out in the United States, thanks to the use of the WHF (Whole House Filtration) filtration system with the HVAC system (heating, ventilation, air conditioning) and a disposable, high-efficiency MERV filter (minimum efficiency rating value) 12 HVAC proved that filtration can bring positive effects in asthma.
The use of HEPA filters has also shown a trend towards clinical benefit, but their effectiveness is limited to one room, not the whole apartment. Several – located in different rooms – are needed to get close to the high performance of the WHF. Ion electrostatic air purifiers in the room, on the other hand, provide little or no benefit over WHF or HEPA.
Ion devices produce ozone, irritating the respiratory tract, and in one study caused the growth of submicrometric particles. Bedroom filtration has proven successful in three clinical trials. The best and most cost effective approach may be to consider “combined filtration” using room ventilation along with HEPA filters especially in the bedroom.
The content of the medTvoiLokony website is intended to improve, not replace, the contact between the Website User and their doctor. The website is intended for informational and educational purposes only. Before following the specialist knowledge, in particular medical advice, contained on our Website, you must consult a doctor. The Administrator does not bear any consequences resulting from the use of information contained on the Website.