You might think that the air in your home feels fresh and crisp so an air purifier would be an unnecessary addition to a home that looks meticulous, but you might want to reconsider this. Studies show that the air inside your homes may not be as clean as you think it is. This is because unknown to you, there are numerous pollutants that circulate in the air inside homes and some of these can lead to respiratory infections if left unchecked.
In this article, we’ll understand how air purifiers work and why you might need one in your home, despite how clean the air feels. Let’s get started.
What Are Indoor Air Pollutants?
Let’s start with the basics. Indoor air can actually be pretty polluted, due to the lack of air circulation and the pollution caused by objects and activities conducted within the house on an everyday basis, such as cooking, smoking, and other biological pollutants. Even air fresheners and certain spays can give off pollutants that will decrease the quality of the air. These pollutants may or may not manifest themselves as diseases in the occupants of the house, but they certainly are not giving you any health benefits each time you breathe them in.
In the long run, most people who live in homes where there are too many allergens and pollutants may develop allergies or diseases as a result of this. To combat this, people generally try to allow proper ventilation within their homes and also try to grow indoor plants that also have air-purifying qualities. While these are good habits that can increase the quality of the air in the house, they don’t generally eliminate the major pollutants inside.
How Do Air Purifiers Work?
Good air purifiers such as the Airdoctor usually contain multiple filters inside them, along with a fan that sucks in the air and circulates it through the filters throughout the day. While the air is passed through the filters, the extra particles in the air such as allergens and pollutants are caught in the filter, while clean air is pushed outside to be recirculated within the room.
This is the general principle on which an air filter works, and you’ll have to replace its filter whenever it’s time for a replacement. The filters might be made out of paper, mesh, fiberglass, or fiber, depending on the type of purifier you own. Additionally, some filters are reusable, meaning that they can be used again once they’ve been washed and dried. The method of reusing or buying new filters solely depends on the type of purifier you’ve purchased.
What Are Their Benefits?
Here’s a list of the benefits that come along with using air purifiers. Do remember that these benefits are subject to change between individuals.
- Reduces asthma as it removes pollutants and irritants commonly found in the air like pollen and dust mites.
- Removes harmful gases like nitrogen dioxide and carbon monoxide, which can be found in homes which are situated in busy cities where there are a number of vehicles passing by each day.
- Removes unpleasant odors.
- Reduces the chances of breathing in airborne diseases.
- Improves the quality of sleep.
Disadvantages of Air Purifiers
- Most purifiers are quite high maintenance, especially if you opt for purifiers where the filers have to be replaced completely every now and then.
- Some purifiers are only capable of removing impurities and are ineffective against allergens and microorganisms.
- Some purifiers might emit ozone into homes.
Summary
It is advisable that you use air purifiers in your home if your house is situated in an area where there is a lot of emissions from traffic and factories, and also if you live in an area that is prone to develop forest fires. Do make sure you purchase a high-performing purifier to ensure you don’t have to face any of the disadvantages mentioned above.
