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An air purifier helps remove contaminants from the air indoor by cleaning it and improving the quality of the air we breathe.
We often end up not giving much importance to air purifiers and how they can benefit us in many ways.
In our day to day lives, air purifiers play an important role in keeping our loved ones healthy and free from many diseases.
Today, we are going to read about the uses of air purifiers, types of air purifiers, things to consider when buying an air purifier, and some suggestions on the best air purifier under 200 for an apartment.
Use of Air Purifier
There are many air purifiers in the market, and the demand for these is growing every day. The global market is expected to boom by 2024, mainly due to the growing concerns regarding health, and a huge portion of it depends on the quality of the air we breathe indoor.
Being exposed to unpurified air indoor for the long-term can make one susceptible to heart diseases, respiratory diseases, and even as serious as cancer.
Among the many harmful components in the air, the ones mentionable are tobacco smoke, viruses, bacteria, molds, carbon monoxide, dust, etc.
An air purifier helps to get rid of all these pollutants and also odors, pet dander and hair, and even pollens from plants that cause allergies.
The function of an air purifier is to process the air in an apartment through its various filters and make it healthy for one to breathe.
Types of Air Purifier
Various air purifiers are available in the market, but the 5 most common air purifiers are mentioned below with the technology and the processes they use to purify the air.
HEPA Filter Air Purifiers
As the name suggests, High-Efficiency Particulate Air is efficient at cleaning air up to 99.97% of air particles larger than 0.3 microns. The size of particles visible to the human eye is above 10 microns.
This purifier has been in the market for the longest time and filters out viruses and bacteria which are not visible to the human eye.
HEPA uses a 3 mechanism process – interception, impaction, and diffusion. They do not produce any harmful products in the process.
Filtering airborne particles are efficiently done by HEPA, but it is not able to get rid of odors and chemicals. However, this purifier provides a sanitary environment indoor.
Activated Carbon Air Purifier
A form of carbon filter is used in this purifier, which has a large surface area due to its porous feature. This provides a large surface area to remove pollutants from the air.
Absorption is the process used by this purifier to filter out impurities. The contaminant particles stick to the carbon filter due to its bonding and absorbent ability. Once stuck, they are completely eliminated and are not released to the environment.
The main function of this purifier is to remove odor, smoke, and chemical and is used along with HEPA purifiers.
UV Air Purifiers
Using ultraviolet light, this purifier eliminates bacteria and viruses. UV purifier is most effective in getting rid of germs.
The UV purifier works by reacting with air pollutants and converting it to harmless products. This process is known as a chemical reaction.
On the other hand, this also converts oxygen and water molecules to ozone, which is a harmful gas.
This purifier is not very effective when used alone, and only expensive ones are able to minimize the production of ozone. Hence, a UV purifier should be used with other purifiers.
Ionic Air Purifier
Ionic particles in air magnetically attract the contaminant particles, and the pollutant particles become too heavy to remain in air and fall, usually on the floor, walls, windows, or any solid item. They can then be removed by dusting or vacuum.
Also, ionic air purifiers are very ineffective as they do not get rid of the pollutants completely, and if the heavy particles become loose, they can return in air and contaminate again.
Ozone Air Purifier
This form of purifier produces ozone to eliminate the contaminant particles. However, the process can take months, and it is not effective. The presence of ozone in the air can trigger asthma and even cause lung scars.
These purifiers are not approved by the federal government, and it has been tested to show that the level of ozone concentration has to be very high to purify the air. Most ozone purifiers have ionic filters in them, and this causes a much higher risk to health.
Things to Consider When Buying an Air Purifier
Size
It is very important to know the correct square footage of the apartment so that the purifier covers the whole area. If the purifier is too big, it will consume more energy and cost more.
Placement
The purifier should be placed in the room where one spends the most time. There should also be 24 inches clearance around the purifier for it to work at optimum efficiency.
Maintenance
This corresponds to more cost. As a result, a purifier with low maintenance cost is preferred, such as a HEPA purifier.
Features
Purifiers with various features are available in the market, so get one that fulfills your needs and is affordable.
Suggestions on Best Air Purifier
GermGuardian AC4825 Air Purifier
This consists of HEPA filter, UV light filter, and titanium dioxide. It efficiently kills germs, gets rid of odor, and smoke. This purifier costs below $200, and maintenance is affordable.
Winnix 5500-2
It has a HEPA filter and carbon filter, which helps sanitize the indoor environment, and no harmful chemicals are produced.
The carbon filters are washable, which accounts for low maintenance, and this purifier stands at less than $200.
Conclusion
An air purifier works best when it has a combination of filters and processes working together to create a sanitary indoor environment to breathe. Air purifiers are essential to living healthy and are very affordable.
So get the best air purifier under $200 for your apartment and live a healthier life.