Air
Purifier Reviews
Picking the best
air purifiers is a tough
task because the needs of each
allergy,
asthma, and MCS sufferer are somewhat different. So, we have provided air
purifier reviews for each each technology type and manufacturer and try to give
you a brief overview of each. With reviews we must be careful because the
application needs to dictate the solution rather than a rating. However we
have done our best at allowing you to compare and make your own determinations.
The technologies we have covered include HEPA, Ion Generators, Ozone Generators,
The Ionic Breeze, and Electronic or Electrostatic Air Purifiers. We offer
products from
Austin
Air,
Second Wind,
Allerair,
Calutech,
UltraPure,
Air Free and
NeoAir. Please call us to address
your actual requirements
HEPA Air Purifiers:
HEPA (High Efficiency Particle Arresting) filters were originally developed for the
atomic energy commission and are used in commercial clean rooms to remove
particles. This is a paper or polymer sheet with very tiny passage that allow
airflow to pass though the material but not much else. Since the passages though
the fibers of the media are so
small you need a lot of surface area for a reasonable amount of airflow to pass
though the media. Therefore the media is always folded in an accordion or
zigzag fashion to get a lot of surface area in a small volume. There is also a
hybrid version of the technology that Blueair
uses where the passages in the HEPA are slightly larger to promote airflow but the
air is charged with electrostatic wands.
Our Review:
HEPA Filters work
well in the home for trapping particulates. The only downside is that the
filters must be changed every 6-months to 5-years depending on the
manufacturer. The review of any HEPA unit depends on the efficiency (how
much air by-passes the filter), fan noise, filter life and price. In general
this is a solid technology that works well.
UV air purifiers:
Ultraviolet light in the right intensity destroys the DNA of microorganisms such
as bacteria and viruses.
Air Purifier Reviews: We recommend devices
like the Allerair air purifiers that combine UV with HEPA and activated carbon. or Whole House units like the Second Wind and Calutech
Ion Generator Air Purifiers:
These are small air purifier devices that put out a stream of negatively charged
Ions. These ions charge particulate pollution and when the particle bumps
up against something it sticks due to the electronic charge. These devices
are used on US submarines and are claimed to make you feel better and the sun
shine more brightly. They are also used in the as air purifiers in the poultry
industry to keep the feather dust down.
Air Purifier Reviews: We used these air purifiers years ago in bird
cages. They do work as claimed (except the "sun shining more brightly"
part) but have two problems. First, the particulates end up on your walls
so your walls turn black near the device. Secondly, since they typically
do not have a fan they only work in a localized area. In commercial
applications of this product a lot of them are installed to be effective.
Note that these devices do nothing for chemical problems and some put off
dangerous Ozone. Needless to say when we compare these air purifiers with the
other technologies we would not recommend this one.
Ozone Generators as Air Purifiers:
Ozone is an unstable molecule of three Oxygen atoms (O3). Since
Oxygen "likes" to be in two atom molecules (O2) it readily gives up
the lone molecule and oxidizes whatever it bumps into. So, any
particulates or chemicals that the ozone contacts are oxidized. This
changes them chemically and is very effective in commercial applications like
cleaning flooded home or those with major sewage back-ups.
Air Purifier Reviews: Ozone is dangerous if inhaled, NIOSH
and OSHA have strict limits on how much Ozone can be in a work place (it is a
by-product of welding and other industrial processes). Luckily the FCC has tried
to put
the clamps on the crooked MLM firms that market these devices as home air
purifiers.
Ionic Breeze:
These devices from the Sharper Image use a set of charged plates to grab the
particulates and stick them to the plates.
Air Purifier Reviews: The money that the Sharper Image puts into
advertising these air purifiers is amazing. We wrote an entire review on the topic
which is in our
Technology tab. In general these air purifiers are not effective
because they have no effective way to get the air through the device in enough volume to make a
difference. The
Ionic Breeze can wiggle ribbons but it can not move large
volumes of air though the cleaning plates without a fan. These units do
not work!
Electronic or Electrostatic
Air Purifiers:
This technology has been used in whole house filters for years and is also
called electrostatic technology. These air purifiers works much like the
Ionic Breeze with plates but, there is a fan that pulls airflow over the plates.
Air Purifier Reviews: These air purifiers have been
good price-performance systems for several years in
most air purifier ratings for removing particulates. So, this is a good
choice for allergy sufferers but those with asthma and
MCS or odor issues
should pick a HEPA
unit with more chemical adsorbing media.
The following air purifier reviews
are intended as guidelines only. Your budget, and application are also key when
you compare air purifiers. Please call us to find the best air purifier to
match your specific requirements!
VALUE YOUR MONEY BEFORE PURCHASING AN AIR PURIFIER!
Answer the following questions:
- Does the chosen manufacturer have independent tests to prove its claims?
- How does the machine purify the air?
- Does the chosen air purifier generate ozone? Is it safe?
- How much will it cost to run? How much will it cost to replace filters and parts?
- Is it noisy?
- Is the technology clean and environmentally friendly?
- How big and heavy is it?
- Will it interfere in my house décor?
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Ionic Air Purifier
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