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This section of our site was written to be accessible for those with impaired vision including those who may be using programs to hear the internet and to comply with W3C guidelines. We hope that this will make it convenient for you to get information and shop for air purifiers. We offer IQAir, Austin Air, Blueair, The Friedrich C90B, Allerair, and Air O Swiss products. If you would prefer we would love to talk to you. Call us at 800-497-8263.
First buy the technology that is effective for your problem. If you are trying to reduce the symptoms of hay fever type allergies then a unit using HEPA or electrostatic technology is the way to eliminate the pollen particles. If you are are suffering from Multiple Chemical Sensitivity or Asthma you should consider a HEPA unit with lots of activated carbon or specialized media to remove irritating particles plus chemicals and odors.
In any case make sure you get a unit that is rated for the area you with to have clean. In addition to the square foot rating of the air purifiers consider the room layout. If you have a long skinny room get a smaller air purifier for each end. Remember only the air that passes though the air purifier gets cleaned. So, short of a jet engine fan, the air from one end is not going to be blown from one end of the room to the other a number of times an hour.
Technology
There are a number of technologies used to make home air purifiers. These include some that are safe and effective like HEPA, adsorption, electrostatic, and U.V. as well as those that are dangerous like Ozone, Ionic Breeze, or Ion Generators.
Here is a quick overview of these technologies:
HEPA
HEPA stands for High Efficiency Particulate Arresting. This
consists of a paper or polymer filter that has very small holes filtering down
to the sub micron range. Since little air is able to get though this
material it is folded back and forth like an accordion to present a very large
surface area in a small space. HEPA is effective in stopping particles like
dust, pollen, bacteria, and mold spores. It is not effective at removing
chemicals or odors so most HEPA air purifiers also use some adsorption
technology.
Adsorption Technology
Adsorption technology consists of a number of different materials that
are very porous. These pores adsorb or trap chemicals. Activated
carbon and Zeolite are used for general purpose air cleaners to adsorb odors and
general household chemicals. There are a number of other materials that are used
to handle very specific materials.
Electrostatic
Electrostatic air purifiers use charged plates or grids to clean the air.
Incoming air flows over one set of positively charges plates that impart a
positive charge to any particles in the air. As the air proceeds it then
encounters a negatively charged set of plates to which these particles are
electrically stick. Like HEPA electronic or electrostatic air purifiers work
only only on particles and must be combined with an adsorptive technology to
provide complete coverage.
U.V.
U.V. light of the proper frequency will disrupt the DNA of microorganisms.
Thus adding a U.V. stage to a HEPA system helps to decrease the chances of
viruses and bacteria from spreading.
Dangerous Air purifiers
Oxygen is stable with two atoms per molecule. Ozone has three and
thus tries to get rid of the third atom any chance it gets. This oxidizes
whatever "gets" the third atom. Ozone air purifiers are effective in
commercial and industrial applications where there are no humans present.
Ozone irritates the lungs and nasal passages and is considered to be a health
hazard by OSHA, NIOSH and the American Lung Association. While the Ionic
Breeze now has an ozone shield they have been proven to be ineffective by all
third party tests. The lack of a fan makes them quiet but also fails to
get air though the unit and around the room. Ion generators typically also
release ozone and they work by causing the pollutants to be stuck to whatever
surface they come in contact with. So your walls get dirty!
In this section we provide an overview of the different brands. At the end of each brand section there is a link to a page about that brand where the air purifiers may be ordered. ClearFlite has been selling on the web since 1996 and offers the lowest price we are legally allowed to advertise, free shipping and no taxes (we pay them). Blueair and IQAir we ship two day free, Austin Air we ship three day free and the rest UPS ground free. Our shopping system uses Secure Socket Layer (SSL) encryption so it is absolutely secure. We do not give out client information for any reason to anyone.
IQAir air purifiers are the highest quality products available and rated number one. They are constructed from polymer that does not outgas and have the highest efficiency of any unit on the market. They come in a variety of models that include those for specific chemical problems. For very serious or clinical applications we recommend these air purifiers. Prices range from $649-$1045. Products are shipped 2 day free. Learn more about IQAir Products.
Austin Air Purifiers are of all metal construction and made in the United States. These are real work horses and typically provide five years of filter life between changes. Austin Air Purifiers are very quiet on low speeds and provide a quality white noise, without rattles, on the higher speeds. This is our bread and butter line and should be considered first for all-around use. Prices range from $299.99-$549.99. Products are shipped 3 day free. Learn more about Austin Air Purifier Products.
Blueair Air purifiers use a hybrid technology of HEPA and Electrostatic to create higher airflow with less fan noise. The downside is that these filters must be changes about twice a year. Using all metal construction these units are rattle free but fairly loud on high. Prices range from $299.00-$599.95. Products are shipped free. Learn more about BlueAir Products.
Allerair Air Purifiers are much like the Austin units all metal construction except these are round while the Austin Air purifiers are square. These HEPA based products offer a range of adsorption medias to address different chemical problems along with the option of U.V. filtration. Prices range from $359.98-$439.98. Products are shipped UPS ground free. Learn more about Allerair Products.
Friedrich C-90B electrostatic air purifiers are rated tops by most third party testing organization for cleaning the air of particles. These US made units are a bit week in handling chemicals but particularly good for dust and pollen. The price is $589. Products are shipped UPS ground free. Learn more about the Friedrich C90B.
Air-O-Swiss HEPA air purifiers are made of polymer and are one step up from the typical home improvement center air purifiers. The 2071 model also offers humidification tanks to keep the room air pleasant. Prices range from $299-$380. Products are shipped UPS ground free. Learn more about Air O Swiss air purifiers.
Air Purifiers - Accessible Home
Air Purifier Pages
IQAir Austin Air Blueair Friedrich C90B Allerair Air O Swiss
Call 1-800-497-8263