Home Air Purifiers - Expert Opinions

ClearFlite has reviewed the literature and web sites of the expert organizations listed below.  Our reporter Kelly K. has written articles about home air purifiers and what the experts have to say.  The basics that can be derived from these experts is very straight forward.  Before you invest in an air purifier you could first work to eliminate the source of the indoor pollution.  So, clean your home, change your furnace filter often, get proper sheets that preclude dust mites and remove whatever household product, chemicals or pets that cause a problem.  Then and only then look into portable air cleaners.  The first thing is to only purchase electronic (electrostatic) or HEPA based technology.  The other technologies are either ineffective like the Ionic Breeze or outright dangerous like Ozone.  Make sure that you purchase an air purifier that is properly sized to handle the square footage of the room which is your main concern.  If you have a very large or long room get two units.  The air from one end of the room will never make it to the other end to be cleaned unless you also add a room fan.  As always if you want help in selecting products please call us, we love to help.

• Environmental Protection Agency on home air purifiers An article about the EPA's findings regarding the effects on health of using indoor air cleaners.
• EPA on air purifier performance The performance of these products is addressed and the basic safe technologies are discussed.
• EPA on Ozone generators These dangerous devices are now sold under a large number of different names.  Buyer beware Ozone is a lung irritant and also a chemical to which your nose becomes accustomed.  
• California Air Resources Board An overview of consumer information about the use of these devices.
• California Air Resources Board - Choosing This article deals with selecting home air purifiers and touches on CADR.
• CADR of the AHAM CADR is not a well understood measurement.  The Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers provides the service of controlling this industry standard set of tests.
• The Importance of CADR This is another article about the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers and CADR.
• The Importance of Clean Air This article reports on the position of the Department of Homeland Security on clean air.
• Expert 1 An overview of the use of air purifier information.
• Expert 1 - efficiency  Discusses how some air purifiers allow dirty air to return to the room while others are more efficient.
• Expert 1 - The importance of air cleaners Presents an overview of how home air purifiers can help and be used effectively.
• Expert 1 - indoor pollution Offers a review of asthma triggers and how they can be countered.
• Expert 1 - Selection This article discusses how to select a unit to match your requirements..
• Expert 1 - the uses of home air purifiers These devices are not intended to solve every air quality problem.  This article discusses how they can be used.
• Expert 1 - home air purifiers technology The various technologies are a bit overwhelming.  This article discusses which work and which are best avoided.

The public, through the education of organizations and the media, is coming to know the importance of quality indoor air. There are many sources that have researched indoor air and home air purifiers and have come to many conclusions about the efficiency and importance of using them. Through the research and dedication of organizations and associations, the public is informed of the dangers of contaminated indoor air and the best ways to keep a home safe and healthy.

Expert 1 belongs to an organization that has brought to light the many contaminants in indoor air that can be harmful to people. The Expert discovered that many contaminants in the air such as skin flakes, pollen, human hair and dust can first settle on solid objects that are present in the room. They can easily become airborne and be breathed in by residents of the home. Once these contaminants are breathed in, they can cause reactions in people that are similar to allergic or asthmatic reactions. The Expert has also found that pet dander, fumes and tobacco smoke may start out being airborne inside a home but within 10 hours, these contaminants can settle onto solid object. If these contaminants are not completely removed from the air with home air purifiers, they can keep the cycle of being airborne and then settling and can be irritants to people present in the room.

The Expert has also used its extensive research on indoor air quality to focus on the efficiency of air purifiers. Since air purifiers are one of the most popular, inexpensive and convenient ways to fight air pollution, choosing the correct one can be the most important choice for a homeowner. One factor that the Expert finds important for consumers to look at is the size of the room that needs to be cleaned. Air purifiers should be chosen based on the size of room they is able to handle. The efficiency of an air purifier can be lost if one that is not able to handle a large room is purchased. Clean Air Delivery Rate, or CADR, is another factor that Expert finds important when looking at the efficiency of an air purifier. The Expert find the efficiency of an air purifier is just as important as the initial purchase of one.

Another factor that the Expert educates consumers to be on the lookout for when shopping for home air purifiers is the ability for them to remove different types of contaminants from the air. A home can contain certain contaminants such as house dust and pollen. If a pet lives in the home, pet dander can also be something that needs to be removed. If there a resident who smokes in the home, tobacco smoke may be something that needs to be focused on for elimination. Since there are different air purifiers that have specific contaminants they are able to remove efficiently, the exact contaminants that are targeted by the air purifier need to be known by the consumer before purchase. The Expert has also taken their time and expertise to review certain types of air purifiers for consumers. Tabletop home air purifiers are proven to not be as effective as freestanding units. The American Lung Association also recommends that a homeowner try and remove the source of the air pollution before involving an air purifier. According to the Expert, o-zone generators and ionic air purifiers are also two types of filtering systems that are proven to be ineffective at removing contaminants.

The Environmental Protection Agency is another organization dedicated to revealing to the public the importance of quality indoor air. The EPA has researched and educated the public on the most effective ways to clean indoor air with air purifiers. It recommends that a homeowner first try to remove the source of the contaminant that is present in the air. If this is not possible, the EPA suggests that the homeowner try to allow as much ventilation as possible in the home. If these solutions do not completely fix the air contamination problem, the homeowner should shop around for the proper air purifier for his or her situation. The EPA also denounces the use of o-zone generating home air purifiers. The EPA pleads this case to the public by making them aware of the unhealthy effects that the release of o-zone can make people experience. The EPA also states that o-zone generators are not effective or efficient at removing contaminants from the air and an air purifier with a HEPA or electrostatic filtering system should be considered instead.

The California Air Resources Board has also taken the time and research in order to educate the public on the most effective types of air purifiers. The organization advises the public that the use of home air purifier can greatly reduce the toxins in the air that can cause sickness or allergic reactions in many residents. The organization states that the most effective air purifiers are the units that use HEPA technology or electrostatic technology. Air purifiers that use ionizing technology or release o-zone may do more harm than good. Ionizers are known to have the airborne contaminants stick to any solid object. The contaminants are never removed from the air; they are simply stuck like house dust. They can become airborne again easily and therefore, the air is never safe and free of these contaminants.

The Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers is another organization that has dedicated itself to educating the public on finding an effective air purifier. The AHAM is in charge of accurately measuring the Clean Air Delivery Rates, or CADR's, of most air purifiers on the market. The AHAM seal is on the boxes of all home air purifiers that have been measured accurately by the association. The CADR's of a unit inform the consumer how quickly the air purifier is able to remove pollen, dust and tobacco smoke from indoor air. The CADR's may be the most important numbers that a consumer should examine when choosing an air purifier.

There are many resources that consumers can look at when researching the importance of indoor air and the efficiency of air purifiers. The Expert, EPA, CARB and AHAM are just a few of the organizations that take pride in their efforts to educate the public on quality air.