Our living environment has changed in the 2 decades, the air pollution become more serious. The creation of air purifiers helps us to prevent air pollutants and viruses from indoor air. And the Wifi air purifier with its smart control makes it possible for us to use it more easily. But many of us will confuse, is it really effective?
How does an air purifier work?
An air purifier is a very different device from a fan, humidifier, or ionizer. The first is used to cool down, the second allows you to re-humidify an interior that is too dry, while the third generates negative ions which flatten the polluting particles on the ground. The purifier, meanwhile, filters the indoor air and can annihilate dust, allergens, or pollutants. Depending on the manufacturers, the operating mode may vary, but more or less respects the same system:
The air drawn in first passes through a pre-filter which captures dust, animal hair, and all other large particles.
A second filter traps mites and pollens
An activated carbon filter neutralizes odors and volatile compounds (tobacco, household products, etc.)
A catalyst captures carbon monoxide and pollutants
A UV lamp neutralizes fine particles, bacteria, and viruses.
The healthy air is then vented through the purifier. To be effective, it must therefore operate continuously.
How to measure the efficiency of the air purifier?
The efficiency of the filters of an air purifier is measured using the CADR, an indicator all the higher as the device is powerful. It represents the number of m3 of clean air ventilated per hour. There are three, depending on the type of pollutant treated:
Pollen
Smoke
Dust.
The scale is usually between 200 and 450. Manufacturers usually indicate the percentage of particles filtered. Be careful with this data, because a device whose filtration is 99% efficient represents about ten grams of particles released into the air, against 0.1 grams for an efficiency of 99.99%.
Recently, air purifiers are enjoying great success because they can filter out coronavirus virus particles. But only devices with H13 HEPA filters effectively purify the air. It is such devices that allow closed rooms such as the Philharmonie de Paris to offer ventilation comparable to that outdoors and therefore to truly limit the spread of the virus.
Is the air purifier useful in fighting against the cov-19?
Should you, therefore, equip your apartment with one of these devices? The answer is more nuanced than one might think. Covid-19 is most often contracted in a closed environment, at home. If you live alone or as a couple, airing several times a day is enough to prevent the spread of the virus. On the other hand, if you are numerous or regularly welcome people to your home, investing in an air purifier can be interesting. The same applies if you have comorbidities associated with a risk of a serious form such as cardiovascular pathologies, diabetes, a serious illness, etc.
Regardless of the risk associated with the coronavirus, the air purifier can be an interesting tool for cleaning up your interior, especially if you use powerful cleaning products. If you or your loved ones suffer from respiratory allergies, the purifier is a good way to limit them inside the house. Likewise, if you have a pet, it helps prevent the air from being too heavy with hair and allergens from spreading.
You may find more information here: https://www.hituponviews.com/what-is-the-pros-and-cons-about-air-purifie...