Air Purifiers have become more of a necessity today rather than an optional home appliance to purify the air inside your homes. Air Purifiers can be beneficial not only for the purpose of reduction of pollution, but for those too who suffer from lung diseases.
With the Diwali season in place, bursting crackers creates a lot of pollution and you need an air purifier in your house to remove dust and bacterial particles. But not all air purifiers are effective and not many have the advanced features for which one should look for. So here are the top 5 features you should look for in an Air Purifier.
Noise Level
Noise level is one of the main features one should look for. If an air purifier is too loud, one would obviously avoid using it if it is total silence is what you want. Noise Levels in an Air Purifier change with the fan speed so you might have to look for that.
But checking the noise levels of an air purifier can help you decide if it is as quiet as you want it to be. The best air purifier should have noise levels between 20-40dB at the lowest speed available for the fan and 50-70dB for the loudest ones available. If it is anything more than this, you should probably avoid getting it.
Air Filtration Tech
This is the primary aspect of an Air Purifier which determines its performance. Different types of tech will capture and handle different types of air pollution inside your home. You will have to choose the one that is suitable for you.
True HEPA filter should capture about 99.97% of particles of 0.3 micrometers and is rated to be the most efficient and effective tech available in Air Purifiers. They might not mention the best or accurate number for the air purifier’s performance but are the most effective.
PECO filters destroy the pollutants in the Air itself at molecular level instead of trapping them. PECO Technology is a technology patented by Molekule that uses free radicals to break down pollutants such as VOCs, Bacteria, Molds, etc.
Carbon Filters trap the air pollutants using a process called adsorption. With time, these filters become less effective as they slowly lose their holding capacity.
Cost of Filters
Cost of Filters is another aspect associated with the type of filter you want. For Example, HEPA filters are effective but also at the same time are extremely fragile and can get damaged easily during installation, cleaning, and even when the unit is moved.
Also, the HEPA filters cost more than the other options. For instance, the Philips HEPA filter costs around Rs 1,700. So you also have to keep in mind the cost of replacement filters. PECO filters are also not easily available in India.
But HEPA filters last longer than Activated Carbon filter. Where the former lasts about 1 year, the latter would last around 6 months before you have to replace it.
Ease of Use
Ease of use and design should be in accordance with the users convenience who will be operating the air purifier daily. One will have to check if its a smart air purifier and can be controlled through an App by connecting to the Wifi, if it can only be controlled from the Air Purifier unit itself, what options and features does the Air Purifier have, how complicated is the user interface for operations, etc.
One important thing to look for under ease of use is if the air purifier will notify about when it is time to change the filters. When the filters get dirty, it would affect the performance of the air purifier and one should change the filters before they get too dirty for optimal performance.
A person might also have to check the design which should match with his/her home decor in the room where the air purifier will be placed.
Size of Room
You will have to find the appropriate air purifier for the size of your room. Small Air Purifiers are are designed for personal space or rooms up to 299 square feet. Medium sized air purifiers are for rooms between 300 and 699 square feet and Large ones are for rooms between 700 and 1,900 square feet.
The type of purifier depending on the size of your room will determine mine how fast and effectively it purifies the air.