A Guide to Choosing the Best Air Purifier
Even as the global pandemic blows over, indoor air quality remains at the top of everyone's priority list because people have realised the value of staying healthy and safe. Poor air quality can lead to various health problems and degrade one's quality of life, neither of which is desirable.
Air purifiers, as we all know, work by removing pollutants from our indoor air to improve the quality of the air we breathe. However, how effective it is depends entirely on the type of air purifier you choose and the features it includes. Today, we'll go over what to look for in an air purification device so you can find the best air purifier for yourself.
1. CADR
Every air purifying device is labelled with its own CADR, which stands for Clean Air Delivery Rate, a metric that indicates the device’s effectiveness and efficiency in removing certain particles within a specific room size, developed by the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM). In general, higher ratings indicate greater efficacy in removing particles and cleaning the air in larger rooms.
An air purifier can have multiple CADR, such as a CADR of 200 for pollen and 200 for smoke; this means it can reduce pollen and smoke concentration at the rate of 200 cubic feet per minute. However, its effectiveness will depend on the room size and where your air purifier is placed.
2. Filter
Air purifiers with a High-Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter are the most effective, trapping 99.97% of particulate matter that are 0.3 microns or larger. When shopping for an air purification device, look for "true" HEPA filters rather than "HEPA-type" filters, which are not rated to meet HEPA filtration standards.
Although HEPA filters are sufficient, you may choose to purchase air purifiers with additional filters to ensure thorough filtration. HEPA filters are only intended to filter specific pollutants and must be changed on a regular basis in order to remain effective. HEPA filters cannot remove other indoor pollutants such as harmful Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), odours, and gaseous pollutants such as formaldehyde.
Two other filters to look into include
a. Activated Carbon Filter
This filter removes pollutants such as VOCs through a process known as adsorption, in which pollutants adhere to the carbon as air passes through the filter.
b. Silver Ion Filter
This filter uses silver ions to destroy the protein and nucleic acid structure of viruses and the cell membranes of bacteria to eliminate them from the air. Air purifiers with silver ion filters can even eliminate a number of COVID-19 particles.
Aside from typical air purifiers fitted with filters, there are other types of purification systems such as ionisers and UV purification devices that work differently to clean your air.
1. Air Ionisers
They emit negatively charged ions into the room to electrically charge particles, causing them to fall to the ground and wait to be swept up. This reduces the amount of airborne particles that we inhale.
2. UV Air Purifiers
They force air through the purifier, exposing airborne particles and microorganisms to ultraviolet light, disinfecting the air via germicidal irradiation, releasing clean air into the room again.
The type of air purifier you choose will depend on your family's needs and lifestyle habits. Air ionisers do not need you to remove filters and wash or replace them on a regular basis, but you will need to ensure that all surfaces in your home are thoroughly cleaned. HEPA air purifiers may be more suitable for those who want to keep their home surfaces clean as much as possible.
Aurabeat carries a range of air purifiers in Singapore. From mini portable air purifiers to larger ones with higher filtration rates, find the best air purifier your family needs. Find out more about our products here.