5 things to look for while choosing an air purifier

Air purifiers are a necessity in some of our more polluted cities, and especially useful if someone in your family suffers from severe dust allergies or any similar respiratory issues. The design of air purifiers is also relatively simple, making them easy to maintain and use over extended periods of time. That said, they’re sometimes so quiet and unobtrusive that we tend to forget about them, and the fact that they need a certain minimum level of maintenance to operate at their best. With that in mind, here are some other features you need to look out for when buying an air purifier.

5 things to look for when buying an air purifier

1. HEPA filter

2. Filter life indicator

3. Air quality sensor

4. Odour removal

5. Noise level

1. HEPA filter

The presence of a HEPA or High-Efficiency Particulate Air filter is essential for anyone suffering from dust or pollen allergies. HEPA filters are designed to filter out particles as small as 0.3 microns – dust and pollen-sized objects – including mould and bacteria with an efficiency of 99.97 per cent.

ALSO READ: How to clean an air purifier

Most air purifiers come with some sort of air filter installed, but you’ll need to ensure that you’re getting a HEPA filter to ensure that the purifier is able to filter effectively.

2. Filter life indicator

The filter life indicator is an important tool for measuring the efficiency with which your air filter is filtering the air. Essentially, your purifier measures the air pressure at the filter when air is being pulled through it, and notes how that pressure degrades over time to indicate how clogged or damaged the filter is. These filters tend to be very delicate and they do degrade over time. Replacing them in a timely manner is important to ensure that the air you’re breathing is properly filtered. Otherwise you might as well just as use a fan to recirculate the air.

3. Air quality sensor

Air quality sensors are another great add-on that is useful in any air purifier. Simple air purifiers will just run at a fixed speed and filter the air continuously at a fixed rate. However, they will not be able to detect any unexpected change in air quality from, say, construction work that’s started, smoke from burning garbage, etc. With an air quality sensor in place, you’re not only getting real-time updates on the air quality in your area, your air purifier will also be able to adjust its performance based on the air quality and push up its filtration speed when air quality gets worse.

4. Odour removal

An often overlooked feature in air purifiers is that some of them can remove odours from the air. Some purifiers come with carbon filters which trap and clean harmful odours, making for a more pleasant breathing experience. These filters do tend to be more expensive, however, so do bear that in mind when looking specifically for this feature.

5. Noise level

Air purifiers are most effective when they’re running 24/7, and since they’re running 24/7, you’re going to want one that’s quiet yet effective. Noisy fans when trying to sleep or do things around the house aren’t very pleasant, after all. If possible, we’d recommend heading to a retail store like Croma and listening to the air purifiers to pick one that suits your needs. If nothing else, many manufacturers will list the rated noise levels of their purifiers online.

ALSO READ: How long does an air purifier take to purify the room?

Air purifiers play an important role in maintaining air quality inside our homes and offices. Investing in a quality air purifier can go a long way towards delivering a healthier and more comfortable living experience. Looking out for the features mentioned above should prove useful whenever you plan to get a new purifier.