So you’ve taken the first step in the decision making process. You’ve decided to buy an air purifier for your home or office. That was the easy part. Now comes the more difficult chore of actually sifting through all the plethora of product information available on the scores of air purifiers available to you.
There are many factors to consider when purchasing an air-purifier. This list of tips will perhaps make it easier for you make your final choice.
Which technology?
There are multiple technologies in air-purifiers available in the market. There are the mechanical HEPA filers, electronic ionizers, ozone filters, UV filters and gas phase filtration purifiers. No single technology purifier will be effective in removing all the pollutants. Your choice would depend on which type of pollutant you wish to eliminate from your environment. Your best bet would be to invest in a hybrid type air-purifier which is one which combines two or more technologies into a single unit.
Consider the noise factor
Some air purifiers, like the HEPA filter, due to a motorized fan make a fair amount of noise. Others are completely silent. How much noise are you willing to put up with? This is a personal preference. Do request a demonstration of the model you are purchasing to get an indication of the noise level.
Individual air purifiers for each room?
Which room would you like to place the purifier in? Or it the whole house that you would like to cover. You can choose between a central air-purifying unit or a portable (one room) unit. The former, as the name suggests cleans all the air in your home through that single unit. This is attached to a central heating or cooling unit of your home. Portable unit, on the other hand services a single room at a time and the main advantage is that is can be moved to another room as the need arises. These are generally found to be more effective. However, depending on the size of the room this may mean buying one or more units for each room.
Replacement and maintenance costs
Do consider the costs of running and maintaining the product you finally purchase. An expensive air-purifier may actually work out more economical in the long run as it may require less maintenance, like filer changes and servicing, and running costs. Some purifiers have expensive filters but they do not need to be changed that frequently. Filter change intervals vary and depend on the extent of use of the air-purifier and the level of pollution in the air. Do remember to include electricity consumption as part of the running costs!
