Tips for Getting the Most Out of Your Air Purifier
Using a HEPA air purifier in your home is a great way to increase your indoor air quality and even get some relief from allergies. However, choosing and buying one is only the first step. You’ve also got to know how to get the most out of your air purifier when you use it! Use these tips from Smarter HEPA to boost your purifier’s usefulness around your home.
Don’t Run It All Day
The best air purifiers can clean the air in an average bedroom in less than an hour. Tests of Smart Air’s Cannon found that it removed 80 percent of particulates in a 13.5-square-meter bedroom in Beijing in just 20 minutes. What does this data mean for you?
It means that you don’t have to run your purifier when you’re not at home. When you return home for the day, switch it back on, and it will clean the air efficiently and quickly.
Good To Know:
You should, however, keep your purifier running while you sleep at night. Purifier tests in a Beijing apartment found that particulate levels reached 50 percent of their baseline only 15 minutes after being switched off. The air will get dirty again if you leave your purifier off for hours at a time.
Place It Strategically
Once you’ve selected an air purifier that meets your personal needs, avoid the temptation to place it flush against the wall. To work properly, a HEPA purifier needs space all around to bring in dirty air and push clean air out into the room.
Tests of the Smart Air Blast, Blast Mini, and Cannon purifier models found that when they were placed right against the wall, airflow was only at 5 percent. The ideal placement is at least 6 inches from the wall, or about the average height of a smartphone. This distance allows for adequate airflow all around the purifier.
Seal Your Windows and Doors
Prevent pollutants and particulates from creeping into your home by ensuring your windows and doors are properly sealed. Caulk and insulation tape are common DIY solutions for cracks or gaps in those entry points. The idea behind sealing those areas is to boost your purifier’s effectiveness indoors.
Keep in mind, though, that a tightly sealed home brings a few potential drawbacks with it. The carbon dioxide you breathe out may build up in the air, and levels of formaldehyde from new flooring could increase as well. Tests on purifiers like the Smart Air Cannon revealed that fitting the device with an activated carbon filter can reduce levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) like formaldehyde.
Are you wondering how to get the most out of your HEPA air purifier? Know why you’re using it and where you plan to place it as you select a model. While you don’t have to run it 24 hours a day, keep it on while you’re home to enjoy freshly purified air indoors.
