Air Cleaner Technologies: Which is Right for You?

These days, air cleaners are practically essential, particularly if you suffer from allergies. These devices are highly useful for removing numerous impurities from the air. But with the various technologies available in a home air purifier, it can be difficult to determine which one you need. Each has its purpose, but some are more efficient than others. Following is a look at some of the different kinds of products available, as well as the benefits and disadvantages that you can get from each.

* Cloth type filter air cleaners separate dust particles, but cannot trap smaller sized particles.

* HEPA, which stands for High Efficiency Particulate Arresting, filters are able to remove almost 100 percent of particles from the air that are a minimum of 0.3 micros in size. These come with replaceable filters which often prove to be expensive in the long run.

* Carbon models trap odors and particles in a carbon filter as air passes through. These are able to capture particles smaller than 0.3 micros, but are also more expensive than the HEPA filters.

* Ozone units release ozone into the air. This is highly effective in trapping odors, bacteria, and fumes. But this model of filter isn’t able to get rid of allergens and pollutants from the air.

* If you want to remove mold and bacteria from the air, take a look at the ultraviolet germicidal irradiation models. But heat extension will be required to kill them because they are very resistant. This is one of the most expensive models as it has the ability to trap mold and bacteria. Plus it will cost more to maintain.

Your purchasing decision needs to take into account more than the technology; you also need to consider the requirements of your situation. For locations such as the bathroom or kitchen, where odors tend to hang around, you might consider ultraviolet or ozone air cleaners. Ultraviolet germicidal irradiation is the way to go for rooms where mold likes to grow, such as the bathroom or basement.

However, there might be different levels of needs in different areas of the house. Therefore, you should choose a style that will meet the highest need. As well, you don’t want to rely completely on air cleaners. It’s still critical that the air remain clean. Make sure you have windows open on each side of the house in order to let fresh air circulate throughout your home.

As well, make sure that your walls are moisture resistant to avoid formation of mold. Regularly clean the walls and ceiling of the rooms that are usually exposed to moisture like the bathroom and kitchen. Keep them dry as much as possible. Another way to prevent the formation of bacteria in the air is to make sure that no wet mats are kept inside the house.