The use of air purifiers has become a household item, and mostly so in the urban areas that have increased pollution.
Nevertheless, though their popularity is rising, there are still many myths and misconceptions regarding their work and when and what they should actually do.
The 10 most common myths about air purifiers and their real facts are illustrated here. An available summary of myths provides the following as its adaptation:
Myth 1: “A cleaner takes away all contaminants immediately on use of an air purifier.
Fact: No machine will clean the air of all the particles as soon as it is switched on. Filtration is a process, and air purifiers are slow and take time to filter out more and more particulate matter particularly in bigger rooms or outside pollution entering.
Myth 2: Air purifiers are necessary; it depends on those who are affected by respiratory conditions or those individuals who are affected by asthma.
Fact: Although they definitely assist the allergic and those with lung problems, air purifiers are good for all. They minimize dust, smoke, pollen, and fine particles (PM 2.5) that influence the indoor air quality of all occupants.
Myth 3: “Myths affirm that having a clean home does not mean one needs an air purifier.
Fact: It does not imply that we can see cleanliness. Most of the bad pollutants are also not visible dust, microparticles, and VOC (volatile organic compound) combinations are blown into a home through the outside or accumulated inside a home through indoor sources.
Myth 4: According to the myth, having a purifying system in an open window is redundant.
Fact: Fresh air needs to be ventilated, but still, indoor particulate can be increased through outdoor contamination. Thus a purifier in combination with controlled ventilation is working, and the open window does not make the purifier useless but only increases its labors.
Myth 5: Idealist purification; it means that the faster the fan forms, the larger the purification.
Facts: Fan speed is good, but a better filter should be of the right type and quality. The most crucial constituent that actually captures particles, not only the fan, is, e.g., a HEPA filter
Myth 6: Every odor and smell and all that is eliminated through air purifiers.
Fact: There are models that do not use odors through activated carbon filters. An air purifier may not be sufficient to remove the smell (cooking smoke, dampness) in case its source is not removed.
Myth 7: HEPA filters will never go out.
Fact: HEPA filters become clogged depending upon usage and the environment, and hence, they need replenishment. Operating a purifier using a dirty filter decreases the purifier efficiency and could even do more harm.
Myth 8: The air purifiers save you totally from viruses and disease-causing microbes.
Fact: They are able to minimize airborne particles and are not the sole medical intervention on the issue of infection control. Others, such as ventilation and hygiene, are still important.
Myth 9: “When I have air conditioning, I do not need an air purifier.”
Fact: AC occupies the dry or frozen air but will not necessarily purify fine dust and gases in the air. The indoor air can be fresh and yet polluted. Purifiers have another function.
Myth 10: “One air purifier is enough I do not need to take any additional film steps.”
Fact: Correct positioning, care (replacement of filters), cleaning, and supervision are important for performance. Any course of action that disregards these decreases the efficiency of any purifier.
Illusions about air purifiers may cause laxity or improper investments. Such as deciding that you are completely secure against indoor pollution when you bypass ventilation, or that one small purifier will do a large room.
Researchers emphasize that technology should be used intelligently in conjunction with technology.
What you should really do
Whenever purchasing or making use of an air purifier, you want a device appropriate to your room such that it has a true HEPA filter and could optionally be furnished with activated carbon in case you are sensitive to odors or volatile organic compounds.
Position it well (not in corners), set the right speed of its fans, keep doors/windows under control, and change its filters on time. Cleaning, regular cleaning, and checks go a long way.
Do also bear in mind, though, that purifiers cannot substitute good ventilation or outdoor pollution: they are components of a more general strategy of indoor air quality.
Concisely, air purifiers are useful in indoor air improvement they are not magic boxes. Their knowledge on how they operate.
What they cannot do, and how to use them effectively can assist you in making smarter choices and simply avoid misleading myths, which may cause you to be breathing unsafe air without you even knowing it.
