Buying an air purifier for windowless rooms

A sufficient ventilation system is a necessity when it comes to healthy indoor air. For rooms without windows, ventilating the space becomes impossible, causing a build-up of stale air. Many rooms in homes and professional spaces (such as laundry rooms, basements, attics, offices, classrooms, and conference rooms, to name a few) are without windows. How can one tackle a ventilation issue in a room without windows? How can an air purifier for windowless rooms help? Read on to learn more.

Problems associated with windowless rooms

Air quality in windowless rooms

Windowless rooms are a hotbed for indoor air pollution. Without a proper ventilation system, air pollutants that enter the space accumulate. Which types of air pollution is found in our indoor spaces? Indoor air pollutants typically fall into one of the three main categories:

Fine particle pollution (particulate matter) – PM10, PM2.5, and PM0.1

This type of pollution, particles of which measure 10 microns or less in diameter, is generally created by fuel combustion (road traffic, industrial emissions, using wood- and gas-burning appliances, smoke of all types, etc); however, fine it is also created by other seemingly harmless methods like burning candles and lighting a fire in the fireplace. Pollutants like pollen and pet dander may also fall under the category of fine particle pollution when particles are fragmented and measure 10 microns or less.

Biological pollution

Hence the name, this type of pollution is generated by sources of biological origin: pet hair and dander, germs (viruses and bacteria), pollen, dust and dust mites, and mould spores. Disease spread during epidemics or pandemics like COVID-19 fall under this category.

Chemical pollution

This type of pollution has varied sources and is emitted by countless every day products used in homes and professional spaces. This category refers to gaseous toxins that are released by substances like cleaning products, fragrances and aerosols, air fresheners, solvents, paints, alcohols, pesticides, fertilisers, etc.

Examples include ozone, carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, benzene, nitrogen oxides (NOx), radon gas, and all other volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

Humidity

Humidity does not fall into any of the above categories but is also considered to be an indoor air pollutant. High levels of humidity lead to the development of other types of indoor air pollution, especially mould and spore growth.

Exposure to indoor air pollution causes or contributes to numerous health conditions like respiratory diseases (allergies, asthma, COPD), cardiovascular disease, mental health disorders (like depression and anxiety), a reduction in productivity and fertility, diabetes mellitus, and obesity, but this list is not exhaustive.

How to ventilate a room without windows

Ventilating the room air a windowless space poses a challenge to anyone with windowless rooms in their homes and/or professional spaces. A ventilation system may help control particle pollutant concentrations and VOCs. Some recommendations are as follows:

• Keep the windowless room’s door open as much as possible
• Install door undercutting to create an air flow pathway
• Install vents and/or portable or ceiling fans to circulate air and improve air flow
• Install a ducted ventilation system or exhaust hood
• Use houseplants to combat poor air quality
• Utilise an air circulator (also called an air mover or floor fan)
• Install an air conditioner to keep temperatures low
• Use a dehumidifier for particularly humid spaces
• Install a high-quality, portable air purifier with air filters designed to improve room air quality

Benefits of Eoleaf’s air purifiers for windowless rooms

Protect human health

The goal of employing an air purifier in windowless rooms is to improve indoor air quality and combat stale room air. High-quality air purifier units use air filters and a powerful fan to pull in polluted air, treat the air using one or more air filtration technologies, then again use the device’s fan to recirculate the purified air back into your space.

Air purifiers vary significantly in quality and price. When it comes to protecting your health from the dangers of air pollution, the most important thing to keep in mind is to choose a unit that will best remove all types of air pollution, whether it be fine particle pollution, VOCs, gases and fumes, and more. Eoleaf devices contain our proprietary 8-step filtration technology, targeting all of the main types of indoor air pollution and protecting you, your loved ones, and your coworkers from poor indoor air quality.

Remove unpleasant odours

An air purifier for windowless rooms should also have the capability to fight unpleasant odours. In spaces that cannot be properly ventilated, odours of mould and mildew, humidity, and dust are often problematic. Other odours like smoke odours from tobacco (cigarettes and cigars), cannabis, and even vapour from e-cigarettes may become trapped inside windowless rooms, making these rooms difficult to enter and degrading room air quality. Eoleaf units come equipped with odour-fighting air filter technologies that actively remove airborne odours from any source.

Increase white noise

If your windowless room is a bedroom, an added bonus of installing an air purifier for windowless rooms is its ability to act as a white noise machine. A consistent background sound, like the gentle whirring of an air purifier, in a bedroom or sleeping environment helps to reduce auditory distractions like voices and traffic. When left running on Night mode, Eoleaf air purifiers are near-silent, contributing to a soothing environment and more sound sleep.

Factors to consider when choosing an air purifier for windowless rooms

Filtration technologies: HEPA + carbon filtration

When choosing an air purifier, be sure to check out the device’s technical specifications. Air filter technologies should be your very first consideration when choosing an air purifier for windowless rooms. The more air filters and technologies a device has, the more varied its filtration abilities. An air purifier should contain, at the very least, a HEPA-certified filter (Eoleaf devices contain medical-grade HEPA H13 filters) and an activated carbon filter.

Eoleaf air purifiers are the only air purifiers on the market to offer both of the above-mentioned air filters as well as 6 more air filtration technologies, each designed to target specific types of indoor air pollution in room air. Our filtration technologies enable the removal of 99.97% of all air pollutants down to a size of 0.01 microns in a single pass including:

• Particulate matter (PM10, PM2.5, and PM0.1)
• Pet dander
• Dust and dust mites
• Mould and spores
• Gaseous pollutants like ozone, carbon monoxide, and VOCs (including formaldehyde and benzene, known carcinogens)
• Unpleasant odours

Room size compatibility

An air purifier must be properly sized to your windowless room. This is possible using two following industry standards that help not only choose the right device for your needs but also compare between brands.

Clean Air Delivery Rate (CADR)

CADR allows you to determine the volume of filtered air capable of being effectively produced by an air purifier; the higher the CADR, the more efficient the device at cleaning the air!

Air Changes per Hour (ACH)

ACH provides the amount of times the air in a space is replaced in one hour; for high levels of pollution, an ACH rating of 4 or 5 is recommended for the air to be completely filtered (meaning that the air is replaced 4 or 5 times per hour)

Reach out to our team of air pollution specialists to request an ACH calculation using the specific square footage of your room, the main type of pollution you are hoping to target, and your desired usage.

Clear the air in your windowless rooms with Eoleaf

Eoleaf air purifiers help renew stale room air in windowless rooms with their unrivalled power and efficiency. Remove all types of air pollution from your unventilated spaces with Eoleaf’s devices designed for spaces of any size. Our (human!) representatives are available to answer your questions regarding your air purification needs, and for more information on how to choose an air purifier, refer to our in-depth Buying Guide.

Frequently asked questions

Is an air purifier good for a room with no windows?

A high-quality air purifier provides a great deal of help for rooms without proper ventilation. Ensure that an air purifier for windowless rooms is equipped with multiple air purification technologies to combat all types of air pollution in stale air (Eoleaf devices contain 8!).

How can I freshen the air in my room without windows?

Some suggestions include leaving the windowless room’s door open, installing a fan or vent for improved air flow, using an air conditioner and/or dehumidifier to control temperature and humidity, and investing in an air purifier to actively combat accumulated air pollution.

How to improve air quality in a windowless room?

In windowless rooms, ventilation is impossible or difficult. An air purifier is an excellent solution to keeping air in windowless rooms free of pollutants.

How do you get rid of a bad smell in a room with no windows?

An air purifier equipped with odour-removing technologies like an activated carbon filter is a great way to combat unpleasant smells in a windowless room. All Eoleaf devices contain an activated carbon filter as part of our 8-step filtration method.

Is it okay to live in a room without a window?

Living in a room without a window may not be ideal, but some people simply may not have a choice. If this is your situation, protect your health that may be in danger due to the lack of ventilation. Use an air purifier to improve air flow and filter out air pollutants found in the stale air.

Is it better to open windows or air purifiers?

An ideal situation would employ both methods. Opening windows is important because it helps ventilate stale air that accumulates. However, opening windows also brings in ambient air pollution that may be found outdoors, a significant problem in urban environments or in homes/offices located near heavily polluted locations (like motorways). Use an air purifier to combat pollutants that indoor your space.

Resources

¹ How to ventilate a room without windows? 19 proven ways. Air Purifier. (2023, July 15). https://airpurey.com/how-to-ventilate-a-room-without-windows/