Do air purifiers really work?

Given the recent pandemic and worsening conditions of the air we breathe in many parts of the world, air purifiers have made their way into headlines as a solution to improving the quality of our breathing air. But are these claims legitimate? Below we will discuss the efficacy of air purification and how purchasing an air purifier may be beneficial in helping you breathe clean air.

What is an air purifier?

First of all, understanding exactly what an air purifier does and how it functions is a good start. An air purifier is a portable device that uses an internal fan to pull in air from its surroundings, treats the air inside the device using various filtration technologies in order to remove unwanted particles, and then circulates the purified air back into the room. Depending upon the level of indoor air pollution of the space, this process is then repeated several times an hour.

For more modern devices with WiFi connection, air purifiers can also serve as a very useful tool in helping you understand the quality of your indoor air. It can tell you the levels of air pollution in your space in real-time in addition to the air temperature and humidity levels.

What can an air purifier filter out?

It is important to understand that not all air purifiers are created equal, meaning that they do not all guarantee removing the same particles from the air.

HEPA-filters: the gold standard of air filtration

The most important thing to look for while researching your future air purifier is to ensure that it contains a filter that is HEPA-certified. “HEPA”, or "high-efficiency particulate air”, is air filtration’s gold standard. A filter capable of filtering, in a single pass, at least 99.97% of particles of a size greater than or equal to a diameter of 0.01 µm receives this designation. HEPA is a European certification overseen by European standards EN 1822 and EN ISO 29463. These filters have been used for decades in various settings including operating theatres,  laboratories, and cleanrooms. A proper HEPA filter can capture bacteria, viruses, common household allergens (such as pet dander and pollen), pollution like dust and smoke, mould and spores, VOCs (volatile organic compounds that can be dangerous to our health), and more¹.

Other air purification technologies and their benefits

A high-quality air purifier may also come equipped with other technologies such as an activated carbon filter. Thanks to its high gas absorption capacity, activated carbon is able to fight against bad odours with great efficacy. Activated carbon is even installed in cheese storage containers or vacuum cleaners to act against odours.

Furthermore, some air purifiers function as an air purifier and ioniser simultaneously. Ionisation is recognised for its efficiency against particulate pollution (fine particles, nanoparticles, and dust). Negative ions are highly reactive (due to their polarity). They attach themselves to pollution particles of positive polarity and will either disintegrate these positively-polar particles or will weigh them down and drop them to the ground, far away from your lungs.

Other technologies such as plasma and ozonation are also available on the market. Note that brands may give different names to the technologies listed above.

Choosing your air purifier

In order for your air to be properly cleaned, you must purchase an air purifier that is properly sized to suit your space. Once you have chosen the air purifier that best suits your needs, we recommend purchasing a model that is sized for a space slightly larger than the one in which you are looking to install the air purifier. This will ensure a thorough cleaning and purification of the air in your space. If you are having trouble finding the model that best suits your needs, feel free to contact us. We would be happy to help you.

Eoleaf’s air purifiers offer the most advanced technologies on today’s market, including HEPA filters, activated carbon filters, all while serving simultaneously as an ioniser with photocatalysis and UV technologies. Find out more about our range of air purifiers here, and if you need assistance while making your decision, we are here to help! Reach out to our team of experts with any and all of your questions.

¹ Engel, P., & Barnes, C. (2022, September 20). Do air purifiers really work? CHOICE. Retrieved November 23, 2022, from https://www.choice.com.au/home-and-living/cooling/air-purifiers/articles/are-air-purifiers-worth-it