Air Purifier FAQs - Frequently Asked Questions
1.Where can I learn more about the different air purifier manufacturers?For additional information on the air purifier brands we carry, click on the following links: 2. Why do I need an air purifier?We inhale roughly 10,000 quarts of air every day, and this brings not only oxygen into our lungs, but also harmful pollutants. This, coupled with the fact that we spend up to 90 percent of our time indoors, makes us highly susceptible to harmful indoor particulates such as dust, dander, mold, chemicals, and even carcinogens. Exposure to these pollutants has been shown to cause a range of health problems such as allergies, asthma attacks, and damage to the respiratory system. With this in mind, investing in an air purifier can improve the health and well-being of you and your family. 3. How do I select an air purifier?Whether you're looking for an air purifier for general air purifying or have specific air purifying concerns, in general, here are two things to consider when purchasing an air purifier: What is your purification concern? What is your room size? Also, be sure to look at the size of the particle the machine is capable of removing, cost per square foot purified, the cost of replacement parts and how often they need to be replaced, electricity cost, the noise generated, warranty, physical size, and money-back guarantee. To learn more on how to choose an air purifier, see our Air Purifier Guide. 4. Is the Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) problem really an epidemic?The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) themselves have declared indoor air quality as the nation's worst environmental health problem, and have also warned that indoor air is generally 2 to 10 times worse than outdoor air pollution. In addition, allergies, asthma, and hay fever are becoming much more prevalent and severe in recent years as a direct result of rapidly worsening indoor air quality. 5. How do I know if my home or building has an indoor air quality problem?Virtually every home is affected, so yours is also most likely affected to one degree or another. This is especially true if your home or building was built in the last 20 years, or if it has several sources of indoor air pollution (many will probably surprise you). If you have asthma or some other respiratory condition (such as hay fever), then you are probably more sensitive to the indoor air quality problem. Also, if your home has excessive moisture or if you have a chronic leak, then you are more likely to have mold or dust mite problems. 6. How do we know that increased problems with asthma and sinus allergies are largely a result of the Indoor Air Quality epidemic?Asthma and sinus allergy problems took a sharp turn for the worse about 20 years ago. Not coincidently, houses and buildings began to be constructed in an air-tight fashion at about this time in an effort to gain more energy-efficiency, as a result of the energy crisis of the 1970s. However, more and more studies are showing that this tight construction is creating an extremely unhealthy environment for breathing, by trapping pollutants indoors, while keeping natural air-cleansing agents out. We are also finding out that asthma problems are much more a result of environmental triggers than anything else, and most people spend more than 90% of their time inside, which means that indoor air pollutants affect our health far more than outdoor air pollutants. 7. What are common sources of indoor air pollutants?Dust, people, carpet, plywood and other construction materials, mattresses, furnishings, pillows, blankets, HVAC systems, household cleaning products, aerosols, insecticides, humidity, anything moist, pets, insects and other bugs, food, and cigarette smoke are all common sources for indoor air pollutants. 8. Can an air purifier replace the need for asthma medication?No, but air purifiers can definitely help reduce the amount of medication needed by you or a family member. Many asthma medications that asthmatics take are reactive, meaning they are taken to relieve asthma attacks which are generally caused by environmental triggers. Removing environmental triggers such as airborne allergens and contaminates from the air will decrease asthma problems, therefore enabling a reduction in medication. Considering all of the side effects and financial costs imposed by asthma medications, investing in an air purifier is a good decision. 9. What are some common air purification technologies?Most air purifiers utilize common air purification technologies such as
HEPA, Activated Carbon,
Ionizers, and UV
bulbs, and these methods are usually categorized by filter type: Recent developments in air purification have also seen more air cleaners employing the use of Photocatalytic Oxidation, or PCO. By using broad spectrum UV light and titanium dioxide, PCO is an extremely powerful purification method, and PCO air purifiers such as the Airpura P600 and the Airsopure S980 can even eliminate particles as small as 0.001 microns (HEPA filters are only able to filter out pollutants as small as 0.3 microns). 10. What are HEPA filters and why are they so popular?HEPA filters were originally developed by the Atomic Energy Commission to capture radioactive dust pollen, and by definition, a True HEPA filter must be capable of removing at least 99.97% of particulates as small as 0.3 microns such as dander, dust, and pollen. Therefore, because of their superior filtration abilities, HEPA air purifiers are used in places such as government buildings and hospitals. To learn more about HEPA filters, Click Here. 11. Since some air purifiers do not rely on air filters, how do they clean the air?Negative ion and ozone air purifiers clean the air inside the same way nature does outside, by emitting the world's most powerful and pure air-cleansing agents: negative ions and moderate amounts of ozone. Click Here for more information on Ionic Air Purifiers, or Click Here to read more about Ozone Air Purifiers. 12. What is the controversy over ozone?Ozone and ionic air purifiers have recently received a lot of attention in the media recently due to reports showing that they may be detrimental to one's health. Ozone has been used to purify municipal water supplies for years, and for highly contaminated areas such as bars or salons, ozone can be very effective in cleaning the air. Even though most ozone air purifiers release ozone that is well below the allowed amount as established by the government, caution should be taken if you suffer from respiratory problems, as even minute amounts ozone gas may worsen symptoms. With that in mind, if you are an allergy sufferer or asthma sufferer, look for air purifiers with HEPA filters instead. Click Here for more information on Ozone Air Purifiers. 13. Can ozone be dangerous?Yes, but only when occurring in extremely high concentrations - much higher than what an ozonating air purifier is capable of producing. Ozone is much like any other element in that it has its range of effects. It is harmless and useful at moderate concentrations, but harmful at extremely high levels. Take table salt for example, which provides essential fortification for nerve cells and the kidneys, and prevents heat stress disorders at lower concentrations. At higher levels, though, salt can result in hypertension and cardiac failure. Electronic air purifiers will not produce ozone at a level higher than what is considered healthy in outdoor settings. 14. How do negative ions and ozone work?Negative ions are negatively-charged electrical particles that are magnetically
attracted to allergens and other airborne contaminates, which are positively-charged.
The newly-formed larger particles are then able to fall harmlessly to the
ground, and out of the air we breathe. 15. What happens to an ionized particle once it falls to the ground?The most important thing to remember is that these microscopic pollutants are out of the air you breathe, which renders them harmless. If they are not in the air, they cannot find their way into your lungs where they do their damage. It should be pointed out that these are microscopic particles and not specks of dirt, so your floors, furniture, and other surfaces will not suddenly become "dirty" once these pollutants begin falling out the air. However, it is possible for these particulates to be collected as a result of your routine cleaning, such as vacuuming and dusting. It is also possible for these particles to become "kicked up" again into the air. Fortunately, Ionic Air Purifiers produce a continual supply of negative ions and low levels of ozone, which means "kicked up" particulates will find themselves grounded again very quickly. 16. Are there any standards for air purifier performance?There are no official standards to measure an air purifier's performance at this time, and the FDA has repeatedly asked groups of experts to recommend such standards. Nonetheless, the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM), does conduct independent tests which measure an air purifier's Clean Air Delivery Rate, or CADR. While air purifier manufacturers are not required to submit their products to be rated by the AHAM, several companies such as Blueair and Airgle have both been tested and certified. 17. What does CADR measure?CADR determines how much clean air an air purifier delivers to a room, and this is measured in cubic feet per minute. Air purifiers are usually tested on their ability to remove three types of common pollutants: smoke, dust, and pollen. If an air purifier has a CADR rating, this measurement is usually found on the packaging, along with an AHAM seal. The higher the CADR numbers, the faster the air purifier filters the air. 18. Can an allergy furnace filter help alleviate my allergy symptoms?Allergy Furnace Filters are inexpensive and very effective at filtering out particulates from the air you breathe. These types of filters are disposable and capable of turning your home into a "whole house filter." Recommended by leading physicians, allergy furnace filters are perfect for both allergy and asthma sufferers. Click Here for additional information on allergy furnace filters. 19. What is a PCO air purifier and how does it work?PCO is one of the newest and most advanced air purification technologies on the market today. PCO air purifiers such as the Airpura P600 and theAirsopure MS-980 work by using broad spectrum UV light and a titanium dioxide-based chemical catalyst to oxidize pollutants such as chemicals, gases, bacteria, and VOCs and turn these contaminants into harmless water and carbon dioxide. Click Here for more information on PCO air purifiers. 20. Why do I need a shower water filter?A better question would be why have people stopped drinking tap water and started buying bottled water? City water can often be tainted with contaminants that can be hazardous to your health. The most common contaminants are Iron Oxide (rust water), Sodum Hypochlorite (combined chlorine), Hydrogen Sulfide (rotten egg odor), Lead, Pathogens (germs), Trihalomethanes and Haloacetic acids (both by-products of chlorine treatment), Arsenic, Radon, and Perchlorate, which is actually rocket fuel. All of our Shower Head Filters do contain Patented Chlorgon Filtration media to capture impurities and deliver fresh, pure, clean water. A Shower Head Filter can also keep your skin soft and help strengthen your hair. All in all, filtering your shower water is a good idea. Click Here to read more about shower filters and to see some recommendations. Additional Air Purifier Help Pages: How Activated Carbon Filters Work
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