How the Choose the Best Air Purifier for Your Home
Air quality is generally thought to be an “outside” issue. Here in the valley, the popular opinion is that, especially in the summer, outdoor air quality is suboptimal, to say the least. Unfortunately, there isn’t much we can do in the short term to change the quality of air outside, but there are ways to improve the air inside our homes.
A typical person spends around 60% of their time at home. Studies have shown that the ratio of pollutants within our indoor environments is 2-5 times higher than in our outdoor environments. Such pollutants can include smoke, gases, cleaning products, dust mites, mold, pet dander, cat litter, pesticides, and micro-organisms such as antigens, pathogens, bacteria, and viruses. You are probably thinking, “now what?” or “how do I make my house a cleaner environment?”. Well, we recommend you consider an air purifier.
If you are interested in an air purifier, the gold standard is a HEPA purifier. HEPA purifiers are the best option to remove pollen, fungi, dust, mold, smoke, or even pet dander from the air. Filters for HEPA purifiers can range anywhere from $80-200 dollars depending on the unit you purchase and typically should be changed anywhere from 6-12 months. Depending on the unit that you buy, the size of the area at which they filter can vary as well.
So, where do I put this machine? The purifier should be placed in a room where you spend a significant amount of time and should be kept running 24/7, with windows and doors remaining closed. Since you spend close to 8 hours sleeping, it may be a good idea to place a purifier in the bedroom, so that you are inhaling clean air while resting. If you are looking to create an optimal living environment multiple purifiers may be needed throughout the house. When placing an air purifier in any room, ensure that it sits somewhere that provides at least 18 inches of space around each side for ample air intake from all angles. If the purifier is placed in a bedroom, place the purifier 6-10 feet from the headboard of the bed with air flow directed toward the headboard. This distance ensures that clean air will reach you, and not be so disruptive to keep you from sleeping.
Wow, that was a bunch of information! After reading all of that, picking out the right purifier might appear intimidating, so I want you to take a deep breath and keep reading. We’ve already done all of the research for you! Feel free to continue with your research if that is what you desire; however, below, I have provided a list of quality, efficient HEPA purifiers that fit within a range of prices and are likely to fit exactly what you’re looking for.
