What Does an Air Purifier Do?
According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, “Americans, on average, spend approximately 90 percent of their time indoors, where the concentrations of some pollutants are often 2 to 5 times higher than typical outdoor concentrations.”1 Because so many people are spending so much time breathing indoor air, many have initiated a search for ways to improve its quality, prompting them to ask questions like, “What does an air purifier do?” or “Do air purifiers work?
Because what you can’t see can still affect you, buying an air filter or purifier to remove particles from the air in your home can be a great way to improve overall indoor air quality. Anything from dust mites, animal dander, pollen, bacteria, viruses, smoke and more can be polluting the air you breathe while you are inside. An air purifier takes many of these unseen and unwanted contaminants and removes them from the air. And while air purifiers all work to achieve this common goal, there are many different types of mechanical filtration and electronic filtering technologies designed to achieve the same result. Some, like the Carrier air purifier, combine different filtration methods to create even better results. This web page will uncover the meaning behind what an air purifier is, discuss some of the air filtering and purifying technologies available, and break down some of the plusses and minuses of each.
What Is an Air Purifier?
What is an air purifier? Loosely defined, an air purifier is any machine that works to remove airborne particles from a room or indoor space. There are many types available, and some of the more effective air cleaner or purifier options may actually combine filtering methods. We will provide more detail within this post, but some of the available air purifier options include:
Carrier’s three-tiered filtration system – this combines a MERV 8 pre-filter, an advanced mechanical filter that achieves HEPA-consistent results, and an odor-mitigating activated carbon filter.
HEPA filters – HEPA filters are mechanical filters that have been certified to remove 99.97% of airborne particles down to 0.3 microns in diameter.
Ozone generators & electrostatic precipitators (ESPs) - These similar, yet different technologies are lumped together because both produce ozone. One generates ozone as its main air purifying “technology,” while ESPs generate ozone as a byproduct of their filtering process.
Ionizers – Ionize type air purifiers work by adding a static charge to airborne particles which causes them to stick to the nearest available surface. Ionizers also generate ozone as a byproduct.
Ultraviolet lights – UV light systems use ultraviolet light to inactivate many microorganisms and typically are combined with additional filtration methods to create a truly effective medium.
In addition to the content on this web page, follow this link to learn information on the subject of “How Do Air Purifiers Work”.
Carrier’s Three-Step Filtration System
As the world’s experts in comfort, we have been making indoor spaces more inviting since the beginning of the 20th Century. While the lion’s share of our efforts have historically focused on whole-home solutions, we now offer an efficient and effective portable room air purifier, available in two sizes.
Our room air purifier employs a multi-step process that uses three different types of air filters:
MERV 8 prefilter – The first step in our filtration process removes larger particles like dust, freeing our advanced, high-efficiency filter to focus on smaller particulate matter.
Advanced High Efficiency filter – The second step does the heavy lifting, filtering smaller particulate matter down to 0.3 microns, including mold spores, bacteria and some viruses. These filters are being evaluated for HEPA certification.
Activated carbon filtering – For odor elimination, the third step in our filtering process is an adsorbent, activated carbon filter.
To effectively draw air into our filters, we include an 18-speed fan that can automatically adjust as needed for maximum effectiveness or can be manually set according to individual preferences.
For more details on Carrier air purifiers, check out our Carrier at Home web site. We also offer replacement filters for your room air purifier and for your furnace as well on our replacement filter page.
HEPA Filters
Most people interested in air purification have at least heard of HEPA air purifiers, and some manufacturers claim to achieve “near HEPA” performance. But what exactly is a HEPA filter? HEPA is an acronym for “High Efficiency Particulate Air” and can only be used to describe filters certified to capture 99.97% of particulate matter of 0.3 microns in size or larger. HEPA filters are typically pleated and are among the most effective mechanical filters you can buy.
Benefits of HEPA filters include the ability to trap airborne pollutants that can be especially irritating to allergy or asthma sufferers. To maintain their effectiveness over time, HEPA filters need to be replaced per the manufacturer’s recommendations.
Ozone Generators and Electrostatic Precipitators
Ozone generators and electrostatic precipitators (ESPs) are two electronic systems designed to help filter indoor air. These types of systems offer some similarities and differences. One big difference is that ozone generators are not typically recommended for consumer use due to their potential for creating irritating and potentially hazardous amounts of ozone, which can damage your lungs. When properly controlled, ozone can be an effective air cleaner and odor eliminator. However, too much ozone in the air can cause health problems at high concentrations. To be clear, no federal agencies have approved ozone generators for use in occupied spaces.2
Ozone generators work by using a strong electrical charge to add a third oxygen molecule to the air to create ozone. As the ozone molecules come into contact with other airborne pollutants like smoke or mold, the third oxygen molecule attaches itself to the pollutant molecule to eliminate it.
ESPs work by creating an electrical field that charges incoming airborne particles. The newly charged particles are then attracted to oppositely charged collector plates to pull them out of the air. As the collector plates become full, they must be cleaned according to the manufacturer’s recommendations to maintain effectiveness. ESPs can generate ozone as a byproduct of operation. Because ozone in high concentrations can be damaging to your lungs, be sure any ESP models you are considering meets the FDA’s guidelines for “safe” levels of ozone – less than “0.05 part per million by volume of air circulating through the device or an accumulation of ozone in excess of 0.05 part per million by volume of air in the atmosphere of enclosed space intended to be occupied by people for extended periods of time.” 3
Ionizer Air Purifiers
Ionizer air purifiers work by electrically charging air molecules so that they are attracted to surfaces like walls, floors, tables, window treatments and even the occupants of the indoor space. While some models may collect some of the airborne particles, many allow pollutants to collect on surfaces within your home, including pillows and bedding. Ionizers can be effective at mitigating smaller particles such as smoke, but can be largely ineffective in larger dust particles or pollen. And, because the particles are collecting on interior surfaces, your home may seem dirtier, and those particles can be re-introduced into the air when disturbed. Some manufacturers of these devices also claim to rectify a suggested ion imbalance, however these claims have not been substantiated in controlled testing.
Ultraviolet Light Air Purifiers
Ultraviolet (UV) light air purifiers draw air into the unit and then use short waves of UV-C light to inactivate airborne microorganisms such as molds, bacteria and viruses. The sanitized air is then returned to the living space. UV light air purifiers can combine with other filtering technologies, either mechanical or electronic, to become more effective than those that rely solely on UV light. On their own, UV light purifiers cannot mitigate certain airborne particles like dust, smoke, mold, allergens and volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
To be highly effective, UV light purifiers need to allow adequate time and exposure to inactivate microorganisms and they also need to combine with additional filtration methods. In addition, UV lights can produce harmful ozone unless the lamps are coated with a special overlay.
What Does an Air Purifier Do for Allergies?
According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, common allergens include dust mites, mold, pet dander and pollen, and symptoms that can result from exposure can range from general discomfort such as watery eyes, runny nose, sneezing, rash or hives to more serious issues like trouble breathing or anaphylaxis.4 So, what does an air purifier do for allergies?
When you buy an air purifier, you are taking a great, first step toward protecting loved ones with allergies and/or asthma. Adding a purifier along with removing potential allergen sources and increasing ventilation all work together as part of a concerted, multi-layered approach to controlling issues related to indoor air pollution.
Carrier air purifiers, with a three-step approach to air filtration can go a long way toward mitigating airborne pollutants in your home. From dust and pollen to pet dander, our air purifiers can filter out better than 99% of particles as small as 0.3 microns. Filters with this capability may even trap some bacteria and viruses.
Before you buy an air purifier, take a closer look at Carrier air purifiers and how they can be a perfect fit in your battle against indoor air pollution.