Are Air Purifiers safe?

Are air purifiers safe? The reason for using an air purifier is to take harmful particles out of the air. Things like dust, pollen, pet dander and other allergens can be removed with a good air purifier but are they safe to use? If an air purifier is unsafe, if it does more harm than good, then you would be better off without one. The good news is that most air purifiers are safe but there are several different types of air purifiers and a few of them could have some harmful effects.

If your air purifier uses a HEPA filter it is perfectly safe. A HEPA filter is simply a material with an incredibly fine mesh that is able to trap tiny airborne particulates, taking them out of the air you breathe. These filters take pollutants out of the air and do not introduce anything new into your environment and are therefore perfectly safe to use.

A lot of filters today will also use an activated carbon or charcoal filter to help reduce gases and odors from the air in your home. These filters are also perfectly safe to use and they do a good job of removing odors but a charcoal or carbon filter by itself will not do anything to remove airborne particulates and allergens from the air.

Some air purifiers on the market today also include ultraviolet lights that are intended to destroy biological pollutants like viruses, bacteria and mold. As air passes through the unit the ultraviolet light kills these biological contaminants making the air safer to breathe. Ultraviolet light is often a feature that is used in conjunction with a HEPA filter because the UV light itself does not remove airborne particulates like dust and pollen.

Another popular form of air purifier does not use any type of filter media but rather it ionizes the air, giving airborne pollutants an electrical charge and these pollutants are then attracted to a metal collection plate inside the unit. These are very popular because they are quiet and you never need to purchase a replacement filter. You simply remove the collection plate and wipe it down with a damp sponge, wait for it to dry and then put it back in and turn the machine on. The problem with these ionizers is that they do produce small amounts of ozone. In small amounts, ozone has little effect on most people and is safe but for some people even small amounts of ozone are enough to irritate the respiratory system. Ionizing air purifiers are considered by some to be unsafe.

In addition to the safety of the air purifier itself you also want to make sure that the purifier you choose does the job that it is supposed to do. While an air purifier itself may not be unsafe, if it fails to remove airborne particulates then simply breathing the air in your home can be unsafe. When you’re shopping for an air purifier look at all of the statistics the manufacturer puts out about how much air the machine can cycle in a given time period and what types of filter media it uses but in addition to relying solely on the manufacturer’s data, take some time to read reviews from customers that have purchased the machine. You can find these reviews online and you will be able to quickly and easily find out what people like and/or dislike about a particular air purifier. This is very valuable information that can help you make the right choice the first time.

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