After selling air purifiers, I have had many complaints about filters and some purifiers give me no headache at all. Some purifiers once their filters get clogged they block the flow of cooled air to the motors and the motors get hot and burn out quickly. Some filters aren't sealed right or poorly and they leak, allowing the dirty air to escape back into the air. Worse is when the dirty air gets in the motor. You can shake a motor and watch all the dust come out. No wonder they start making so much noise. At first, they all sound quiet and they don't tell you about the leaking and dirty motors and how they will make noise after the warranty period...
But no.. you are stuck with it then. It is not under warranty anymore and they know that. Honest companies would tell you that they would start getting loud to the point you will want to take it out of the bedroom and store it in the closet.
Some of the filters have all of the filtering stages all in one piece so you have to replace it all, not just the dirty part. Some companies make independent replaceable filtering stages so you only have to toss the ones that were actually used up. Ask for HEPA filters that do NOT have the carbon attached to it. These are cheaper to make and buy up front but cost you more money in the long run. If you are only trying to filter smoke but not lots of dust, then you can get away with this type of filter. This is why it is good to know someone who will tell you the truth about what to REALLY expect in the long run, not just try to sell you something really quick.
Some people live near the beach or mountains and they don't need a purifier but need to ionize the air because they leave the door closed since it is so hot in the summer or freezing in the winter. Their air is pure and they don't need a filter. They probably need to rid the toxins from their own body so they won't be expelling blood poisons in the breath all over the home. Ionizing out this acidic air by adding ions to the air will help to at least neutralize it. Charged air along with a purifier can help put the ions back into the air as it would be in nature without polluted air. Please take my air questionnaire and I will help you decide which type of filtering system to choose base on your answers you give.
Warning: Check your Hepa filter right when you get it for PLEAT DAMAMAGE)
This is usually for the ones that are not warm rolled. Always check it out before you use it.
SEE MY HEPA FILTER REVIEW FOR THINGS TO BEWARE OF. GO TO HEPA PAGE HERE
See my new 2014 Air purifIer YEAR END REVIEW
The lowerthe cluster size and not the macro pore size the better. I avoid the heavy poundage carbon filters unless I know what type of carbon it is and not just from coconut shell. Having 20 lbs of coconut shell carbon in the filter or having 5 lbs of high end carbon with micro size carbon. The 5 lb carbon model with no leaks , for example, can possilby remove more odor and chemicals than teh 20 lb carbon filter with lower end carbon for that particular purpose. See my carbon review for more in depth.
If buying for Allergies
If buying for smoke
If buying for dust
If buying for bad odors
For dust almost any filter will work. Just know that its mostly stuff over 3 microns
This is when its super important to get one that goes down to 3 microns or lower and have either a low output purifier that is 100% sealed even if it has to be changed quarterly or get one that has high output but with super sized Hepa filters and around 15 lbs of carbon in it.
Ozone is for most popular for smoke. Lots of nightclubs in have them in states where smoking is allowed in clubs. I have stood outside clubs with my infusions. People come early and were willing to pay 25 bucks a pack just for 30 seconds. If the air purifier is over the pack the difference can almost 99% of the time be detected. The later in the evening the more its recognized as the voltage of peoples bodies gets lower the more tired they get unless they are jacked up Red Bull. I will say that the ion outpiut of the UV light when its infused gives off more, even more than the aluminum with the RF passing through it.
A word about Carbon filters:
Some air purifiers use a thin layer of filter media that has carbon sprayed onto it while other air purifiers have tiny activated carbon pellets and others have larger activated carbon pellets. In our research we have found the air purifiers with activated carbon to be more effective than the sprayed on carbon filters. The larger activated carbon pellets will last longer than the smaller carbon pellets however they may leave more room for the gases to pass right through and may offer less surface area.
Keep in mind that an air purifier can do a good job in removing smoke from the air, but they will not remove smoke odors from your carpeting, furniture or curtains.
If the humidity is high in the room where you want to remove smoke or odors, the carbon may not be as effective in smoke odor removal and some air purifier manufacturers include a blend of potassium permanganate with the carbon to help attack the smoke odors in this situation.
Activated carbon is the best for getting rid of odors, especially the smoke from my next door neighbors apartment when he keeps his windows open. Make sure the carbon is the right type cuz all the smoke and odors it trapped the last 6 months can be suddenly released back into the home. Always have carbon on hand when this happens or know when to change it before it happens.
carbon level
lite carbon under 5 lbs
medium 5 to 8
high 8 to 10
super high 10 to 15
overkill 16+ (depending on the room size for all)
Buyer Beware
carbon VS Zeolite VS TOTAL VOLUME OF IT
What percentages?
Hepa prerequristes
1. know the amount of air in square foot the filters can take in per hour at the highest level
2. Use this to find out the changes per hour based on the room size. ( see if their are cracks under doors or it won't be an accurate reading.
Good ones do about 15 times per hour with average bed room.. if the room is open and has bathroom and closets that are open I take that into consideration. Some kitchens join the living room and that room joins the hall way.
Chaeap hepa purifiers only do about 3 to 5 changes per hour. This is only good when
Better hepa models had e carbon and zeolite combos. This absorbs the soot and odors.
for pets the zeolite is the best to get rid of the urine smells, especially wpoeple with litter boxes.
Some Hepas have UV lights. These are really worthless if not suing it for molds and bacteria. In nyc, it more soot and pollution. Getting the uv ligths for me would be worthless.
Some uv lights hit the air before it gets in to the Hepa and others afterwards. Their are some that shine on the filter itself so that its constantly on it and their can be no mold spore growth or bacteria harvesting. Think about it. If the filter just trapped a bunch of bacteria, if its not killed, it can just grow. Once the Hepa filter is contaminated its bunk and it can happen even on the first day you get it. Having a Uv that always shines on the Hepa filter is the only type I would use depending on if their are bacteria and viruses in the air.
Pre filter drums filled with 10 to 15 lbs of carbon and zeolite
TRUE HEpa filter can be washed..They are sealed. The best have the least amount of leaks. ONly a few of the brands are 100% sealed and the rejected ones are not sold.
Notice:
Some filters are sealed with neo prene gaskets and are compressed with pressure with the frame holding it in place. Others use a gel to seal it in so their are no leaks. I personally prefer the models without these gels.
The TRACS brand does not have these gels. This was the first one I found that didn't.
UV light
100% germ free air output vs purifying the germs in the air. It is super hard for a filter to filter to purifiy the germs in the air expecially when the germs are breeding inside the filter. The germ output and effectivness can drop down from 99% germ free output to 97%, then lower and lower until it becomes so bunk that it has to be replaced. Most people that buy uv do not buy the type that points directly at sanatizing the filter. The TRACS brand for example is on of the originals that came up with the idea. Very few companies do this and its appears to be the new trend now. See my full UV review here
If buying for bad viruses and bacteria
...because they sold me the wrong one twice
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