Choosing an air purifier
Learn more about the types of air purifier and how they can make the air in your home healthier.
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Air purifier guide
What does an air purifier do?
An air purifier makes the air inside your home healthier to breathe. It does this by trapping the tiny, airborne particles that cause allergies, odours and irritation, while letting the clean air pass through.
How does an air purifier work?
Most air purifiers use a fan to suck polluted air from around the room and push it through a series of internal filters. From here, the air is cleansed of pollutants and odours before being released back into the room.
Air purifier benefits
Air purifiers improve the quality of the air in your home and keep nasty allergens at bay. They can also banish unpleasant odours such as pet smells, cigarette smoke and cooking fumes.
Air purifier features
Different types of air purifier filter the air in your home in different ways. Here's a brief round-up of the types of air purifier and the key features to look out for.
Air purifier filters
HEPA air purifier - Air purifiers with HEPA filters are highly effective at catching microscopic particles that cause allergies and trigger asthma. Best for - allergies.
Ionic air purifier - This type of air purifier emits electrically charged ions which attract and attach on to dust and allergens and remove them from the air. Best for - common household air pollutants.
Carbon air purifier - If you want to remove odours, smoke and vapours from your indoor air then choose an air purifier with a carbon filter. Best for - smoke and odours.
UV air purifier - These air purifiers contain an Ultra Violet (UV) light that breaks down and destroys floating bacteria and airborne viruses. Best for - dust mites and mould.
Quiet operation
Some air purifiers are certified by Quiet Mark, meaning they produce less noise pollution than other models. Ideal for bedrooms and nurseries.
Speed settings
Air purifiers often have low, medium and high speed settings. Generally, the higher the speed setting, the more clean air is circulated back in the room.
Oscillation
An oscillating air purifier moves from side to side as it works. This allows filtered air to be evenly dispersed throughout a room.
Timer
With a programmable timer you can schedule an air purifier to clean the air while you’re at work or asleep at night.
Choosing an air purifier for your home
Which air purifier is best for your room size?
In order to know what kind of air purifier is best for you, you'll need to work out the square footage of the room in which it’s being placed. Typically, desktop and mini tower models are best for small bedrooms, nurseries, and rooms up to 155 square feet. For living rooms and large bedrooms, opt for a tower or console model with a room size coverage of over 300 square feet.
Nursery and kids' bedroom air purifiers
Children take in more air than adults due to their smaller lungs, so it's important the air they're breathing is as clean as it can be.
An air purifier can be an invaluable addition to a nursery or kids' bedroom, especially if they suffer with allergies or respiratory conditions such as asthma. Even if they don't, the cleaner air quality will be better for their health and can even help them rest easier at night.
Air purifier reviews
Air purifiers vs humidifiers
Although both air purifiers and humidifiers help improve the quality of indoor air, there are notable differences between the two. Humidifiers make the air around you cleaner and fresher by emitting water vapour into the air. They don't, however, cleanse the air of impurities like air purifiers do.
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