Air purifiers are a great way to clean the air in your home. They draw in dirty air, remove contaminants, and then recirculate clean air with the help of a fan and filter. Many air purifiers come with adjustable fan speeds, which control how quickly air is drawn in and out of the device. It's important to understand what type of contaminants an air filter can trap and remove.
This, in turn, affects how quickly the air purifier can clean the air of dust, pollen, pet dander, dust mites, and other pollutants. The health effects of air pollution are far-reaching, but the risk can be reduced by keeping your air purifier running. How quickly you can clean the air depends on several factors, such as the power setting, filters, and ACH (air changes per hour) of the air purifier. We mentioned that the right type and size of air purifier can significantly reduce the operating time of the device.
We hope this post addresses the misconception that running an air purifier for a few hours is enough to provide you with clean air for the rest of the day. Even when you're away from home, leave your unit running so that you can come back to fresh breathing air. For instance, an air purifier with a True HEPA filter can filter 99.97% of contaminants as small as 0.3 microns in size. Once you've taken care of these three factors, you can expect an air purifier to clean the air in a room within 1-3 hours.
On top of that, an air purifier goes through dozens or even hundreds of air changes every day, so you'll notice a big difference in air quality over time. To monitor changes in air quality more easily, place an air quality monitor near rooms where you use your air purifier. If your fan is making too much noise or your filter needs replacing, there may be another underlying issue with your device. For example, furniture blocking airflow, cooking close by, and normal wear and tear on your filter will reduce ACH.
