I thought about why air purifiers cost a lot because I was living in Beijing when the (first) “airpocalypse” struck. Here’s what it looked like: The High Price of Air Purifiers I went out to buy an air purifier, and found that the one I wanted cost $2,000! I worked out I’d need two for […]
Author: Thomas Talhelm
Thomas is an Associate Professor of Behavior Science at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and the founder of Smart Air, a social enterprise to help people across the world breathe clean air without shelling out thousands of dollars for expensive purifiers.
How Long Does a HEPA Filter Last?
“How long does a HEPA Filter last?”. “How often should I replace my HEPA Filter”. These are two common questions I got asked when I started teaching people how to build air purifiers. Rather than just give people a nice-sounding answer, I wanted to see what the data says, so Smart Air co-founder Gus has […]
Four Steps To Choosing The Best Air Purifier
“What’s the best air purifier on the market?” It’s a question that many of us might ask. There are thousands of air purifier models to choose from, so how can you find the best air purifier that’s right for you? This article covers those steps in a slightly unorthodox way. What’s the Best Air Purifier? Turns […]
Do Air Purifiers Dry Out the Air?
Empirical data shows that air purifiers are great at cleaning air, but do they dry out the air and lead to other health problems? For me, dry air is mostly just a comfort issue. But for some people, dry air can exacerbate health problems like allergies and bronchitis. Do HEPA Filters Lower Humidity? To test […]
Is an Air Purifier Needed for Every Room of a House?
Several people have asked me if they can use a purifier in the living room to clean their entire apartment. The benefit is that it’s easier to use just one purifier. Plus, noise isn’t an issue if the purifier is in the other room. But does it actually clean the air in the entire apartment? […]
What Are Ionizer Air Purifiers and Do They Work?
The other day, someone on Quora asked whether ionizer air purifiers actually purify the air. This is an important question because ionizers are all over the place. For example, I was at a friend’s apartment in the US, and I saw his tower fan had an ionizer button on it: It’s also important […]
Do N95 Masks Deprive Us of Oxygen?
Wearing masks for hours on end has led some people to worry about whether N95 masks deprive us of oxygen. Scientists have actually made people wear N95 masks and measured their blood oxygen. So we have a solid answer to this question, and it’s not what this question assumes. This question itself doesn’t ask IF […]
What’s the Difference Between N95 and P2 Masks?
The difference between N95 and P2 masks is so small that most users will not notice anything amiss. The P2 rating is the standard in Australia and New Zealand similar to the US N95 mask rating. Difference Between N95 and P2 Masks: Charted Out N95 and P2 masks look almost identical, and they filter […]
What’s the Difference Between N95 and KF94 Masks?
The difference between N95 and KF94 masks are minor for the factors that most users care about. KF94 is the “Korea filter” standard similar to the US N95 mask rating. Difference Between N95 and KF94 Masks: Charted Out They look similar, and they filter a nearly identical percentage of particles—95% versus 94%. This chart from […]
What Are N95 Masks Made From?
N95 masks made from synthetic plastic fibers are most common. These plastic fibers are similar to the fibers in synthetic and polyester shirts many people wear. N95 Masks Made From Synthetic Plastic For example, let’s take the 3M 9332 masks that I wear in Beijing. Technically this is an N99 (FFP3) mask, but the idea is […]
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