Air purifiers are devices that remove pollutants from the air and improve air quality. Air purifiers do this either mechanically, using air filters, or using ionizers or chemical reactions. Read more to learn about air purifiers, how to choose the best air purifier, and how they can protect against viruses, wildfire smoke, air pollution and PM2.5.
Wildfires create a serious amount of smoke and air pollution. Wildfire smoke can cause short and long-term health impacts. That’s why it’s important to know how to protect yourself from wildfire smoke. Wildfire smoke is a form of air pollution. It contains dangerous VOC gases and small particles (PM2.5) that …
When the “airpocalypse” struck Beijing, I got out my credit card to give $1,000 to IQ Air. But the price just didn’t seem right. I soon learned that HEPA filters are what capture particulates (even in the expensive machines), and they were invented way back in the 1940s. So I made my …
The costs of replacement HEPA filters for air purifiers can quickly add up. A quick search on Amazon reveals some HEPA filters that cost hundreds of dollars. Should HEPA filters cost this much? Put simply: No! Read on to learn why HEPA filters shouldn’t be expensive, but why some companies …
The effects of air pollution on our health are well documented. However, the effect air pollution has on sleep and making sleep apnea worse is not talked about enough. So what exactly is air pollution’s effect on sleep apnea? Can an air purifier be used as a CPAP alternative? Air …
Here’s a question I often get asked about air purifiers: “I don’t want to hear the fan while I sleep, so can I run my air purifier for an hour and then turn it off before I sleep at night? Or should I sleep with my air purifier on at …
When I was coughing through Beijing’s airpocalypse and thinking about buying an air purifier, I wanted to know something first–do air purifiers really remove PM2.5? I wondered because I saw lots of air purifier tests on pollen, but pollen is generally 10 microns or larger, whereas I was really concerned …
Empirical data shows that air purifiers are great at cleaning air, but do they dry out the air and lead to other health problems? Do they make dry air even dryer, or can they be used as dehumidifiers to dry out the air? For me, dry air is mostly just …
HEPA filters are great at filtering particles such as dust, PM2.5, and PM10. They also do an incredible job of capturing nanoparticles including bacteria, COVID-19, and other viruses. What HEPA filters don’t do though, is destroy the particles. This has led to a lot of marketing hype and confused air …
Many air purifiers on the market include built-in air quality monitors to help users get a picture of their air quality. Unfortunately, there are a variety of issues with these built-in sensors, which is why we recommend using a stand-alone, portable air quality monitor. Apart from these issues, adding these …
The term “HEPA filter” can be confusing. What does HEPA stand for? What is a HEPA filter made from, and what actually makes it a HEPA filter? What does HEPA Stand for? “HEPA” stands for “high-efficiency particulate air” (filter). It sounds complicated, but HEPA air filters are nothing fancy. They …
