Air purifiers are great for clearing the air in your home of excess dust, pollen, dander, and other things that trigger asthma and allergies. Even if you don’t have a medical need to have cleaner air, purified air smells better and is just overall healthier. Trouble is, the air is by nature invisible and air pollutants are microscopic.
How Can You Tell Air Purifiers Work?
If you get an air purifier, how can you be sure that it’s working? Keep reading for more information on what to look for when you want to ensure your indoor air quality is getting better, and you’re not throwing money away.
Double-Check Your Air Purifier’s Purpose
First, what kind of air purifier do you have? Is it a portable unit meant for one room or is it a whole home purification system? For the portable unit, it can be as easy as checking the airflow. Listen and feel for air coming out. (A slightly moist hand will be more sensitive.) You want to hear some noise, but not too much. You can also check the filter. If the filter is dirty, that means it’s working. It also means the filter needs changing. With a larger whole home air filter, it may take a few more steps. Test to see if the filter is dissipating odors by cooking up a curry or burning some heady incense. Another testing method is simply to ask yourself when you last had to dust. If it’s been quite a while, the purifier is doing its job. Be sure that all the vents are open and not blocked by any furniture or other items.
Air Quality Monitors
For either type of air purifier, here are some things you can do to see that it is working properly. An air quality monitor is the surest method of getting an accurate measurement of the quality of the air in your home. Do the readings at different times, in different parts of the home in different circumstances to get a good baseline of air quality. You may want to consider an in-duct air quality monitor in order to take note of long-term trends in air quality in your home. If you don’t mind spending a little money and inviting someone in, there’s always professional IAQ testing. An expert can help you thoroughly assess the quality of air in your home.
