Many air purifiers are available today, making shopping for one a lot of fun.
But it’s easy to get overwhelmed by all these choices, making it harder to find the right option.
So, I’ve compiled a list of some of my favorite air purifiers for bathrooms.
These air purifiers can effectively remove odors and VOCs in the bathroom and be small enough to fit in a tight space.
So, let’s get to it.
Read moreSo, air purification is an important topic.
Depending on where you live, it might even be important to your longevity. However, can air purifiers cause a sore throat?
The answer is, “That depends”.
Read moreNearly all air purifiers on the market feature a HEPA filter as part of the filtration system.
And unlike UV air purifiers, those with a HEPA filter must be cleaned regularly to function properly.
When I first bought my air purifier, I had no idea what a HEPA filter even was, never mind that I needed to clean it.
So, if you’re wondering how to clean the HEPA filter in your air purifier, you are in the right place.
Read moreLevoit is one of the top brands of air purification appliances on the market today.
The brand is so reliable and creates excellent air purifiers that I needed a little convincing to get one myself (I own the Levoit 300s).
I immediately put it to use the door the second I got my unit through the door.
Within hours, it made a massive difference to my quality of life by cleaning the air from all irritants that typically trigger my asthma.
After some weeks, I knew it was time to clean it, but I had yet to learn how.
Read moreI bought my air purifier because I was suffering from severe allergies and wanted all irritants in the air gone.
And while my air purifier did a fantastic job, not long after, I noticed that my air purifier was releasing white dust, or at least that’s what I thought
Read moreI’ve owned the Levoit 300S for over 4+ years, and I’ve never had any problems with it.
It made a difference in my life as I no longer suffer from seasonal allergies as I did before owning it.
However, about 10 months into owning it, a red light started to flash, quickly worrying me.
The last thing I wanted was for my air purifier to have broken or not to operate properly.
Read moreWhen I decided to buy myself an air purifier, I was surprised at the sheer number of different air purifiers available on the market.
But one type of air purifier that stood out from the pack when I was shopping was the UV air purifier.
I was familiar with using UV light to disinfect and cleanse the air.
Still, I had no idea that the technology was also being added to everyday air purifiers.
That said, I was concerned about the safety of these air purifiers.
I was already familiar with the fact that some ionic air purifiers can produce ozone, which is why it’s best to stay away from them.
So, I wondered if UV air purifiers had a similar effect and if I was better off not spending any money on such an appliance.
That’s when I researched and found out a fair amount about UV air purifiers.
And in this article, I’ll go over everything I know about the safety of using UV air purifiers in your home.
As the name suggests, UV air purifiers are air purifiers that also use UV light to clean the air.
Some air purifiers rely solely on UV lights for purification, like in-duct models.
In contrast, others use UV light as an additional cleanser on top of their existing filtration system.
Regardless of which one you go for, they all work the same.
These air purifiers use UV lights to clean the air, which is excellent for disinfecting and removing harmful particles from the air.
These air purifiers are popular because they target particles that other air purifiers might miss.
For example, most portable air purifiers that don’t have UV lights only use HEPA or carbon filtration to clean the air.
The filters on most air purifiers are great for capturing small particles like dust and pollen while absorbing harmful VOCs and other gaseous particles in the air.
While this is great and makes a huge difference in air quality, these air purifiers don’t target or eliminate viruses and bacteria.
So, UV air purifiers are ideal for people who want to breathe in safer air at home that doesn’t contain viruses and bacteria that can cause disease.
But how do UV lights eliminate bacteria in the first place?
Well, I’ll explain that in full detail in the next section so you can wrap your head around how these air purifiers work.
UV lights clean the air in the same way sunlight does.
If you’ve ever sunned your pillows to clean them, you’re already familiar with how UV lights.
When you use UV-light air purifiers, the device emits a UV-C light, which doesn’t naturally enter our atmosphere.
Since these lights aren’t naturally present on Earth, most organisms have no natural defenses against them.
As a result, exposure to UV light can successfully eliminate many viruses and bacteria in the air.
UV-C lights are such effective cleansers that we aren’t just using them for the air.
In fact, people use UVC lights to clean water and even eliminate harmful pathogens from specific surfaces that have been exposed.
There are different types of UV-C air purifiers on the market, and each works slightly differently when cleaning the air.
To start, let’s look at the in-duct UV air purifiers.
These air purifiers are installed into an HVAC system and emit a UV light that the air has to pass through before being released back into your room.
This causes airborne pathogens and bacteria to die before they float around the air and enter our lungs.
Portable UV-C air purifiers work in a very similar fashion.
However, instead of shining the light inside the vents, these air purifiers shine a UV-C light in the room.
Typically, these air purifiers have multiple filtration systems working simultaneously.
For example, while the HEPA and carbon filter deal with solid and gaseous particles, UV-C light takes care of viruses and bacteria in the air.
I wrongfully equated UV air purifiers as the same thing as ionizer air purifiers, which I recommend staying away from at all costs.
This is because ionizers, while they are excellent at eliminating particles from the air, create ozone as a by-product of the cleansing process.
This can be very dangerous as ozone can cause many problems if you breathe in too much.
And even if ionizers produce small amounts of ozone, it’s best to stay on the safe side and avoid them in general.
But can I say the same about UV air purifiers?
Luckily, UV air purifiers don’t produce as much ozone as ionizers, which makes them inherently safer than ionizers right away.
However, consider that UV lights can still produce ozone when reacting with particles.
That said, you don’t have to worry about exposure to the light itself doing any harm.
Humans usually don’t react negatively to UV light, though I don’t recommend looking directly at the light.
But since these air purifiers produce small amounts of ozone, you might want to turn off the UV light occasionally, especially when in the room.
That said, UV air purifiers are generally very safe appliances for people looking to cleanse the air at home.
You can use these air purifiers to effectively clean the air in an indoor space, keeping your respiratory system safe from harmful viruses and bacteria.
As I mentioned earlier, shopping for UV air purifiers can be difficult because there are many types to pick from.
And while it might seem complicated at first, I quickly learned that most UV air purifiers fall into one of two categories.
So, let’s look at these different categories to better understand which UV air purifier would be the best option for your needs.
The first type of UV air purifier is an in-duct system.
As you might guess, you have to hire professionals to install these air purifiers in your HVAC system.
These air purifiers emit a UVC light in the vents of your HVAC system, so all the air that comes out of the vents is clean and free of harmful pathogens.
On top of that, these air purifiers are built into your HVAC system, so it cleanses all the indoor air right away.
While these air purifiers might be more expensive, remember that you’ll only need one air purifier for the entire house.
This can be way more convenient than portable air purifiers that you have to move from room to room.
So, these air purifiers may offer significantly more value than your typical portable air purifier.
That said, portable air purifiers with UV lights can still be helpful and could be just what you need.
But to give you a better idea if they’re for you, I’ll discuss these air purifiers in more detail in the next section.
As the name suggests, these are air purifiers that you’re supposed to move around the house on demand.
When you think of modern air purifiers, these are probably the ones that come to mind, as they are way more common than an HVAC air purifier.
These air purifiers use both filtration and UVC lights to cleanse the air.
So, aside from emitting a UVC light to eliminate specific pathogens and viruses, the machine uses various filters to capture different particles floating around the air.
This is why portable air purifiers might be the more practical option for many people.
The downside to portable air purifiers is that they are designed for smaller spaces.
You won’t be able to find a portable air purifier that can handle an entire home.
Instead, you’ll have to move the air purifier around or buy multiple models to clean the air at home.
Even if you get a bit more protection from portable air purifiers, they can only protect you in the room where they are in.
With that said, both types of UV air purifiers can significantly protect your respiratory system.
However, deciding on an air purifier that best fits your needs is essential before going on the market and checking out the different options available to you.
The first thing you need to do when considering a UV air purifier is to determine if you want an in-duct system or a portable air purifier.
Each comes with its own benefits, and it’s up to you to figure out which one better suits your needs.
But even if you choose a specific type of UV air purifier, you’ll still be faced with many options when shopping.
So, here are other things to keep in mind when buying a UV air purifier to make the entire shopping process much more manageable.
When buying an air purifier, it’s essential to consider the CADR or clean air delivery rate.
This basically refers to the air purifier’s ability to clean the air.
Ideally, you want an air purifier with a CADR that’s at least 2/3s of the total room size.
For example, if you have a room that’s 300 square feet, you will need an air purifier with a CADR of at least 200.
If you buy an in-duct purifier, you won’t have to worry about CADR.
Still, it’s essential when buying a portable air purifier.
With that in mind, you should measure the area of the room where you plan on placing the air purifier before buying one.
That way, finding the right air purifier for your needs will be much easier.
The next thing to consider is the filtration system.
As I mentioned earlier, most portable UV air purifiers have a filtration system that works with UVC light.
For the best results, I recommend getting an air purifier with a carbon filter and HEPA filter.
These air purifiers use HEPA filters to capture solid particles in the air, like dust, pollen, and similarly-sized pollutants.
On the other hand, the carbon filter absorbs harmful gases like smoke, VOCs, and even strong odors that may be annoying to deal with.
If you want to make the most out of your air purifier, keep it on as much as possible.
Ideally, your air purifier should be on 24/7.
But if you want to always leave your air purifier on, you need to get an energy-efficient model.
So, check out the air purifier’s power consumption and ensure the machine doesn’t use more power than it needs to clean the air.
If you’re considering buying a UV air purifier, I wouldn’t tell you not to because they’re great.
Despite a widespread belief that UV air purifiers can be dangerous, they aren’t.
I’ve owned mine for over 5+ years and have had zero complaints.
However, there is one concern you would want to keep in mind, and that’s the fact that UV air purifiers produce small amounts of ozone.
But besides that, you can’t go wrong with either if you buy a unit with only a UV light or one that uses UV on top of an existing filtration system.
With the rising levels of air pollution, we’re already starting to see the impact of poor air quality on our skin.
The negative impact of polluted air on our skin is significant, from increased acne, rashes, and irritation to faster aging skin.
And although we can’t do much about the air quality outdoors, there’s a lot we can do about it inside our homes, thanks to air purifiers.
These appliances are becoming increasingly popular and for a good reason.
Using an air purifier has many benefits, many of which are for your skin.
But before I discuss the benefits of using an air purifier for your skin, it’s essential to understand how air purifiers work.
Though they might seem complex, air purifiers are straightforward machines.
Mostly, they feature a motor, a filtration system, and a fan, all enclosed in a nicely designed case.
When the air purifier is turned on, it will suck in air, push it through the filtration system, and release the air back into the room.
During that process, the polluted air remains within the air purifier.
In contrast, the clean air is released back into the room.
Each air purifier works slightly differently, but for simplicity’s sake, the above will explain how air purifiers work in most simple terms.
When using the correct type of air purifier, there are five benefits that your skin will experience the most.
I will go over each one in more detail below.
Everyone gets skin irritation sometimes, but people who suffer from skin irritation daily have the most trouble.
While having a dirty pillowcase or sleeping with make-up can cause skin irritation, so can the irritants and pollution in your indoor space.
That’s where an air purifier comes in handy.
Using an air purifier will effectively remove all irritants from the air that can cause skin irritation.
As you age, your skin will too.
It’s a part of life, and there isn’t much you can do about it.
However, the impact of age on your skin doesn’t have to be as significant as you think.
Thanks to using an air purifier, you’ll give your skin the perfect indoor environment to thrive.
This will ultimately slow down aging skin and make you look younger than you are.
If you’ve used an air conditioner at home, you’ll know how dry it can make the air feel.
When using an air purifier, you don’t have to worry about dry skin anymore.
This is because air purifiers not only purify the air but they also do it while maintaining all of the moisture in the air.
When it comes to acne, air purifiers can be particularly beneficial.
Regardless of the severity of your acne, keeping your face as clean as possible from any irritants is essential.
And while you might not be touching your face with your hands, it will always be in contact with the air inside your home.
If the air isn’t purified, all the dust and solid particles floating around will come in contact with your acne and worsen things.
Germs, and pollen, amongst other irritants present in the air, are the biggest trigger for skin rashes and diseases like Eczema, Angioedema, and Hives.
Using an air purifier to cleanse the air from all of these irritants is the best way to stop skin diseases and rashes in their track before they become problematic.
First, you must make sure you buy a quality air purifier.
While you can find some good budget-friendly options, most cheap air purifiers feature replica filtration systems, which are not that good.
To see the most significant benefits for your skin, you want an air purifier with a pre-filter, a carbon-activated filter, and a true HEPA filter.
These filtration systems are great at capturing both gaseous and solid particles that can irritate and negatively impact your skin.
When shopping around, ensure that the HEPA filter you buy is a “true HEPA filter” and is at least class H13.
This means it has passed the HEPA standards, which means it can purify the air from 99.97% of all solid particles.
As for the carbon-activated and pre-filter, those are pretty standard and cannot be faked, though practice your due diligence before buying.
Before you spend your hard-earned money on the first air purifier you come across, there are a few things I want you to consider.
The filtration system you opt for will make the most significant difference in whether or not you get the benefits you’ve read about today.
Since air quality impacts your skin, you want an air purifier with a filtration system that can effectively eliminate all irritants in the air.
So, you want to look for an air purifier with a multi-stage filtration system.
I recommend getting a unit with a pre-filter, a true HEPA filter, and a carbon-activated filter.
Such a unit will effectively remove pollen, dust, and other solid particles affecting your skin.
It will also eliminate gaseous particles such as VOCs and smoke from cigarettes and fire, amongst others.
Not all air purifiers are designed to perform the same.
Some air purifiers have a larger air purification capacity, making them more suitable for larger spaces.
Others have a smaller air purification capacity and are designed for smaller rooms.
So, before you go out shopping, measure the square footage of your room and look for a suitable air purifier.
That way, you will buy just the perfect-sized model for your indoors.
Aside from the direct benefits, your skin will experience when using an air purifier, the benefits don’t end there.
Using an air purifier 24/7 inside your home will bring many other health benefits, which I’ll discuss below.
Please note that the below benefits are the ones I have personally experienced over the last five years.
One of the most significant advantages of using an air purifier while sleeping is improved quality sleep at night.
I used to wake up tired, unmotivated, and fatigued quite often.
Since I bought an air purifier and have used it when sleeping, bad-quality sleep has been rare.
So, get an air purifier if you’re having trouble sleeping at night.
Breathing in fine-quality air before and during the night will help you feel refreshed and ready to take on the day.
Buy an air purifier with a multi-stage filtration system. It will effectively take care of most solid and non-solid particles.
As a result, you will get to breathe purified air free from potentially harmful particles.
This will significantly reduce your risk of breathing in viruses and bacteria that can irritate your respiratory system.
I have not had a cold in several years, despite being amongst the people most prone to catching viruses everywhere I go.
I’ve had asthma since I was young.
And over the years, the symptoms have gotten progressively worse.
This was partly to my moving to the bigger city, experiencing more stress from everyday life, and several different factors.
However, since buying an air purifier, my asthma symptoms have dramatically reduced.
Those seasonal allergies that used to bother me are now long-gone too.
When I lived in India, I had to buy an air purifier to purify the air in Delhi because the air quality was terrible.
My blood pressure was through the roof, and it made sense.
My body was trying to operate while breathing heavily polluted air, which it wasn’t used to.
Studies show that reducing your PM2.5 particle intake from 11 to 7 micrograms is enough to lower your blood pressure.
I’m not diabetic, but I came across a study that shows a strong link between the level of PM2.5 particles and an increased level of diabetes.
So, if you live in an environment polluted with PM2.5 particles, having an air purifier will reduce your chances of diabetes.
If you suffer from skin conditions, be it acne or rashes, or generally have dry skin, an air purifier can help.
Thanks to its advanced air purification system, the unit can eliminate all air particles irritating your skin and causing it to react.
And the beauty of air purifiers is that they don’t just help your skin.
They can also significantly improve your sleep quality, reduce your chances of catching a virus, and improve your respiratory health.
To reap all these benefits, you must buy the right air purifier with the appropriate filtration systems.
Have you bought a new air purifier only to find out it doesn’t work?
Sadly, that does happen now and then.
Read more