Do Air Purifiers Remove PM 2.5? Your Guide to Air Purifiers for Pollutants

One of the facts that got me concerned about the air quality at home was the fact that there are significantly higher levels of PM2.5 in many modern households.

There are tons of experts out there that say that breathing in PM2.5 is dangerous to humans. So, I wanted to take whatever measures possible to reduce my intake of harmful pollutants. And that’s when I landed on air purifiers.

I was pretty aware that many modern air purifiers can eliminate a lot of harmful particles in the air. However, I wasn’t exactly sure if they could remove PM2.5 from the air.

And luckily, I found that there are some air purifiers that can do the job. However, one thing you need to remember is that not all modern air purifiers will be equipped to remove these pollutants. So, if you want to remove PM2.5 from your indoor air, then you need to find the right air purifier.

In this article, I’ll be explaining what PM2.5 is, why it’s dangerous, and how to find air purifiers that can eliminate it from the air. On top of that, I’ll be talking about a couple of features you may want to look out for when buying an air purifier to remove air pollutants.

Read on to learn more.

What is PM2.5?

PM2.5 stands for particulate matter that’s only 2.5 microns or less in size.

These are incredibly small particles that float around the air and can enter our lungs, potentially causing problems down the line.

To give you better content, the human hair is about 50 microns long, so PM2.5 are incredibly small particles that you won’t be able to see under normal conditions.

The reason PM2.5 particles are a cause of concern is the fact that they are very small. These particles are small enough to sneak by just about all of our body’s defenses, leaving us vulnerable.

These are pollutants that can come from a number of sources and can even be the result of a chemical reaction in the air.

However, the primary causes of these pollutants are wildfires and a range of industrial processes.

What Are the Dangers of PM2.5?

PM2.5 pollutants are very bad for the human body. As I mentioned earlier, they are small enough to sneak by most of the body’s defenses and can enter your system relatively undetected.

Since these particles are so small, you can breathe them in fairly easily. And prolonged exposure to PM2.5 may lead to higher chances of respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.

These diseases can be very serious and, in some cases, may even lead to death.

The CDC agrees that PM2.5 and other pollutants are dangerous to everyone.

However, there are certain population groups more at risk when they are exposed to PM2.5 pollutants.

These include people with heart and lung diseases, the elderly, and children.

PM2.5 is very prominent in many areas due to a number of reasons. Because of this, we need to take the necessary steps to protect ourselves from these pollutants and reduce the harm they can do.

Can Air Purifiers Remove PM2.5?

When I did the research, I found that there are some air purifiers that are effective at removing PM2.5.

However, the same isn’t true for all air purifiers.

So, if you’re trying to target PM2.5 pollutants in your home, you have to make sure you have the right air purifier.

It can be hard to figure out which air purifiers are the most effective at filtering out PM2.5 particles, but it’s necessary if you want to breathe cleaner air.

Arguably the most basic feature to look out for is the HEPA filter, as these mechanical filters are considered the most effective at filtering out very small particles.

With that said, there are different grades of HEPA filters. So, it’s best to do the research and make sure the HEPA filter on your device can capture particles as small as at least 3 microns.

However, there are some HEPA filters capable of capturing 0.1-micron particles, which would be a more desirable choice.

Air Purifiers That Can Remove PM2.5

As I mentioned earlier, you can’t skip out on a HEPA filter when buying an air purifier that targets PM2.5 specifically.

However, pay attention to the grade and ensure it’s an 8 or higher, as lower-grade HEPA filters may have a harder time with PM2.5 pollutants.

With a HEPA filter with a grade-8 rating, you will be able to effectively capture a number of particles between 1.0-3.0 microns, which means they can handle PM2.5.

But if you really want to target the pollutant, we highly recommend getting air purifiers with HEPA filters that have at least a 10 rating, as these are the ones that can capture particles up to 1.0 microns.

The higher the grade, the better the filtering ability.

This is why it’s crucial that you don’t just look for a TRUE HEPA Filter, but you also look for the right grade when searching for air purifiers that target PM2.5.

What Else Should I Look for in an Air Purifier?

One thing to remember is that while the right grade of HEPA filter will be able to capture most PM2.5 particles, it doesn’t end there.

Here are a couple of other important features to consider when buying an air purifier.

Other Filters

Firstly, it’s important to look at the other filters in the filtration system of the air purifier. Ideally, you want an activated carbon filter on top of the HEPA filter that may already be on the air purifier.

This allows the air purifier to capture a range of gasses and Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) that may be floating around the house.

This not only creates healthier air but also allows you to eliminate some of the strong odors you may be dealing with at home.

Some air purifiers also have a pre-filter. While this is far from a requirement, it is a cool feature.

With a pre-filter, you can capture some larger particles like animal hair which means that the HEPA filter won’t have to deal with these particles and can focus on the much smaller ones.

ACH and CADH

ACH stands for air changes per hour, while CADH stands for clean air delivery rate. These are two completely different measurements to consider with your air purifier, but they go hand-in-hand.

The ACH refers to how many times the air purifier can cleanse the air in a room in one hour, while the CADH refers to how fast it will do that.

Ideally, air purifiers should have at least a 4 ACH rating or more.

The larger the room, the higher the ACH and CADH rating you need, which is why it’s always important to consider all these fine details.

Extra Features

Once you’ve determined the air purifier with all the base features you need, it’s time to consider the extra features.

Again, these are just extras and add-ons that can make having an air purifier much easier, but they are far from requirements.

Some cool extra features include smart functionality, automatic mode, or even diffuser mode.

The extra features you need are completely up to you, and if you don’t necessarily need them, it won’t be too hard to forgo one or two of these features.

Conclusion

If you’re looking to eliminate the PM2.5 particles in your home, then air purifiers could be the way to do it.

However, you need to make sure to get one that has a HEPA filter, and a high-grade one, at that.

If you don’t have a high-grade HEPA filter, the air purifier may not be able to capture the very small particles.

But if you have a good HEPA filter, a decent set of extra filters, and choose the right air purifier for the room size, then you’ll find yourself breathing in fewer PM2.5 every day!