I’ll happily admit that I had no idea how to use an air purifier when I first got one.
I vividly remember when the air purifier arrived at my home, I quickly opened it up, plugged it in, and turned it on.
I did no prior research on how to use the air purifier or how to make the most of it, which I realized a little later in the day when the air quality wasn’t particularly different before turning the unit on.
It was a really warm day, so the windows and doors in my home were open.
On top of that, I placed the air purifier on the floor near the sofa – right behind a table, so the airflow was very limited.
So, I started researching the topic and came across a question asking if the room should be entirely sealed when the air purifier is on.
The answer surprised me since I was doing practically everything wrong from the get-go.
I also know for a fact that many of you reading this right now have the same question (which is why you’re reading this article), so without further ado, I’ll touch upon if you should keep your windows and doors closed when running the air purifier among other very helpful information.
Should I Close the Windows and Doors When Running an Air Purifier?
If you want the air purifier to work to the best of its abilities, you need to place it on an elevated surface and close the windows and doors within the room.
This is because if you leave the windows and doors open, a lot of new air enters the room, which means more pollutants and particles enter the room.
So, even if the air purifier is doing a good job purifying the existing air in the room, it won’t matter that much if you’re constantly bringing in new, unpurified air.
This was a huge problem for me. When I first bought an air purifier, it was because of my severe allergies.
Whenever springtime came along, or there would be dust and pollen in the air, I would start sneezing uncontrollably.
So, you can imagine how much relief I felt when I bought my air purifier and wasn’t sneezing as much anymore.
With that said, my partner enjoys fresh air. So, whenever we’re both at home, there’s always an open window. Of course, this gives the house more oxygen, which is necessary if we want to breathe and feel that the air in the room is fresher.
However, the thing about that is that “fresh” air from outside doesn’t contain just oxygen.
Along with oxygen, it brings pollution and particles like dust, which is a huge concern for me since they are the key triggers of my symptoms.
Granted, the air purifier was still capturing many particles before it entered my sinuses, but it simply couldn’t compete with everything the open window was bringing in.
As much as possible, I would recommend closing the doors and windows while you have the air purifier on.
Not only will this make it easier for the air purifier to cleanse the air, but it also means that you aren’t wasting electricity and introducing unnecessary particles into your home.
With that said, if absolutely necessary, you can open the window and door of the room while the air purifier is on. But if you want the air purifier to work properly, there are a couple of things you need to do. I’ll explain everything you need to do in the next section.
Will My Air Purifier Work With Open Windows?
Generally, air purifiers don’t work as well with open windows. For example, imagine you’re in a very dusty room with closed doors and windows. When you turn on the air purifier, it will be able to capture all the harmful particles floating around over the next hour or so. And as long as no new particles enter the room, the air remains clean.
So, opening a door and window will introduce new particles, which the air purifier will have to deal with. But I understand that there are many people that have to keep a window open in their house for whatever reason, so there is a quick fix to this issue.
No matter what you do, the air purifier won’t work as well with the windows and doors open. However, the best thing you can do is make sure the airflow is good and place the air purifier near the window or door that is opened.
That way, whatever new particles enter the room, the air purifier has the best chance of catching them before they start circulating around your room.
I found that this was the best compromise for my situation. But whenever I’m alone at home, I still keep the windows and doors closed when the air purifier is on.
Best Practices When Using an Air Purifier
When using an air purifier, you can get the most out of it by closing the entire room while it’s on.
This means that no windows or doors should be open. And trust me; after doing this for a couple of minutes, you will notice a major difference in the air quality.
On top of that, your air purifier won’t have to work as hard, which means that the air purifier can last you a much longer time.
With that said, that isn’t the only best practice when using an air purifier.
You can do a few extra things to make the most out of your unit.
And if you want to keep your indoor air clean, I highly recommend following all these best practices.
In this section, I’ll discuss all the best practices to follow when using an air purifier. That way, when you finally get your first air purifier, you won’t have to worry about using it incorrectly and losing many of the benefits you get from these great appliances.
Leave It On 24/7
The first thing I recommend is leaving your air purifier on 24/7. I know that this sounds like a total waste of electricity, but it isn’t.
Any expert will tell you that if you want clean air whenever you’re in the room, the air purifier has to be on all the time.
Turning the air purifier on and off not only increases the power intake, but also gives the air purifier a hard time purifying all the existing air in the room.
If you leave it on, the air purifier is constantly running and cleansing the air.
And don’t worry, modern air purifiers are designed for you to leave them on. So, you won’t have to worry about the air purifier racking up your electricity bill.
For the best results, I recommend getting an air purifier with an automatic setting.
This allows you to leave the air purifier on without worrying about it working too hard. These air purifiers have built-in sensors that detect the number of particles in the air.
If the number is high, it increases the power and lowers it if the numbers start to drop.
That way, you don’t have to worry about manually adjusting the settings or constantly turning it on and off.
Put It in the Right Spot
The next tip I can give you is finding the right placement for your air purifier. The placement of the air purifier is crucial for its functionality. If you place the air purifier in the wrong area, it won’t be able to perform as well, and you might end up breathing in polluted air with a lot of particles.
For example, I already mentioned that I placed my air purifier in the wrong area the first time I used it.
I placed it in the corner by the sofa, which doesn’t receive a lot of airflow, giving the air purifier a harder time to effectively purify the air. But when I decided to move the air purifier near the window, where airflow was highest, I noticed a huge difference.
For the best results, I recommend placing the air purifier at least 3 feet above the ground and where it can get a lot of airflow.
That way, it has an easy time capturing all the particles in the air that may be causing you problems.
The best possible place is in the middle of the room, but I understand that this isn’t always possible.
So, play around with your air purifier until you find a good placement that works for you and the unit.
Find the Right Air Purifier for the Room
Another thing I recommend you do when buying an air purifier is to find the right model for your needs. People often complain that their air purifier isn’t working solely because they have the wrong model.
Remember, if the air purifier is too small for your room, it won’t be able to purify the air properly, and you will be left inhaling all the particles that can cause allergies and get you sick.
When shopping for air purifiers, it’s best to hit the market knowing the exact size of your room.
This is because most air purifiers list down the maximum room size they can handle. Aside from the filtration system, this is arguably the most important factor to consider when buying an air purifier.
In my case, I bought the best air purifier for a small room because my room is tiny and any air purifier that was larger than necessary would be an overkill and a waste of money.
Why Should I Get an Air Purifier?
I understand that it may seem like a huge headache trying to find the best way to use your air purifier constantly.
However, trust me when I say that closing the windows and leaving the air purifier on all day will bring a lot of benefits to your home. Some of these benefits include:
Eliminates Pollution
Almost everyone lives in a heavily polluted environment.
Even areas far from the city have to deal with pollution, and it’s becoming one of society’s biggest problems to deal with. And while addressing pollution on a global scale is impossible for one person, addressing it at home is fairly easy.
One of the biggest benefits of getting an air purifier is that it can absorb pollutants from the air.
For example, if you have an air purifier with a HEPA and activated carbon filter, then it can capture PM2.5 particles.
These are very dangerous particles that float around our air without us noticing, so it’s great that air purifiers can handle them.
Reduces Allergies
Pollutants aren’t the only thing that air purifiers can catch.
Another advantage of having an air purifier for allergies is that it catches dust and pollen. For some people, this isn’t a big deal. But if you have severe allergies like me, this is a huge blessing.
After all, can you imagine how nice it will feel going through an entire spring season without an allergic reaction?
On top of that, air purifiers can also capture cat odor and pet hair.
When pet fur floats around the house, it can enter our lungs, which is what can cause an allergic reaction.
So, with a good air purifier, you and the family won’t have to worry about allergic reactions from your pets as much.
Conclusion
Getting an air purifier is a great idea. These appliances offer a whole lot of benefits to anyone in need of clean air at home.
However, if you want to get the most out of the air purifier, you need to use it properly.
And for the best results, I highly recommend closing the windows and doors while the air purifier is on.
While you can still use the air purifier with open windows and doors, it won’t work as efficiently.
On top of that, it also means that unpurified air will constantly enter the room, giving the air purifier a harder time.
So, if you want to eliminate all harmful particles and pollutants from your room and keep it that way, it’s best to keep the room closed.