Air purifiers don’t tend to break easily.
This is because air purifiers are very simple, and because of that, there isn’t much in them that can break and prevent the unit from turning on.
Nevertheless, there are exceptions.
And as an owner of an air purifier for over 4 years, I would be lying if I said that I’ve not had similar troubles with my air purifier.
The issue in my case was that the electricity went out right before bed, and I hadn’t noticed.
I genuinely thought my air purifier just gave up on me one night before bed.
Which sucks because I prefer to use the air purifier alongside the ceiling fan so I can breathe clean air at night.
Silly, I know, but it happens.
So, if your air purifier isn’t turning on (and your electricity hasn’t gone out like mine), I will walk you through why.
I’ll also show you what you can do to determine the problem and whether you can fix it yourself or if you need to take it to a specialist.
But more on that later…
Why Isn’t My Air Purifier Turning On?
First, it’s essential to determine whether the air purifier you’re trying to turn on is new, second-hand, or you’ve used it for a while and suddenly stopped working.
I want to mention that if you’ve spilled water on it or dropped it, that can be the leading cause behind why it’s no longer working.
In such a case, you should seek a professional to get it repaired. If not, however, keep on reading.
Here’s what you should do depending on your situation.
If Your Air Purifier Is Brand New
If you’ve finally taken the leap and have bought yourself a new air purifier.
Congratulations, you won’t regret your decision, I promise.
But, if you’ve bought the unit, unpacked it, and it refuses to turn on, we have a problem. I would advise that you skip to the troubleshooting section of this article and see if there is something that you’ve done wrong.
If you’ve done everything as you should, it’s best to reach out to the store you’ve bought the unit and let them know.
In most cases, they will take it in, check what’s wrong with it, and will most likely give you a full refund or a replacement of the exact model you bought.
If You Bought the Air Purifier Second Hand
Air purifiers can be expensive, and I wouldn’t blame anyone that goes for a second-hand model.
If that were the case with you, and the air purifier isn’t working, the first thing I’d advise you to do is reach out back to the person that sold you the air purifier.
The last thing you want is to buy an air purifier that doesn’t work.
That’s why I always tell my friends who plan on buying a second-hand unit to always check at the seller’s property that the team is working before handing over the cash.
If You Have Been Using the Air Purifier For a While
Suppose you’ve been actively purifying the air in your home for quite some time and know that the unit works until it suddenly doesn’t.
In that case, there’s a high chance that something is wrong with the air purifier itself.
Thankfully, as I mentioned above, air purifiers are simple machines, and it isn’t easy to break them.
So, troubleshooting your unit should be a pretty straightforward task.
In the section below, I’ll go over a few troubleshooting methods you should use if your unit doesn’t want to turn on.
Troubleshooting Your Air Purifier
If your air purifier isn’t turning on, go through the different troubleshooting steps I have suggested below.
I’ve personally used these myself, and they have helped me, which is why I’m recommending them to you today.
Before you go ahead and do that, please make sure to read the user manual of your air purifier.
Some models, particularly the more expensive ones, are designed in such a way that they should only ever be checked out by a certified expert.
So, if you don’t know what you’re doing or believe you can do more harm than good, it’s best to reach out to the store you bought the air purifier from for further guidance.
Let’s begin if the above doesn’t apply to you or if you trust yourself to do a good job.
Open Up the Air Purifier and Check the Filters
Buying an air purifier and using it for months and months without cleaning it or conducting proper maintenance is a lot more common than you think.
I didn’t know I had to clean it until my friend told me about 3-4 months into owning one.
Thankfully, my air purifier wasn’t damaged by the lack of maintenance.
However, suppose you’ve not cleaned the air purifier since you bought it and have been using it for a while.
In that case, the filters inside the unit might be so clogged up that the unit can’t physically filter out any more air, and to protect itself, it just stops working.
Here is precisely what happens when you don’t clean your air purifier.
Most air purifiers don’t have sensors to alert you that it’s clogged.
Check if the unit overheated or the motor might have broken from overworking.
To check for this, clean the air purifier thoroughly, put it back together, and try turning it on again.
If it still doesn’t work, move on to the next step.
Check if the Fuse Has Blown Out
If you’re not tech-savvy, you probably don’t know that modern-day appliances have integrated fuses in the plug.
The fuse protects the appliance and the wiring by breaking the circuit in case too much current flows to the said appliance.
It’s common for a fuse to blow out in air purifiers and general appliances.
And when that happens, there can be nothing wrong with your appliance, but until you replace it, the device won’t turn on.
So, find your model’s fuse (it’s most commonly on the back side of the plug).
Unscrew it, and take a look at the fuse.
If there’s a visible gap in the wire or a dark or metallic smear inside the glass, then you need to replace the fuse.
After replacing the fuse, start your air purifier as you usually do.
Is the Turn On Button Damaged?
Let’s say you’ve bought the best air purifier for your bedroom and have owned it for many years.
It suddenly won’t turn on.
Another reason it might not be turning on is due to a damaged, displaced button.
The easiest way to check is to take your unit apart, take the button out, and place it in its place again.
Granted, most air purifiers these days have touch-screen turn-on and off buttons, so I don’t recommend that you take it apart.
In such a case, it’s best to seek a specialist who can help you figure out if that’s the cause behind why your air purifier isn’t turning on.
If you have bought a smart air purifier that can connect to an app through which you can control the unit, try and turn it on that way.
This is a pretty easy way to determine whether or not the issue is with the on button.
Is the Power Cord Damaged?
This is probably one of the air purifier’s most complex (in most cases) parts to troubleshoot for damage.
Generally speaking, the power cord won’t get damaged on its own.
Over time, extreme bends can affect the wiring inside, much like a phone charger, and cause it to stop working, affecting your air purifier’s operation.
Additionally, if you have a pet known to chew on about anything, scrutinize the power cord and see if any bites are present.
The cord biting might have resulted in a disconnect in the wiring system.
If you suspect power cord damage, please do not try and use the air purifier as it can be dangerous.
Instead, find a specialist and get it replaced.
Air Purifier Still Not Turning On?
If after following all of the suggestions I recommended above, you have three options.
If the air purifier has a warranty or you’ve bought insurance for it, by all means, take advantage of those and get it checked out and repaired by an expert.
Suppose the air purifier isn’t insured and the warranty has expired.
Now, you can always find someone who can fix it.
But, depending on the issue, it’ll likely cost you a bit of money, or you can recycle it and buy yourself a brand new air purifier.
Conclusion
Air purifiers don’t easily break because there isn’t much inside them that can break beside the technology and the motor that spins the fans.
Although unlikely, it can happen.
When it happens, unfortunately, there are several possibilities as to why your air purifier isn’t turning on.
Albeit accidental damage and general wear and tear, in which case, you’ll either have to repair your air purifier or get a new one.
In some cases, however, your air purifier might not be turning on purely because the power on button might be broken or because the fuse has blown out.
Whatever the case might be, make sure to go through the troubleshooting tips I provided you above, and if they don’t work, you can always get in contact with a specialist or simply get a new model.