Electronic Air Cleaners

Since air filters are one of the bests tools for eradicating allergens from your home, more people are using them than ever before. The trick is to find the one that works best for you, depending upon your specific needs. Before going shopping, arm yourself with some facts, so that you’ll be more prepared to choose an air filter, rather than listening to various sales pitches from merchants who are interested in making a quick buck. Of the five major types of air filters, here’s a quick look at four of them - one type (the ozone air filter) is not environmentally friendly, and consumers are not encouraged to purchase filters of this type.

Mechanical Filters - One of the best types of mechanical filters is the HEPA filter, which forces air through a special screen that traps allergens such as pollen, dust mites and pet dander. If there are any smokers in the house, a HEPA filtered device will also trap smoke and other airborne irritants. Those devices which are unable to trap at least 90% of these particles are ineligible to qualify as a HEPA filtering device. When shopping for mechanical filters of this type, be sure that they truly meet HEPA filtering standards, and that you’re not purchasing a cheap imitation that will offer substandard performance.

Gas Phase Filters - This type of air filter is not used for the removal of allergens in the home, but rather for removing odors and other types of pollutants, such as gasses from perfume, cooking, paint or building materials. In a home that needs to eliminate allergies which are triggered by exposure to certain odors, this would be sufficient, rather than the HEPA filter, which is designed to remove absolute allergens that are not gas based.

Electronic Filters - Of the different types of electronic filters, the most effective at trapping allergens is the style which uses electrostatic precipitators with a fan. In the case of electronic filters, electric charges are used to attract and trap allergens and other contaminants. Strive to find one that includes collecting plates so that the particles are trapped within the unit. Otherwise, you’ll end up having to clean all of the surfaces within the home, because the allergens will stick to them. In the case of self-contained units that include plates, they’ll also need to be cleaned, but this is a much smaller task than cleaning all of the surfaces of the home’s interior.

Hybrid Filters - Simply put, these air filters offer a combination of those characteristics which are found in both electrostatic and mechanical filters. These may be preferred by those with allergens other than gas based contaminants, but offer trapping devices for containing allergens.

In addition to knowing the types of air filters, you’ll also need to consider things such as which types of contaminants will be removed from the air; the efficiency of the filter when compared to HEPA standards; whether the size of the air filter system will be large enough to continuously clean the allotted space at least every six minutes; the clean air delivery rate of the filter; whether the unit is silent or noisy; and how easy or difficult it may be to change the filter, when necessary.

When you approach the purchasing of an air filter system with this information in mind, you’ll be far more likely to come home with the one that can adequately clean your home’s interior with little or no fuss while eliminating the right types of contaminants that plague your family.

Jonathan Chase (a lifelone allergy sufferer) is the creator of http://www.home-air-filter-edu.com, which provides free information to individuals interested in air purification and reducing their allergy symptoms.

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In a word - this air purifier is great. I bought one and let me tell you about it. I needed an air purifier for allergies. Too much dust and all the trees and plants in bloom it was causing quite a stir in the air. I borrowed an air purification unit from my mom. I’ll just leave this brand name out of it, but it was a HEPA filter type unit with a fan and such. It was large and round in shape. First thing when I turned it on was it smelled like my mom’s house. So, I needed to buy a new filter element and those dudes aren’t cheap. Reluctantly, the air filter went to the garage since I didn’t want any further smells entering my house.

I purchased the Sharper Image Ionic Breeze off of Ebay. It was a returned unit and I got it from Sharper Image. They sell returns or refurbish units at significant savings. I was lucky to get this unit shipped and everything for about $130. That is a savings, and I thought if it really does work, then I’ll buy a brand new one.

I got it in and couldn’t tell that anyone had used it or anything. It looked like brand new. I plugged it in and turned it on. Nothing happened. No noise. Then I felt the breeze blowing from the front. Here I want to take the thing apart to find the fan. But there isn’t a fan in there at all. The way it charges the collector plates causes air to flow through the unit. It really is remarkable just for the fact that it can get the air to stir silently. And they say silent, and I’m here to tell you the unit is silent.

So I let it run a few days and sure enough, it has collected dust on the collectors. It really does work. I can tell the air is charged or something. Maybe its just because its clean now. I keep mine in a high traffic area and I don’t notice the unit at all. So here’s the big test. I have some gerbils. They don’t stink, but their bedding is a little aromatic and they do get to digging and stirring up dust. I put the ionic breeze by their cage. I wanted to see what it could do. No smell from the cage. I kid you not. Nothing. I shut it off and then I started to smell the gerbils. It is truly amazing.

When the collectors start to get full, I notice it makes a little zit noise. I take the fins and rinse them. They say to use a damp cloth, but I run them under the faucet and let them dry good before re-inserting them. This is one of the best purchases I have ever made and I see it as being something I have in my house for years. I put some pictures of it on my website.

Stuart Simpson
http://www.airpurifier-review.com

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My husband is tormented with sinus and allergy problems. We live in an area that has heavy pollen in the spring and fall. He spends these months sounding as though his head is stuffed with cotton wool. The fallout from his malady is a dreadful snoring problem. So dire at times that we have separate bedrooms.

Numerous trips to doctors over the years led to ineffective treatments that included antibiotics and sinus surgery. However, one doctor recommended an air cleaner. We purchased an air purifier and found his snoring reduced markedly. If the air borne pollutants such as tobacco smoke, pet dander, dust, mold, mildew and pollen are removed or reduced the respiratory passage is not aggravated. If the respiratory system is less irritated the snoring drops off. It’s actually very simple.

However, evaluating all the air purifiers was a great deal of work. Here are the five most popular air purifiers. If you want to cut through the marketing baloney and find out what people are actually buying this will help you. Here are the five most popular air cleaners:

#1 IQAir HealthPro and the IQAir HealthPro Plus is one of the world’s most advanced air cleaners. Voted by Germany’s consumer foundation as the most effective for allergy sufferers. It uses the same HyperHEPA technology that is in hospital operating rooms. The IQAir cost 3 times the typical “market rate” for a cleaner. If you have really serious allergies it’s worth the money. If your allergy problem is moderate go with a cheaper unit.

#2 Honeywell Enviracaire 50250 Air Purifier is a compact unit perfect for just one-room purifier. You’ll probably end up buying two units. There are two filters –the main HEPA filter and a ‘pre-filter’ that catches large particles like pet hair and extends the life of the HEPA filter. It’s important to clean the pre-filter regularly.

#3 Whirlpool Whispure 450 Air Purifier. This model receives high ratings in many consumer reviews. At the lowest setting their operation is unobtrusive. It is not a small unit so check out the dimensions. It needs two filters –the HEPA filter is expensive.

#4 Alen A350 Air Purifier is ideal for a single room or office. A light, versatile design — floor use or wall mountable. Simple filter change. Only thing it doesn’t remove is tobacco smoke.

#5 Blueair 601 Air Purifier is large but its clean lines blend in. It’s built from steel and its 10-year warranty inspires durability. Its on rollers so is easy to move around. It’s quiet and the filters are easy to change.

Compare the features on all five units http://www.wise4living.com/khair/top5.htm

Read in depth articles air cleaner articles http://www.wise4living.com/khair/

Author Robin Derry is publisher for http://www.wise4living.com/ a specialty information site that gives solutions to health, household, sport, travel and legal needs.

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