Air Purifier for Room

Indoor air is filled with contaminants and pollutants that aren’t as prevalent in outdoor air. Allergens such as pet dander and dust mites are prevalent in the indoor environment. Volatile organic compounds from house paints and furniture foams can accumulate in rooms, exposing occupants to potentially harmful chemicals. Human occupants of rooms may emit viral particles and bacteria if they are sick, causing concentrated exposure for other occupants.

Indoor air quality can be improved by reducing sources of contaminants, or air can be treated to remove pollutants. It may not be practical to remove all sources of contamination. This is why it is a good idea to invest in some type of air purifier, even if it is for a small living space. An air purifier for room use can reduce and remove a significant number of airborne pollutants.

Removing Airborne Pollutants

Air purifiers for rooms remove airborne pollutants with a variety of methods. The most straightforward method is to use a filter to remove airborne particles. HEPA or ULPA filters remove at least 99.97% or 99.999% of microscopic airborne particulates, respectively. Soot, smoke particles, pollen, and pet dander are easily captured by these filters. The filters are so finely meshed that they also capture bacteria and viruses. The number of infectious agents in the air can be dramatically reduced using an air purifier with a HEPA or ULPA filter.

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs), like the carcinogenic compound benzene, cannot be captured with an inert filter like a HEPA or ULPA filter. To remove VOCs, activated carbon filtration is required. Carbon that has been processed to have a very large surface area is able to capture gaseous pollutants like VOCs. Activated carbon can also capture the chemicals that contribute to bad smells and odors.

Sizing a Purifier

An air purifier can only process a limited amount of air every hour. During that hour, pollutants and contaminants will be entering the room or may be generated or released within the room. The air purifier has to be able to remove the contaminants faster than they are generated in order to purify the air. If the volume of air in the room is too large to be processed quickly enough to overcome the creation or introduction of new pollutants, the air purifier can’t reliably purify the air.¹

This is why the size of the room needs to be taken into account when choosing an air purifier for a room. Manufacturers will generally provide recommendations about the size of room a purifier is able to treat. If the air purifier is able to process a larger area than the room, it will still be effective.