| Let the buyer beware. That is certainly good | | | | Cheap air purifiers typically have higher |
| advice for anyone entering the air purifier market. | | | | maintenance costs. One of the "dirty little tricks" is |
| Quality, durability, and effectiveness vary widely. | | | | to sell a cheap air purifier and then rob the |
| Price is no indication of quality or suitability. As for | | | | customer with high priced replacement filters. |
| government standards, you'll find no cop on the | | | | These air cleaners may also have poor prefilters |
| beat. At least in the US, no agency claims | | | | that allow rapid clogging of the main filter, forcing |
| authority to regulate the industry. | | | | you to regularly replace the filters. |
| With an anything goes, Wild West air purifier | | | | Cheap air purifiers also have cheap motors prone |
| market it's not hard to make a costly mistake. | | | | to early failure. Cheap ionic air purifiers have cheap |
| The following list will help you avoid seven | | | | electronics, ionizing wires and pins that fail all too |
| common mistakes consumers make when they | | | | quickly. |
| buy air purifiers. | | | | Always consider long-term performance and cost. |
| Costly Mistake #1: Failing to Realistically Address | | | | Costly Mistake #5: Believing the Room Size |
| One's Health Needs | | | | Estimates in the Advertising |
| Do you know what you need? Most people who | | | | Consumers almost always buy air purifiers that |
| buy air purifiers expect a health benefit but never | | | | are under sized because air purifier marketers |
| consider what is required. | | | | overstate the area that can be cleaned. |
| Consider this, particles in the 2.5 to 10 micron | | | | For instance, they base their estimate on the |
| range deposit in the nose and throat causing sinus | | | | maximum fan speed. Additionally, they estimate |
| irritation and allergies. How effective is the air | | | | as little as one air change per hour (ACH). |
| purifier you're considering at removing these | | | | Effective cleaning requires 4 to 6 ACH. This should |
| particles? | | | | be accomplished with the air purifier operating on |
| Particles smaller than 2.5 micron, especially smaller | | | | its lowest setting. That way noise is not an issue |
| than 0.1 micron, are known as lung penetrating. | | | | and you have surplus capacity available. |
| These are the most damaging and are linked to | | | | Clean air delivery rates (CADR) and air changes |
| increased heart disease, heart attack and stroke. | | | | per hour should be taken with a grain of salt. |
| While many best-rated air purifiers remove larger | | | | Better still; calculate for yourself how much air is |
| particles they are poor performers at removing | | | | supplied when run at the lowest setting. Will it give |
| these smaller, more dangerous particles. | | | | you at least 4 ACH in the room where you need |
| Costly Mistake #2: Failing to Assume Responsibility | | | | it? |
| for Air Quality | | | | Costly Mistake #6: Failing to Consider Routine |
| Far too many consumers buy air purifiers as a | | | | Maintenance |
| cure all for health and air quality problems without | | | | Most consumers buy air purifiers without ever |
| taking any other action. | | | | considering the true maintenance needs. Certain |
| I'm sure you've already heard the oft-quoted line | | | | infomercials have misled the public into believing |
| about how the EPA says indoor air is two to one | | | | that filter maintenance is a laborious, messy and |
| hundred times more polluted than outdoor air. | | | | expensive chore. |
| While marketers use that statistic as a reason for | | | | HEPA filter air purifiers of superior quality and |
| you to throw money at them, I want you to look | | | | value may need a filter change only once every |
| at it another way. Ask yourself, Why the wide | | | | five years and take no more than ten minutes. |
| variance in pollution levels? What are the people | | | | On the other hand, ionic air purifiers are presented |
| doing that results in hundredfold more polluted air | | | | as needing little more than a quick wipe or toss |
| while others have less heavily polluted air? | | | | into the dishwasher. |
| More importantly, what can you do to clear the | | | | But let's dig deeper. In as few as three days ionic |
| air in your home? | | | | air purifier efficiency can become less than 20% |
| Costly Mistake #3: Not Taking Ozone Seriously | | | | resulting in very poor air cleaning. |
| Ozone has fresh, after-the-rainstorm smell. And | | | | To maintain efficiency regular cleaning is |
| cyanide has a pleasant almond smell. And arsenic | | | | necessary. Many consumers complain that the |
| has a tasty garlic flavor. Don't be fooled! | | | | plates are hard to disassemble and reassemble, |
| Most consumers buy air purifiers for real health | | | | are hard to clean between and don't always fit in |
| benefits. Often they have chronic breathing | | | | a dishwasher. |
| problems. Exposure to ozone is the last thing they | | | | What is the five-year cost of running the collector |
| need. | | | | plates through the dishwasher every second or |
| Ozone exacerbates asthma and other breathing | | | | third day? What about the time cost? How does |
| difficulties. It also increases sensitivity to allergens, | | | | a ten-minute filter swap once every three to five |
| so even healthy persons suffer more by | | | | years compare to the time spent removing and |
| exposure. | | | | cleaning a collector grid three times a week? |
| A 2004 EPA study found increased ozone | | | | Costly Mistake #7: Considering Only Popular and |
| concentrations were directly related to premature | | | | Prominent Air Cleaners |
| deaths. The study found that lowering outdoor | | | | Many consumers buy air purifiers they've seen on |
| concentrations of ozone by a mere 10 ppb (parts | | | | TV, often as a result of some infomercial. |
| per billion) would result in some 4000 fewer | | | | Sharper Image took advantage of this fact to |
| premature deaths each year. | | | | such an extent they secured 25% of the air |
| Yet ozone generators sold as air purifiers can | | | | purifier market at the height of their product's |
| increase indoor ozone levels by 300 ppb! How | | | | fame. |
| many may have paid the ultimate cost, their very | | | | But saturating the airwaves with radio and TV |
| life, by using these machines? | | | | spots, infomercials, print ads and celebrities costs |
| Ionic air purifiers should also be considered with | | | | millions. Who really pays for this? You do, that's |
| caution. While not emitting such high levels of | | | | who. How much of an air purifier's cost is tied to |
| ozone as ozone generators, they nevertheless do | | | | the hype? How much to its design and |
| produce ozone as a byproduct of normal | | | | engineering? |
| operation. Do you really need this? | | | | Your best air purifier value is in those |
| Costly Mistake #4: Choosing the Lowest Cost Air | | | | manufacturers that specialize exclusively in air |
| Purifier | | | | purification, not in high profile marketing companies |
| Many who buy air purifiers mistakenly consider | | | | whose specialty is cleaning out your wallet. |
| only the price, not long-term cost or value. | | | | |