In this article:• How Air Cleaners Work
• Air Cleaner Buying Guide
• Tips for Improving Indoor Air Quality
An expert, unbiased guide for buying home air cleaners, air filters, and purifiers.
By Don Vandervort, HomeTips
Did you know that every cubic foot of air in the average home is loaded with about 3 million dust particles? Though most of these particles are so small they’re not visible,
they can nonetheless be a health hazard, particularly for people who suffer from allergies or bronchial problems.
How Air Cleaners Work
Air cleaners (sometimes called air filters or air purifiers) can help reduce the problem by filtering out the microscopic particles caused by smoking, fireplaces, pets, molds, pollen, and other sources of indoor pollution. A variety of technologies are employed by these devices to clean the air. Some draw room air through finely woven filters that catch particles before returning air to the room. Others, such as electrostatic precipitating air cleaners, use electrical charges to attract particles in the air. For more about various types and how they work, please see How Air Cleaners Work.
Air Cleaner Buying Guide
You can buy air cleaners that filter the air in a single room or models that connect to the home’s central air conditioning or heating system to handle cleaning the air throughout the entire house. When buying an air cleaner, you’ll want to focus on effectiveness, the unit’s size and capacity, price, and more. For help with these decisions, see the Air Cleaner & Purifier Buying Guide.
Tips for Improving Indoor Air Quality
Buying an air cleaner isn’t the only way to improve your home’s indoor air quality. You can also reduce the number of pollutants expelled into the air to make it cleaner. For tips about what you can do, see How to Improve Interior Air Quality.
