Portable Air Cleaner Makes Breathing Easier

By Jill Faulkner


If breathing is difficult even in a home a portable air cleaner may help. These devices filter the contents of the home. They are not all created equal however. Some merely offer a mechanical filter that traps a few particles, while others are designed to eliminate odors or gases from the air. Before shopping it is important to decide the features that are wanted or needed.

The first variable to decide is the seriousness of the problem to be addressed. If one requires the cleanest atmosphere, he or she will need to choose a better unit to get the job done. Those who have problems with chemicals or asthma may require a different type device than those who have pollen allergy problems. Chemical allergies can be caused by any number of different compounds and some users have found the glue from a HEPA filter might cause reactions.

The volume of the room being treated is also a significant factor. In order to keep the room clean, the atmosphere must be exchanged several times each hour. The greatest of filters will not be effective in a large room if it is sized too small. The very minimum requirement is that a device offer two full air exchanges each hour.

Keep the location the unit will be used in mind as well. Some are notoriously louder than others. In the bedroom where noise is sometimes a factor, units that can exchange the minimum amount of air may be quieter to operate. However, in family rooms with higher traffic, there may be a need for a larger exchange rate.

When faced with the decision of a unit that is rated at the minimal exchange rate or one with a larger rate, the later is to be favored. With a unit that pushes the limits, the unit must be operated at top speed most of the time for effectiveness. With a larger device, effective cleaning can occur at a low or medium speed. Operating at the lower speed will help to decrease the noise output.

Some units provide built in sensors that monitor particulate matter coming into the machine and adjusting the fan speed as appropriate. These devices start on high but run lower much of the time. Unfortunately, most consumers find the currently available devices are not as efficient at making this measurement as they would hope.

The two critical measurements of a unit's effectiveness are the number of exchanges made per hour and the percentage of pollution removed with each exchange. The second factor is the device's efficiency. With the higher the efficiency machine, fewer particles are released back into the room. A HEPA filter is rated to remove 99.97% of particulates 0.3 microns or larger. However, once the filter is installed in a device, there are many other factors that come into play. Many devices using HEPA filters allow as much as 50% of the particles to flow around the filter without passing through, giving a poor performance.

If breathing in one's own home becomes a problem, installing a portable air cleaner might help. Such devices can effectively remove pollutants. By selecting the correct device the occupant can improve the atmosphere in the home and may find it easier to breathe.




About the Author:



Aucun commentaire:

Enregistrer un commentaire