How to Use an Air Purifier
When it comes to using an air purifier, it may seem like no trouble at all. Just turn it on and let it do its job, right? As a matter of fact, there are a number of things to keep in mind in order to use one effectively. This isn’t just a simple fan you’re using to stay cool. An air purifier is a complicated piece of machinery that works hard to remove harmful pollutants and particulate matter from your home, improving the health and well-being of you and the other residents.
If you want it working at peak efficiency, you have to use it right. As experts in the HVAC field, Entek knows a thing or two about properly implementing the use of an air purifier into a home, and we’re more than happy to share our expertise. Here are a few things you may not know about how to use an air purifier.
Keep It Running All Day Long
Air purification is not a part-time job. If you want to keep your indoor climate clean, you’ll need to keep your purifier running 24 hours a day. It may not seem like the most energy-efficient way to use an air purifier, but it’s the only way to ensure your indoor environment is consistently clean. By leaving the purifier running, it will be constantly pulling pollutants out of the air. Think about cleaning your air as you would think about cleaning your home. If you clean regularly, as opposed to neglecting the chore and trying to tackle it all at once, the process will be both easier and more effective.
You don’t need to leave it on at full power. The lowest setting will do the trick to keep the air free of pollutants. Some air purifiers even have an automatic mode that regulates the fan speed, adjusting the power level or even powering off the purifier if pollutants haven’t been detected in a certain length of time. If you’re still concerned about the constant energy usage, we recommend looking into a model with ENERGY STAR ratings from the EPA. There are plenty of high-efficiency models out there that will both keep your air clean and energy usage low.
Ensure Your Indoor Environment Is a Well-Sealed Environment
An air purifier can do wonders in improving your air quality, but even the best models will struggle to do their job if you give them an uphill battle. That’s why it’s in your best interests to help it out and reduce the pollutants that are entering your home in the first place. A big part of knowing how to use an air purifier is being aware of not just the unit but of the environmental factors in your home as well. Outdoor air can bring with it any number of harmful particulates and pollutants, from irritating smoke to allergens just waiting to set off someone’s hay fever.
By keeping windows and doors shut, you can cut down on outdoor contamination creeping into your home while also stopping your fresh clean air from escaping outdoors. You may not be able to make your home completely airtight, but everything you do to keep it sealed will help the air purifier do its job.
Find the Best Spot, Then Leave It Be
It’s not enough to just close your doors and run your air purifier. Where you place it can have a large impact on how much it affects your wellbeing. First, you’ll need to determine which room it’s best suited for. It should be a room you spend a good deal of time in, such as a bedroom or home office. Purifiers also come in different sizes rated for different-sized spaces, so be sure you’re using the right-sized purifier for the room you’re putting it in. Make sure it’s sitting a few inches away from any walls, furniture, or curtains, or else the air intake may be impeded.
Once you have it in place, angle the airflow toward where you or anyone else might frequently be in the room. This matters less in small rooms where the air will easily circulate, but in larger spaces, it will help create a pocket of purified air where you might be working, relaxing, or sleeping. Finally, once it’s settled in the ideal location, let it sit there and do its job. Air purifiers work best when left in the same room, so leave it alone and let it get to work.
Circulate the Indoor Air to Catch More Pollutants
In a controlled environment, an air purifier should have no issues cleaning the air of a space it’s rated for. However, no one’s home is a controlled environment. Large pieces of furniture or walls can create pockets of air that don’t end up making it all the way to the purifier, leaving you with uneven air quality. An easy way to remedy this problem is by employing fans to help circulate the air throughout the room, spreading purified air throughout.
Some people even go beyond that, investing in multiple smaller purifiers to provide coverage for the whole room. Ultimately, each individual room will have different challenges. Take a look around, try to see what might create airflow issues, and you’ll be able to determine how to best use your air purifier.
Clean or Replace the Filters Regularly
As we tell all clients, maintenance and care are crucial to the long-term efficacy of any piece of HVAC equipment. Air purifiers might not be as complicated as a central heating and cooling system, but they still need just as much care to keep them going strong. After all, it won’t matter if you know how to use an air purifier if the unit itself is operating at suboptimal efficiency. If the filter gets clogged and you don’t do something about it, your air quality will start dropping fast.
When first setting up your air purifier, get familiar with the manufacturer’s recommendations for filter care. Some come with filters that you can reuse as long as you wash them on a consistent schedule. Some come with HEPA filters, which cannot be reused and generally need to be replaced once a year. As long as you keep up with your air purifier’s maintenance, you can breathe easy.
To learn more about how to use an air purifier and what the options are for improving the air quality in your home, contact the experts at Entek.
