How and which air purifier to choose for an apartment? Types of air purifiers, parameters that you need to pay attention to

What is an air purifier and is it needed at all? What to look for when buying, who needs the device and how much to expect when buying, read in this article.

More and more useful and "smart" devices appear to facilitate and improve the quality of life.

One of these devices is air purifier, which the increasingly can be found in ordinary apartments and houses.

What is this device, how does it work and is it worth buying?

What is an air purifier?

Reference! An air purifier is a device for rooms, which is a filter system that can absorb small particles that are in the air: dust, pollen, and even unpleasant odors.

It consists of several filters, and the more of them, the higher the quality of cleaning.

Despite this, any cleaner is a small device that takes up little space, does not require special care and performs a very important function in the apartment.

The simplest devices, miniature, low power and without additional functions, belong to the budget category and cost from 1990 rubles.

The cost of a multifunctional air purifier, which is able to purify the air in a room up to several tens of square meters, reaches 100 thousand rubles.

In what cases is it needed?

Ideally, an air purifier should be in every apartment.

Exhaust fumes, tobacco smoke, dusty air - all this leads to the fact that a person breathes not clean air, but polluted air, which causes various diseases.

Note! In some cases, an air cleaner is a must. It is recommended to have it in the houses where they live:

Small children;
elderly people;
people with allergies and a tendency to allergic reactions;
people with chronic respiratory diseases (asthma, bronchitis).

Residents of large metropolitan areas for those who live on the ground floor, not far from the roadways, the device is also needed: It protects against small particles that adversely affect health.

Types of air cleaners

Air purifiers can be different: from the simplest and smallest to larger, endowed with additional options.

Humidifiers and air washers

Air cleaner with washing function it works as follows: air enters the device through special blades, mixes with water and, purified, goes outside.

All impurities are precipitated. This scheme is used in cleaners with hydrofiltration or air washing.

Keep in mind! The device is safe, works silently, cleans the air well, maintains normal humidity in the apartment.

Additional ionization function makes the air cleaner and more humid, a UV and photocatalytic cleaning eliminate viruses, mold spores and unpleasant odors.

The efficiency of air purification with such a device reaches 95%.

There is another similar type of air cleaner - a humidifier, which works on the principle of evaporation of moisture through the use of one of three schemes:

ultrasonic;
steam;
mechanical.

Most modern models of humidifiers are able not only to purify and humidify, but also to aromatize the air: for this, aromatic oils are added to the liquid container.

Advantages of appliances with a washing function:

maintaining a comfortable microclimate in the room;
removal of small and large dust particles, allergens;
elimination of foreign odors;
silent operation;
safety;
no need to buy consumables;
energy efficiency (ultrasonic devices);
ease of operation.

In addition, such devices are not demanding on water hardness.

Stay up to date! Among the disadvantages of humidifiers are the following:

mechanical devices are noisy;
steam appliances release hot steam, so you can get burned;
steam appliances consume more electricity.

However steam devices can be used as inhalers, and this is a big plus.

The main disadvantage of devices that additionally humidify the air is the need to regularly replenish the container with water and wash the discs that are inside the device every 3-4 days.

Air cleaners with dry filters

Powerful, efficient machines with a standard scheme of work: passing air masses through several high-quality filters.

Important! A dry purifier sucks in polluted air with great force, working like a vacuum cleaner. For this, the British even called him a "vacuum cleaner."

The advantages of such a device:

high power and performance;
there is an express cleaning mode (if you urgently need to clean the air);
Huge selection of makes and models.

Minuses:

high energy consumption;
the need to constantly replace filters;
noisy work.

Air cleaners with ionization function

The principle of operation of the devices can be compared to what happens during a thunderstorm: the air is electrified and saturated with ozone.

This property has been used as the basis for air cleaners with ionization function: electrified plates or metal gratings attract dust and various other small particles.

Should know! The main advantage of such devices is that they consume even the smallest pollution: dust, soot, bacteria, allergens.

To pluses can be attributed:

beneficial effect on the body, prevention of diseases of the respiratory system, improved sleep;
reducing the harmful effects of electrical appliances.

But there is also minuses:

may interfere with the operation of some electrical appliances;
in rooms with high humidity increases the amount of heavy air ions, which can lead to poor health.

Devices with an ionization function are the most controversial devices for air purification.

Some experts still consider them not only useless, but also harmful. Therefore, reviews about them are very contradictory.

Filter types

The quality of air purification depends not only on the number of filters, but also on their variety.

Electrostatic filters

Note! Such a filter is able to absorb even the smallest dust particles (from 0.01 microns).

By design, he is a set of metal plates with metal threads stretched between them.

This leads to the formation of a potential difference and a strong electric field.

The polluted air between the plates is ionized, after which it is attracted to the plates and settles on them.

Ionizers

Ionizers reproduce anions - negatively charged particles.

They are attract harmful substances, bacteria and allergens, whichAccording to some scholars, have a positive charge, resulting in the formation of small clusters of particles.

Remember! At the same time, small contaminants become heavier: they can no longer float in the air, therefore they settle on surfaces, from where they are removed during wet cleaning.

At the same time, they cannot get into the lungs during breathing.

HEPA filter

One of the most efficient and powerful filters, which is an accordion-folded fibrous material with gaps between the fibers.

HEPA filter removes even microparticles from the air, including plant pollen.

Translated from English, High Efficiency Particulate Arrestance (HEPA) is “highly effective particle retention”.

Such filters are used in vacuum cleaners, air conditioners, ventilation systems, and today they considered the most effective.

Photocatalyst

Photocatalyst performs complex multi-stage air purification, due to which even dust mites, spores of bacteria and fungi are removed from the air masses.

This filter is necessary for people who have allergies.

Reference! The filter design contains a catalyst and an ultraviolet lamp, and there may also be additional structures:

ion generator;
plates for creating an electrostatic field;
carbon filter.

In the process of photocatalysis, toxic substances decompose into water, oxygen and carbon dioxide.

That's why there is practically no sediment left on the filter, which means that it needs to be changed infrequently.

carbon filter

carbon filter refers to highly efficient fine cleaning devices.

He able to eliminate the smallest particles of dust, harmful impurities, including gases.

Charcoal filters are filled with fine powder of activated charcoal.

It creates a high resistance to airflow, so the larger the granules, the better the cleansing.

Keep in mind! Usually, the carbon filter is not present in the devices separately.

Air must first pass through a photocatalyst or HEPA filter, since the carbon filter cannot eliminate eco-pollution by itself.

In addition, devices with this type of filtration should not be installed in rooms with high humidity, since, by absorbing moisture, the device becomes unusable faster.

If the operating conditions are observed, the filter must be changed 2 times a year.

What parameters to pay attention to?

Choosing an air purifier, at first glance, is easier than it really is.

You should pay attention not only to the type of filter, but also to some other parameters.

Room area

In the description of each device there is such a parameter as the volume of air to be cleaned.

The device is designed for a certain area, so do not underestimate or overestimate it.

If the air purifier should only work in one room, follows choose a clear correspondence between the area of \u200b\u200bthe room and the characteristics of the device.
Such devices are cheaper, more compact and have limited capabilities.
If a same device will stand in one or another room, you need to focus on the area of \u200b\u200bthe largest of them.
For very small spaces (such as a bathroom), a miniature car cleaner is also suitable.

It is worth noting! An air cleaner for the whole apartment is a larger and more powerful device.

It can clean up to 50 square meters, and the largest and most expensive ones can clean even more.

Types of pollution

First you need to answer the question for what purpose the device is purchased.

If a "for prevention“to make the room less dusty and more comfortable for living, you can get an air purifier simpler and cheaper.

If we are talking about an apartment where people with allergies or asthma live and it is required to eliminate even the smallest particles (allergens), you need to make a choice in favor of more powerful, efficient and expensive cleaners, which are equipped with a HEPA or carbon filter.

The capabilities of each device are indicated on the packaging or in the technical data sheet.

Operating frequency

Stay up to date! The frequency of changing components and cleaning the device depends on the frequency of operation.

So, if the device will work daily without interruption, it is better to choose a replacement filter, which will need to be changed as it becomes dirty (the frequency of replacement is indicated in the instruction manual).

Also humidifiers and air washers are suitable for daily use.

A device with replaceable filters must have an air ionization function.

If the device is taken for use if necessary, for example, once a month, you can take a device with a non-replaceable filter.

It will need to be vacuumed or rinsed under running water after each use.

You should also pay attention to electricity consumption: if the device will work constantly, you need to take a low-power air cleaner.

Noisy operation

Know! A noisy appliance can be taken if it is rarely used or only during the daytime when no one is at home.

If the apartment has small children who need a lot of sleep, or the work schedule of the household does not match, it is important to choose either a device that works silently or has a “night mode” function.

The quietest are photocalytic air cleaners and ionizers, as well as devices without a fan.

Additional functions

The cooler and more modern the air cleaner, the more additional functions it has.

It can be:

regulator of the intensity of the device;
the possibility of remote control using the remote control;
display for displaying information about operating modes;
automatic mode (the device turns on at a specified time and activates the selected parameters and modes);
smartphone control;
detectors that determine the level of contamination and select the optimal mode of operation;
aromatization or inhalation function;
timer.

Price categories

Budget Air Purifiers, which have medium power and are suitable for cleaning a small area, do not have additional features.

But overall they do their job well. can cost from one and a half to 5-6 thousand rubles.

Mid-range devices are suitable for frequent use, have worthy characteristics and are chosen most often.

It is the devices for 8-15 thousand rubles usually found in apartments.

Premium products suitable for heavily polluted areas, including industrial, private houses, large apartments.

Need to know! Their cost varies from 15 to 100 thousand rubles and is determined by the power, efficiency and number of available functions and modes.

If the device will be operated with an average frequency in an ordinary apartment, it is better to dwell on the options of the middle price category.

TOP manufacturing companies

The highest quality devices are produced by those companies that are widely known all over the world (for example, Tefal, Philips, Polaris), and those that many have not heard of (Ballu, Atmos, Timberk).

Daikin brand specializes in premium air purifierscreated using innovative technologies.

As a rule, devices have a stylish design, a large number of additional functions, the possibility of remote control, but they are expensive.

The most popular models:

Daikin MC70LVM;
Daikin Ururu MCK75JVM K.

Manufacturer Bork has patented the unique Green 360° filter system.

Note! This system consists of an enzyme filter with antibacterial impregnation and a carbon filter with a catalytic element.

Top Models:

BORK A802 RAIN;
BORK A804;
BORK A704;
BORK A503;
BORK A803.

One of the best known manufacturers - Philips. Most often, the devices use a HEPA filter, so that the air is very well cleaned.

The Philips AC3256/10 model is in demand with a tracking mode for the concentration of allergens in the air, a touch control system and a light indication of the degree of air pollution.

Air cleaner F-VXK70R from Panasonic with air humidification is one of the best among both its counterparts and competitors' models.

It is equipped with several filters, a Green Tea Catechin filter layer with antiviral action and nanoparticles that attract allergens, viruses and fine dust particles.

Conclusion and Conclusions

air cleaner - modern apparatus for maintaining a normal microclimate, which should be in every home, especially where there are children, the elderly and allergy sufferers.

air cleaner performs a number of important functions: