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Clean Air Fact Check: Can Air Purifiers Make You Sick?

can air purifiers make you sick

You’ve probably thought at times: can air purifiers make you sick? Well, the short answer is no. The detailed explanation is that air purifiers will not make you sick if you use them properly and efficiently. Let’s not forget that an air purifier is made to be a device to clean air in the home so it won’t make you sick unless you don’t know how to use it the right way.

 

If your air purifier isn’t rated properly for your room or if it’s not positioned properly, it will not make any changes to your home, but it will certainly not make you sick! What will eventually make you sick is when your air is left unclean because you weren’t using the air purifier properly in the first place!

 

Another notable feature of air purifiers is their cleaning method. Unlike before, many (if not all) air purifiers are ozone-free or have permissible amounts of ozone. This translates to being eco-friendlier and less likely to harm your health. That’s because too much ozone in the air will cause throat problems and coughing.

 

Does an air purifier make the air dry?

No, air purifiers do not make the air dry nor change its dampness. Only humidifiers and air conditioners can change the moisture levels in the air as air purifiers only clean the air from pollutants such as pollen and dirt.

 

Air purifiers do not have a way to change the humidity levels because they only have air filters, which clean dust and debris, as well as smoke and bad odors. If you feel that your indoor air is dry, it’s probably because of excessive usage of your AC unit or lack of a humidifier.

How often should I use my air purifier

How often should I use my air purifier?

An air purifier best works when they are turned on 24/7, especially if you live in a highly polluted area. If you want to know how to use an air purifier effectively, one simple answer is to let it run all day because it will help clean your air as you go.

 

Pollutants will constantly make their way into your indoor setting so having it run all day makes it act like a security guard. That’s why it makes more sense to run it 24 hours a day. Don’t worry about the energy consumption, as most air purifiers have:

 

  • Special eco modes for energy saving
  • Auto shut-off features
  • Automatic sensors that lower/raise the fan speed as needed

 

What is an air purifier good for?

So, what exactly is an air purifier good for? If you want to know, here are reasons as to why get an air purifier for your home (or office):

 

1. Reduce the stuffy feeling

Such a bad air quality will give you that stuffy feeling indoors. This is because of the excessive smoke, pollen count, pet dander, dust, and the like gathering in the air. To make you feel better, an air purifier clears out those particles from your breathing space, resulting in a much better place to live in.

 

2. Air purifiers help people with allergies and asthma

Do you have people in your home with asthma and/or allergies? An air purifier will help them out. Here’s how an air purifier will alleviate their symptoms:

Feature How it benefits allergy/asthma sufferers
                                                          Turbo mode Most air purifiers have turbo mode in case of a high pollen count. Use it when you experience asthma and/or hay fever attacks.
H13 HEPA  

This is also known as a medical-grade HEPA filter and is more ideal for people with allergies and asthma. That’s because it can filter particles even smaller than 0.3 microns so it’s more powerful and efficient than regular HEPA filters.

3. Air purifiers will remove VOCs

Volatile organic compounds are found in almost every nook and cranny of the house, especially if you like to use cleaning agents from the grocery store.

 

VOCs are harmful to your health when inhaled in large amounts so if you feel put off by the amount of chemical smell in your home, having an air purifier with activated carbon filters will help you out.

 

4. Maintaining cleanliness in homes with pets

If you have dogs and cats at home (and they like to lounge around the sofa or bed), cleaning the curtains and sheets is not always enough – their pet dander could be sent flying through the air and into your lungs. To avoid too many sneezes and asthma attacks, air purifiers will clean the air from pet dander.

What are the benefits of an air purifier

What are the benefits of an air purifier?

Air purifiers have a lot of plus points for improving your overall life quality – and here are some of them:

 

1. They help you sleep better at night

Are you often having a bad cough at night or symptoms of sneezing due to dust and allergies? Air purifiers are here to save the day (and night) by cleaning the air so you’ll sleep more soundly.

 

Moreover, if you have quiet air purifiers, they won’t disrupt your sleep as well since they will run as low as 24 dB on their noise level.

 

2. The help people with respiratory problems

As mentioned above, people with asthma and allergic rhinitis directly benefit from air purifiers thanks to their air-cleaning capabilities. If you often sneeze or cough at home, that means your indoor air isn’t clean enough so it’s best to let an air purifier do the job for you.

 

3. They make your home more welcoming to guests

No one likes a stuffy house – indoor air that’s properly cleaned by air purifiers will present a more welcoming atmosphere for guests. If you often have guests at home (and if some are smokers), air purifiers help neutralize all kinds of odors and pollutants from the outside world.

 

4. They help lessen the chances of getting sick

With the right filters, air purifiers will ward off certain bacteria and germs, as well as mold spores that could make you feel dizzy. What’s more, air purifiers eliminating VOCs will also maintain a healthier breathing space away from respiratory problems.

 

Conclusion

To wrap it up, air purifiers will not make you sick – it is dirty air that will. If you don’t know how to use your air purifier properly then it will not clean up your air as expected – and you’ll get a big chance of getting sick! That’s why having air purifiers is important, especially if your home is prone to pollution and you have people at home with respiratory problems.

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