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.

Begin by determining the seriousness of the problem that needs to be solved. The more serious the problem, the greater the need is for a better quality unit to remove the allergens for allergies. Individuals who suffer chemical sensitivities or asthma may need a different machine than those who suffer allergies. Chemical allergies can be set off by a number of different compounds so some individuals have found the glue used in the HEPA filter causes a reaction.

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.

The type of room where the unit is to be used is also important. Since some create much more noise than others they might not be appropriate in a bedroom. It is sometimes better to select a smaller unit that meets the minimum requirements to reduce noise. In family rooms where traffic is higher, a larger exchange rate may be advantageous.

Units barely meet the minimum requirements for a room will need to operate on the highest speed most of the time. However, if the consumer selects a more efficient device, it may be possible to turn the fan speed to a lower setting to allow quieter operation while still exchanging the appropriate number of times.

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 home is a problem a portable air cleaner may help. These devices remove particulate matter and other pollutants. Choosing the right device can improve the home's atmosphere.




About the Author:



0 comments:

Post a Comment