Filtering and Monitoring Features
IFD filters are equipped with an enlarged filtration area so that replacements will not be required. This is as filtered particles can be easily tapped out during cleaning. A quick vacuum over the filter helps to clear clogged holes and restore the filter as if it was brand new.
In addition to that, the LifeWise air purifiers come with built-in monitors designed for filter condition checking as well as to inform users of necessary cleaning through LCD display messages. Apart from that, the units are also equipped wit a timer programmable for up to 12 hours based of unsupervised operation.
LifeWise Air Purifier Styles
Two designs are the LifeWise ultra air purifier and the HEPA air purifier. These two purifiers differ in terms of their internal works and also their prices. The ultra air purifier contains an additional ultraviolet light for germicidal effects whereas the HEPA air purifier utilizes HEPA filters instead of the IFD filters.
As airborne microorganisms in the air which are too small to be removed through mechanical filtration, the germicidal ultraviolet light of LifeWise Ultra air purifiers is designed to solve this problem. Any bacteria or mold spores will be wiped out by the light, leaving filtered air free from harmful microorganisms. The UV bulbs will need regular replacements for optimum operational performance and users will be notified through the machine’s LCD display.
Conversely, the LifeWise HEPA air purifier uses True HEPA filters to reduce contaminants or allergens in the air around the house. This type of LifeWise filter is quieter as compared to the others but requires filters to be replaced.
Another smart technology used by Fresh Air purifiers is the IntellAir technology which displays fan and purification settings, the remaining time for the sanitization process as well as a trigger whnever a routine cleaning is due. Also, the Fresh Air purifier comes with a 3 year warranty.
Much of the buzz caused by this Ecoquest Fresh Air purifier is the worry that the technology used also releases ozone. Ozone which is a colorless gas with a pungent smell, has been scientifically shown to be a strong oxidizing agent as well as being highly corrosive. This is why it has been regarded as a good disinfectant of microorganisms. Although the use of ozones in small quantities has not been known to cause any harm to human beings, EcoQuest has included the instructions for users to vacate the area during the purification cycle of the Fresh Air purifier programmable at 2, 4 or 6 hours.
Nevertheless, some users have testified to the smell of fresh air after a Fresh Air purification cycle whilst others smell bleach originating from the purifier. The latter group has therefore decided to stick to common mechanical filtration purifiers instead. In the end, it is within the buyers ability to decide whether the Ecoquest Fresh Air purifier is the right one for their home.
Be sure to also take a look at Ecoquest’s Fresh Air site.
Additionally, Flair air cleaners are also designed with a sanitizing mode in which the unit operates for a couple of hours with maximum ozone output. The original setting will be resumed at the end of the two hours. Users can interrupt this mode by turning the power off and turning it back on ten seconds later.
Regarding cleaning methods, there is a lint screen on the back of each Flair purifier that filters the air that goes into the purifier. The lint screen will need to be cleaned if it is dirty, as cleaning will restore the purifier back to optimum purifying levels. Simply vacuuming or scrubbing the lint screen with a toothbrush and washed with hot water will prove to be adequate. In due time, the lint screens should also be replaced. As for the purification plates, ammonia is used to remove all contaminants. This requires the plates to be soaked in ammonia for 20 minutes, and later scrubbing it with a brush to clear off the remaining residue. Finally, rinse the plate off and let it air-dry for 24 hours.
Additionally, each EcoQuest air purifier also come with a five-speed fan, an Away mode feature which helps reduce mold, mildew and bacteria in unoccupied spaces, carbon filters to aid odor removal, and an ultraviolet-light ionizer. It makes up for its lack of a HEPA filter (a more popular feature in most air purifiers today) by using a technology known as “Space Certified” Radiant Catalytic Ionization (RCI), the same type of technology used to clean the air inside spacecrafts. This ionizer with ultraviolet light aims to reduce airborne contaminants and to kill most microorganisms found in the air through the process of ionization.
Could Ozone Be A Problem, Though?
Nevertheless, the ionization process does produce ozone as a byproduct. As high levels of ozone has been found by certain researchers to cause detrimental effects to human health, EcoQuest has claimed that the ozone levels emitted is within safety levels. This is as Ozone is necessary to be used in these air purifiers to turn particles in the air into ash. In spite of that, Ecoquest International has shown confidence in the cleaning abilities of their purifiers, especially in eliminating smoke and odor, and also by making more than $6000 worth of donations in air purification systems to the Pentagon following the events of September 11. Currently, this company is focusing on research and development for more advanced water and air purification technologies.
Biozone Air Purification Technologies
Biozone air cleaners merge four advanced engineered electronics methods in their purifiers to clean the indoor environment.
- Photolic ozonation (an euphemism for chemically active oxygen atoms) is applicable to eliminate odors, make harmless certain gases, and destroy live contaminants found in the air and also on top of many surfaces. In order to control the accumulation of ozone, Biozone uses SafeZone, a fail-safe method which detects ozone levels in its surrounding environment and automatically reduces its production of ozone to safer levels. However, this claim has not been scientifically tested for its effectiveness.
- Next, certain concentrated ultraviolet light is also used to kill micro organisms such as bacteria and viruses. Ultra-violet light, widely used in sanitizing scientific equipments and medical rooms helps destroy excessive ozone molecules, keeps the two systems in balance.
- In addition to that, purifying hydroxyls which can be formed from air components, aids further destruction of contaminants. The combination of ultraviolet light and purifying plasma can clean air and surfaces up to 2000 times faster than ozone alone and compared to just ultraviolet light, 180 times faster.
- Finally, the production of negative ions which attracts solid particles such as dust and pollen and even soot, helps to clear them from the environment. The Biozone air purifier then blows the purified air back into the room, carrying purifying agents to clean the air of stubborn contaminants and unpleasant odors.
Ozone air purifiers work by releasing ozone into the air. Ozone is a molecule that has three atoms of oxygen as opposed to oxygen that has only two atoms. The additional oxygen atom in ozone has the ability to separate from ozone and attach itself to molecules of harmful contaminants. When this happens, the chemical composition of the harmful particles changes and becomes such that it is not harmful to breathe anymore. This is the basic principle on which ozone air cleaners work.
Features Of Ozone Air Purifiers
They contain an ozone generator that releases ozone into the air for purification.- Ozone purifiers are filter-less purifiers.
- Ozone air purifiers do not require the air to be circulated within the purifier for purification purposes.
- They emit a peculiar smell that is due to the release of ozone.
- It can be available with other purification technologies incorporated into one air purifier.
Ozone Air Purifier Benefits
- Since an ozone air purifier does not need the air to be circulated through a main air filter, it can purify large amounts of air in a considerably shorter amount of time than most other air purifiers.
- They help to not only remove but destroy harmful bacteria, organisms, and chemicals in the air.
- They are especially effective in removing gases and horrible odors such as cigar smoke, kitchen fumes etc from the air.
- These air purifiers are very effective for use in pubs, saloons, and bars, where there is a lot of pollution due to cigarette smoke and other contaminants. In such places, an ozone purifier can make the air cleaner and free from any unpleasant smells.
- They can reduce the presence of mold spores from the air and can thus help to minimize asthmatic symptoms, hay fever, allergies etc.
Many people notice how the natural air, feels and smells, so much more clean and pure, after lightning storms and heavy rain. This is because, due to the lightning, ozone or activated oxygen is released into the air, which makes it feel so much purer. An ozone air purifier can duplicate that kind of feeling in your home or office, by releasing the same type of activated oxygen molecules into your indoor air.
Ion Air Purifiers Explained
An ion air purifier is a type of electronic air purifier and is also know as an ionizer. It works by sending out negatively charged ions into the air. The ion generator, inside the ion purifier, sends out a steady stream of negative ions into the air in a room.
An ion is an atom with an ion missing. Thus, when these ions are sent out in the air, they attach to other molecules and ions, thus forming a complete atom. This process continues till the molecules become so heavy and big that they cannot float around in the air. The particulates either fall to the ground, or become attracted to positively charged surfaces in the room, such as furniture, upholstery, fixtures, walls, etc.
Once the harmful particulates are removed from the air, they can then be removed entirely from the room, through regular vacuuming and cleaning. Even if the particulates are disturbed and sent back into the air because of regular movement of people and animals, the steady release of ions, will once again ensure that they are removed from the air, thus purifying it completely.
Benefits Of An Ion Air Purifier
- They are not as expensive as other kinds of air purification systems.
- An Ion air purifier is not very noisy and is perfect for those who get disturbed even with the slightest of sounds.
- Ion air purification systems help to remove all kinds of harmful particles, bacteria, dust, smoke etc from indoor air. Even though the molecules are not actually destroyed, ion air purifiers help to drop them on other surfaces from where the unsafe contaminants can easily be vacuumed away.
- They help in removing unpleasant smells from the air as well.
- Ion air purifiers are filter-less air purifiers, and thus you do not have to contend with any filters, which need to continuously be replaced or cared for. This also helps in reducing your maintenance costs.
Indoor air cleaners act to filter out contaminants in the air which contains particles that are hazardous and harmful to the respiratory system. There is a wide variety of indoor purifiers available in the market, each of them with their own unique traits and physical dimensions. Most of them are equipped with HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate) filters, which are tested by of the Department of Environment. In fact, international air filter standards are used for the testing of the HEPA filter in order to maintain product quality and efficiency. This is why HEPA filters are very popular throughout mainstream indoor air purifiers.
These HEPA filters help give the ability to indoor air purifiers to remove 99.97% of particles from the air, up to a size of 0.3 micron. However, these filters have to be changed regularly in order for the air purifier filter to maintain its effectiveness and efficiency in cleaning indoor air. However, if the air purifiers are equipped with electrostatic charged plates in addition to the HEPA filters, then the frequency of change can be reduced.
Finally, indoor air purifiers are also equipped with charcoal filters to filter out the smell and odors from the air, such as tobacco odor, in order to release only fresh-smelling air-flow into the room.
Buying a home air purifier does not entail just going to a store and asking for an air purifier for your home. Although it is a relatively simple task, you need to consider the following, while choosing a home air purifier.
Things to Consider: Finding the Right Home Air Purifier
- The enormity of your health problems: Since home air purifiers are typically bought to clean indoor air so as to have a healthier body, your health problems will be an important consideration when choosing home air purifiers.
- If you have light allergies, then you can make do with a cheaper and smaller home air purifier, but if you have serious allergy problems, then a similar purifier may not work for you.
- If you are asthmatic, you need an air purifier that has a gas filter. A gas filter helps to remove smells and gases from the air, which are a leading cause of asthma attacks.
- If you are sensitive to chemicals and react badly to them, your choice of home purifier will depend on whether or not your body reacts with the different materials used in different types of air purifiers.
- Area to be purified: The size of the room that needs an air purifier will determine the size of the device. If you want to purify the air in your entire home, then you can choose from in-duct air purifiers, or portable air purifiers that can be moved from room to room.
- Technology used: There are various technologies used in different house air cleaners. You can choose from ozone air purifiers, filter-less air purifiers, UV air purifiers etc. The choice will depend on what type of allergens you want to get rid of, and also if you need to remove odors along with other contaminants.
- Cost: Your budget will determine your choice to a great extent. If money is not a concern, you can go in for a top-of-the-line purifier with multiple purification technologies. If you do not want to spend a lot of money, you can choose a small portable home purifier according to your immediate needs.
The amount of pollution in and around your home, the number of people living in the house, whether or not you have any pets, are all miscellaneous conditions that will also affect your choice of air purifiers for your home.
Over the years, because of various factors, such as rise in population, increasing number of vehicles on the road, and increase in pollution levels, the outdoor air quality has become practically unbreathable, which is why most homes and offices today are highly insulated to protect against the bad outdoor air, and also to save on energy costs.
This has resulted in an even more dangerous problem – that of bad indoor air quality. As most homes and offices are tightly insulated nowadays, there is not enough circulation of fresh air, which is why the indoor air quality is going from bad to worse. And add to it factors such as pet dander, dust mites, cigarette smoke, and mold spores; add what you get is very unhealthy indoor air.
Bad quality of indoor air leads to many health problems, the least of which are hay fever, runny noses, headaches, breathing difficulties etc. The only way to improve your indoor air quality, and thus your health, is to use clean air machines.
Introducing Clean Air Machines
A clean air machine is an appliance, which helps to clean indoor air and make it fit for breathing. Clean air machines, or air purifiers, remove harmful particulates from the air, such as dust particles, pet hair, dead skin, mold spores etc, and also remove disease causing germs, viruses, bacteria and a host of other micro-organisms from the air. Removing all these dangerous contaminants from the air makes the air cleaner, purer, and safer to breathe for children and adults.
Using a vacuum cleaner and dusting your home regularly, will only remove that has settled on surfaces. Vacuuming does not help to purify the air and also cannot reduce the presence of germs in the air. Only a clean air machine can achieve complete and thorough purification of indoor air.
Benefits Of A Clean Air Machine
A clean air machine will help to purify indoor air and rid the air of all disease causing contaminants. By using an air cleaner for just a couple of weeks in your home, you will see a marked difference in your health and the health of your family members. A clean air machine also provides for better sleep because of purer air, thus making you feel completely rested and energized.
If only we lived in the good old days, where purity of air was taken for granted, we would not need any appliances for cleaning indoor air. But since you don’t, the next best alternative is to get an air cleaning machine.