When air cleaners and air purifiers were first brought to market, they were typically just referred to as “air cleaners.” As time went on, these devices became more popular in modern households because people were beginning to experience poor air quality due to aged homes. Instead of purchasing a new central a/c unit, which costs upwards of $2,000, people found out that air cleaners and air purifiers could do the job just fine for a 10th of the cost.
Fundamentally, when it comes to the function of the devices, there are no real differences between room air purifiers and air cleaners. Often times, both of these words are interchangeable, which has many people confused.
Most air cleaners are now referred to as air purifiers because a few companies started branding them as “air purifiers” instead of the traditional “air cleaners” and everyone else caught on. Therefore, if there was a fundamental difference between the two it would be the sophistication behind the new devices.
Newer Systems Have Better Capabilities
Due to the fact air purifiers are the newer kind of air cleaner, they provide a new era of technological advancements. The basic function of an air cleaner or air purifier is to remove harmful particles in the area and improve air quality by removing allergens from the air. Many of the older air cleaners had an insufficient and ineffective air exchange through the system, which would cause back up in the device and clogging. Newer air purifiers now have some of the fastest air exchange rates on the market of air filter products.
In addition to faster air exchange rates, air purifiers offer the ability to desensitize a room by removing odors and out-gassing chemicals. Although many customers believe this to only be a gimmick, wearing off after only a couple days of usage, I find it an innovative approach to solving odor problems. Eventually, in the near future, manufacturers will require a higher standard for desensitizing.
Some air purifiers, such as the T.R.A.C.S. HEPA air purifier, actually consist of ultraviolet light systems that have the potential to kill harmful viruses, bacteria, and mold spores in the air. As the air is passed through the device, the ultraviolet light kills viruses like H1N1 (an epidemic in the United States in recent years).
How Do You Know If You Have the Right Purifier?
Make sure that you first identify your problem areas and the types of dust build-up you have in the house. If you’re house is extremely dusty and has mold appearances on the walls and ceilings than you’re going to need an industrial air purifier with ultraviolet light capabilities and a very fast air exchange rate.
There are various brands on the market that will suggest the unit as an air cleaner rather than an air purifier – don’t let this fool you now that you know they have the same functionality. Just remember that if you’re buying an air cleaner, the system is probably a lower level brand, older company, or cheaper alternative to an air purifier.
Today’s guest post was provided by Matthew Hall from Orlando, Florida. Matthew is a professional blog writer and content creator for www.AirCleaners.com. To learn more about Matthew visit him on Google+.