How Air Purifiers Can Help The Fight Against Viruses
A Line Of Defense Against The Invisible
In 2020, the coronavirus pandemic changed the way we live and work across the globe. We’ve worn masks, stayed 6 feet apart, and grown tired of the phrase “the new normal.”
We’re all more aware of what aerosolized droplets can do and why the air we breathe is such a crucial resource to protect. Thankfully, there are several ways of combating viruses while they're still airborne.
Using an air purifier with high efficiency air filter and a strong motor, you can filter out particles containing viruses, bacteria, and other harmful contaminants like VOCs in paint fumes in your indoor air.
Why Air Quality Matters
It feels like we’ve all become experts on air quality in the past year. Good air is essential to maintaining both short-term and long-term health, especially for babies and children whose respiratory systems are developing.
Unfortunately, exposure to poor quality indoor air can cause many negative side effects, including difficulty sleeping, dry skin, and irritated eyes. It can also worsen underlying respiratory issues like allergies and asthma.
Ironically, newer construction is sealed up better, meaning ventilation throughout the home or building is actually poorer. Any irritants or indoor air pollution that gets inside, stays inside.
Of course, another danger of poor air quality is that it may contain viruses. In fact, these suspended particles can remain in the air for hours at a time, depending on the heat and humidity of the room.
COVID, for example, is estimated to last in the air up to three hours according to the Harvard Medical School Coronavirus Resource Center. Anyone passing through can have exposure to the virus if there's nothing filtering the air.
A Valuable Tool Against COVID-19
Air purifiers are an added layer of protection against COVID-19. As COVID is commonly spread through the air in the form of virus-containing respiratory droplets, an air purifier can help capture virus-sized particles suspended in the air.
Used alongside frequent hand washing, mask wearing, and social distancing it can be a valuable addition to your other protective measures.
It's important to note that an air purifier is only effective against viruses if it can clean all the air in the room where it's located. This is why you should take care to purchase the appropriate air purifier per square footage of the room you want to be purified, whether it's 200 square feet or 1,200+ square feet.
This is because the air purifier has to push the air in the room through its filter. Too small and it will struggle to clean the space effectively. Too large and you may end up paying more for what you need — but it will certainly turn over the air and clean the space quicker if that’s a concern.
It’s also important to note that air purifiers have not been widely lab tested for their performance against the coronavirus that causes COVID-19. That’s why we say virus-sized and COVID-sized particles.
What we do know is that high efficiency air filters made from HEPA filter media are a type of mechanical filter that are designed to catch the smallest particles in the air. Particles that are measured by microns and nanometers. They work like a fishing net — anything larger than the size it captures will get caught.
For example, take our newest model, the mod. COVID particles are measured around 0.125 microns where the mod filter’s removal rate is 99.6% with each air pass.
And that’s the removal rate when it isn’t hitching a ride on bigger, easier to remove particles like the ones that a mask will block.
Lots To Process? We’re Here To Help It Make Sense
There are a lot of options to choose from when it comes to air purifiers. From the different terms like CADR and MERV to the often confusing ways room sizes are measured, we’re here to help make it easy.
We carry a wide range of commercial air purifiers, each specially designed for various purposes. While some are better for asthma and others for children, all our purifiers use proven technology.
If you're uncertain about which air purifier is best for you, or you have questions about how air purifiers work in general, give us a call. Our team in US-based customer service team is happy to help.
FAQs
Why Do I Need An Air Purifier For Viruses?
Air purifiers can help reduce airborne contaminants, which naturally include viruses. This is especially helpful in homes and other confined spaces. Though air purifiers aren't enough to protect people from viruses 100% of the time, they're a very effective aspect of any good preventative strategy.
How Do Air Purifiers Help With Viruses?
Air purifiers can be a great protective measure against viruses. They're especially helpful in places without additional ventilation to outdoor air, which can be difficult in locations with outdoor air pollution or uncomfortable temperatures.
Opening a window to ventilate a room just isn’t possible when it’s freezing outside.
Fortunately, air purifiers can help by pushing all the air in a room to the filter inside, cleaning the air of contaminants before circulating it back out into the space.
It all boils down to having enough air flow for the room size and being able to capture what you want removed — in this case viruses.
Who Should Consider Investing In An Air Purifier For Viruses?
Air purifiers generally have a positive effect on everyone, but they're an even greater investment for those most vulnerable to viruses. This includes anyone with respiratory issues, chronic illness, and/or weaker immune systems as well as young children and the elderly. If you or a loved one fall into one or more of these categories, it may be wise to set up an air purifier in your home.
How often do I need to change an air purifier filter to protect from viruses?
This one depends on filter life and how continuously you use the air purifier. We recommend changing your air purifier replacement filters every three to six months if you want the device to function at its peak performance. Some filters like the filter in our mod can last a year.
Any high efficiency air filter will require regular replacing in order to function properly. That’s because the filter material can get clogged like any other filter over time. While they are long lasting, there’s no good alternative yet to regular maintenance.
Do Air Purifiers Kill Viruses?
This is a common question with a slightly complex answer. The basic answer is that a good quality filter is designed to capture virus-sized particles.
Other air filtration methods claim to kill or inactivate COVID particles using alternative technology — but these claims are untested and the filtration technology may cause other harmful issues.
UV is one alternative technology. The hitch is that UV has to be self-contained inside the air purifier since it can cause issues to your eyes and possibly skin. It’s a little like staring at the sun.
If you look at how UV air purifier technology works, the chart for the effectiveness is measured in minutes or hours. Often it's after 2 hours. The air moving through an air purifier moves through in a second or less. UV will not do anything for the air that is passing through the machine, there simply isn't enough contact time.
Ultimately, using UV is pretty meaningless for viruses if you have a high quality filter. Other brands claim to kill things with their machine that will die anyways if the filter is good. So in a way air purifiers can kill viruses but it’s nothing as dramatic as it’s made to sound.
Alternatively, if the filter is not good and the particles pass through the UV is not going to do anything.
Other technologies have tried to replicate the power of HEPA filter based media but are less effective shortcuts. To date, nothing comes close to a high efficiency air filter and a strong motor.
Find The Best Air Purifier For Bacteria And Viruses At Oransi
With Oransi's selection of air purifiers, you can cleanse the air in any room of your house, whether it's a living room or a baby's nursery. These devices are designed to stand the test of time while making your home a safer place to be.
We offer free shipping in the US, dependable customer service, and a hassle-free warranty that’s designed to give you peace of mind.
