Do Air Purifiers Really Work? - Discussion

Do air purifiers really work?

Our culture's growing emphasis on health and wellness has created an entire industry of devices and appliances geared at improving health. In many cases, the claims made by the makers of these products in terms of their purported health benefits are more a means of marketing the items than they are statements of fact. Thus, it is essential to evaluate every product from a biological standpoint in order to understand its merit (or lack thereof.)

Air purifiers have become quite popular in the past few years, but the mechanism of their effect upon the body is not particularly well-understood. That said, most air purifiers truly do purify the air; consumer advocates emphasize, however, that the extent to which they purify the air is not going to be a benefit felt by most people.

Do Air Purifiers Really Work?

As we discuss the question "do air purifiers really work", let us quickly go through some of the many types of air purifiers.

There are several types of air purifiers, the most prevalent of which we shall discuss. Some air purifiers work by electrostatic attraction; as dust and debris pass through the device, it is ‘captured’ and removed from the air.

Others simply pass air through a filter, which removes particles from the air. HEPA stands for High Efficiency Particulate Air, and it refers to HEPA filters, which meet a Department of Energy standard for removing particles from the air.

The choice of which type of air purifier to purchase and what price range to purchase within is an individual choice, but most people recommend not opting for the most expensive air purifiers (those that are priced upward of $1000).

The purity of the air within a home is certainly a warranted concern. Because there are generally more environmental contaminates within the home, the air inside is typically dirtier than air outside. Moisture in the home can lead to the formation of mold and mold spores, and forced-air heating and cooling systems circulate dust and other particles through an entire house.

Moreover, the presence of pets and pet dander, or general collection of particles in upholstery and carpet, can make the air inside a house quite ‘contaminated’, so to speak.

These machines purify the air by filtering it of allergens and pollution. Those who are most likely to benefit (or notice a benefit) from air purifiers are those prone to allergies and those who suffer from asthma.

Do air purifiers really work? A number of people recommend making a list of qualities surrounding one’s air before and after using a purifier, but the subjectivity of this approach makes it difficult to verify as an appropriate way of assessing an air purifier’s effectiveness.

However, those who are most likely to notice a difference in air quality are those that have higher pollution within their homes, as they may notice certain symptoms becoming less prevalent. So, do air purifiers really work? Air purifiers do work insofar as they clean the air, but the precise benefits of more pure air are unclear.

Intuition and common sense, though, tell us that cleaner air translates to better health and vitality, as well as less disease. Oxygen, after all, is the most important nutrient to the human body, without which it cannot survive more than minutes, if not seconds.

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