Should I get an air purifier to cope with dust?

[Sasha]

My home is very dusty, partly from my inability to dust and hoover much.

I'm wondering what this dust is doing to my lungs, and whether it's behind some of my headaches and rhinitis.

Can anyone advise on whether it would be a good idea to get an air purifier? If I got one, I'd go for a HEPA filter one. My questions would be:

• Do they actually clean the air effectively?
• Do they make a difference to your health?
• Do you have to have them on all the time?
• Do they indicate air quality (so that you can see if there's even a problem)?
• Are they noisy?
• Is it true that using one means that you don't have to dust/hoover so much?
• Any recommendations of particular models?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Colin]

Can anyone advise on whether it would be a good idea to get an air purifier?

I bought one with a HEPA filter about six months ago as I'd developed some sort of persistent sinusitis. Where I am is near a medium-sized, main road but it's on a hill so cars and trucks brake to stop at the lights outside. It took me years to realize that the dust is probably from the brake linings. I don't know how toxic that is but it should be kept in mind. But the PM 2.5 particles from deisel and petrol exhaust are, of course, what you want to keep down. The PM 2.5 can get into your brain, it's now been discovered, doing god-knows-what damage.

But the filters do work. I got a Devanti (a Chinese brand) as it was pretty cheap, online, and it does have a meter to show how much of the PM 2.5 is in the air. I don't know how accurate it is but it typically starts at around 100 and, with the door and window closed, it pulls it down to 10, its lowest reading, in about five minutes. I'd definitely get one with a meter. And it has made a real difference to the sinus problem and it did start to get better from when I bought it. It has almost gone.

I don't run it all the time as it does clear the room pretty quickly. I run it during peak-hour traffic and for a few more hours during the day. But I don't bother with it at night, as the traffic is low, and I'd rather have the window open than use the air-con; except that I run it for a half an hour or so when I go to bed; after I close the window, again. But it probably would be better to run it for longer. It is rather surpizing how much pollution gets in even with the window and door closed and even blocking the gap under the door.

The noise of this one, in the small room that I'm in (5mx3m), is a problem. The volume isn't bothersome but it does seem to have a high-frequency component as it does set my tinitis off, a little; but it's nothing compared to the window-rattler of an air-con unit that I also have (a necessity in the Brisbane summer: the air-con, not a noisy one), and I wear ear-plugs for that, anyway, so it doesn't make much difference to me. But if you have somewhere a little out of the way to put the air-filter, it would probably be fine.

Regarding dusting, my situation is probably unusual because of the dust (it was bad enough to short out a computer, once), but, while it does still become dusty, it is much less than it was.

I couldn't recommend a particular brand. While the Devanti is quite servicable, there are better ones about, now. I saw a good-looking, Hitachi one at Big W going for about A$200 that I would've bought if it was around when I bought mine. After the fires last summer, they've become a big thing in Australia, now, and prices have dropped quite a bit. They're no longer the specialist kit that they were before.

 

[Sasha]

Thanks, @Colin, that's all very interesting.

I live in a flat a couple of floors up so I'm about 20-30 feet off the ground and set back about 60 feet from the road so I'm less concerned about traffic pollution than about what I'm actually generating inside the flat, in terms of cooking, carpet and furnishing fibres, skin particles (yuck), dust mites (double-yuck) and so on. And of course maybe some neighbour has a wood-burning stove that will be pumping out PM2.5s that I'm not aware of...

 

[Colin]

Thanks, @Colin, that's all very interesting.

You'd be surprized by how much can blow in from a distance. I'm also about 20 feet up and at the back of a large building and that makes no difference. It is a matter of how heavy the traffic is and which way the wind is blowing.

Regarding cooking, it's quite amazing how the reading sky-rockets, even cooking a stew in an electric pot. It overwhelms the filter so I don't even use it when I'm cooking. I just open the window and run the filter when it's finished.

I also discovered, to my surprize, that a few days, early in the summer, had some mystery spikes that went on for days and the filter couldn't cope with whatever it was. I was wondering if there was a distant fire that I couldn't smell but I decided that they must have been high-pollen-count days. This is a fairly new thing in Australia, too, after a disaster in Melbourne alerted people to how bad it can be. They've got Pollen Stations Down South, now, and forecasts. But there isn't one in Brisbane as yet so I couldn't compare the readings that I was getting with a local, pollen station. I don't know what the situation is in the UK with pollen and allergies but that's something else to think about. My sinus problem had been worse around spring and early summer for years so I'd, mistakenly, believed that I'd only developed a bit of hay fever.

 

[Invisible Woman]

Just a note for anyone who has a steam cleaner.

Closing the door and windows of a room and releasing bursts of steam into the air can help encapsulate dust particles. Then using either a cloth dampened by the steam or just a very slightly damp cloth can pick up more of it from.the surfaces.

Now, if only we all had someone to do the cleaning for us.

 

[arewenearlythereyet]

Aren’t air purifiers just a haven for bacterial growth unless you link it to some kind of kill step like UV?

I think hepa filters are the worse for this unless they are changed at a frequency that is impractical and costly.

the difficulty I suppose is knowing what is the best mitigation depending upon what is specifically causing the problem (dust, smoke particles, dust mite faeces, spores, pollen, chemicals etc). Opening a window is quite effective but if the pollen is the problem then ...

 

[Sasha]

Opening a window is quite effective but if the pollen is the problem then ...

I've read that opening a window is fine when the window is open but soon after you close it, you're back where you started.

 

[Joel]

I have a small one which works really well at cleaning the air. You can tell the air is cleaner just by breathing in that room after a few hours of it running. It won’t eliminate the problem of dust still being kicked up into the air by using the room but if there are particles in the air then it will remove them. I don't have it on a lot but whenever i do i think to myself, why don't i use this more?

im also increasingly concerned about pollution through the windows as more ppl have bought wood burning stoves. When the air is still and cool the smoke comes in through everyones windows!

edit: the one i bought is made by ecoair. I looked into it quite a bit at the time i bought it for an effective unit on a fairly small budget. They don’t seem to sell the same model anymore and i don’t know what the new models are like.

 

[Colin]

Aren’t air purifiers just a haven for bacterial growth unless you link it to some kind of kill step like UV?

Quite a few of them have a built-in UV sterilizer. Mine has a built-in, anion generator.

I think hepa filters are the worse for this unless they are changed at a frequency that is impractical and costly.

I just had a look on eBay for what replacement filters for my unit cost and some are going for under $6. But some other brands advertize that they are "true", Hepa filters and I don't know what the distinction is. Certainly, other replacement filters are much more expensive. It is a complicated field, which is why I started with a cheap one.

Now, if only we all had someone to do the cleaning for us.

Good help is so hard to find these days...

 

[arewenearlythereyet]

Quite a few of them have a built-in UV sterilizer. Mine has a built-in, anion generator.

I think that sounds ok but the problem is really microbiological load vs UV power and flow rate. The Uv will only be effective to a certain degree but once the filter builds up enough microbiological load then the effectiveness of the ‘kill’ step diminishes. And of course Uv only deactivates the microbes it doesn’t destroy the particles.

it is complicated so it’s definitely worth digging into the specifics of the claims before buying. In terms of filter if they have a micro claim it’s worth seeing how frequent they recommend the replacement is in relation to the micro side of it. I suspect they exclude it or make a disclaimer about humidity variance?

 

[Invisible Woman]

im also increasingly concerned about pollution through the windows as more ppl have bought wood burning stoves. When the air is still and cool the smoke comes in through everyones windows!

I don't want to derail the thread here but as someone with a wood burning stove there is a point I would like to make here.

Where I live, many people have open fires. I replaced my open fire with a wood burning stove years ago. It was one of the first things I did when I moved in.

I am not trying to say wood burning stoves don't pollute - almost everything we do does. However, compared to open fires, used correctly, wood burning stoves are much cleaner.

For a start you can't just chuck in any old wood. Like my neighbours do and wreathe the place in smoke. The wood must be either seasoned or kiln dried. So the chimney heats up faster and the fire reaches most efficient operating temperature more quickly and thus what comes out the too of the chimney is cleaner.

Because you can get it to the correct temperature faster you have a lot more control of the burn and don't go through anything like as much fuel.

Compared to not having a fire at all, sure it adds to pollution, compared to an open fire it is significantly cleaner.

 

[arewenearlythereyet]

There is a report

https://www.gov.uk/government/stati...ntrations-of-particulate-matter-pm10-and-pm25

I think the biggest offenders are still road traffic and industry

http://www.air-quality.org.uk/08.php

Log burning is still an issue but there appears to be a bit more to it:

https://airqualitynews.com/2021/02/05/the-great-wood-burning-stove-debate/

I’m not sure it’s the biggest area of concern...probably lack of infrastructure and cost incentives to move to electric cars and having industry move to renewables is probably more impactful? Lockdown actually precipitated the close of our last coal fired power stations which is positive I guess.

I must admit I thought all logs on sale now had to be kiln dried (i.e. low smoke).

of course we can always get other peoples dirty air dumped from elsewhere ...if we can get sand from the Sahara in the U.K. dumped on our cars then carbon particles probably move quite a long way around the globe?

 

[Invisible Woman]

I must admit I thought all logs on sale now had to be kiln dried (i.e. low smoke).

Possibly. Our last batch were.

We're just finishing the last of the seasoned wood we had from some serious pruning in our own garden - limbs from a sweet chestnut, apple and a split oak that had to come out.

They were actually lower in moisture content - about 16% than some kiln dried wood which was about 18%.

Even with kiln dried, if you don't store it correctly the moisture content can go back up a bit.

 

[Joel]

I don't want to derail the thread here but as someone with a wood burning stove there is a point I would like to make here.

Where I live, many people have open fires. I replaced my open fire with a wood burning stove years ago. It was one of the first things I did when I moved in.

I am not trying to say wood burning stoves don't pollute - almost everything we do does. However, compared to open fires, used correctly, wood burning stoves are much cleaner.

For a start you can't just chuck in any old wood. Like my neighbours do and wreathe the place in smoke. The wood must be either seasoned or kiln dried. So the chimney heats up faster and the fire reaches most efficient operating temperature more quickly and thus what comes out the too of the chimney is cleaner.

Because you can get it to the correct temperature faster you have a lot more control of the burn and don't go through anything like as much fuel.

Compared to not having a fire at all, sure it adds to pollution, compared to an open fire it is significantly cleaner.

I’m sure you’re right, but as they have become popular more people like me who really can’t breath easily as it is let alone when smoke starts entering the house uninvited, it’s a big negative that I wish was less of a problem.

The problem is when the air is cool in the evening, night, early morning, as the smoke ends up at window height. It’s not the biggest source of pollution out there, but it’s the one causing me the most noticeable impact unfortunately.

In my case I live on a modern estate where everyone has efficient gas central heating already, but it has become trendy to have them installed as well and the govt even supports them as environmentally friendly, which as you point out they are compared to open fireplaces, but not so much in comparison to other heating systems, especially heat pumps, and solar which in some (I accept not all) cases would be a better alternative to be installed, better for the both the planet and people’s lungs.

 

[Invisible Woman]

I get chest problems too so I sympathise.

Do you really need them in a modern building that should be well insulated. I doubt it.

In a rural environment when you're replacing an open fireplace? That's different, i think.

Plus maintaining woodland costs money, sale of logs from management of the woodland, timber that wouldn't necessarily be suitable for anything else, is a part of our local economy and part of what keeps our woodlands viable.

I can completely understand that they are a concern but, like many issues, it's rarely cut and dried. What is suitable in the countryside isn't necessarily appropriate for an urban environment.

It's not the stoves, it's how & where they're used.

 

[Hutan]

I recently got an air purifier. I had seen the quantity of dust in the air in my lounge when the evening sun streamed in the windows, and it seemed a bit horrifying that we were breathing all of that. Also, I hoped it would reduce the amount of dusting needed.

I chose a Winix Zero + Pro 5-stage Air purifier - it was recommended by my national consumer organisation after testing of options. It is pretty quiet, even at high speed. I've had it running when the sun comes in the lounge windows - in 15 minutes it did clean the air, from dust laden to visually completely clear. I think it does reduce dusting, but, after the initial enthusiasm, I actually haven't been running it that often. Moving it from room to room is just another thing to do. The Winix is quite large.

It is important to research the filter costs (the same as with vacuum cleaners) as the cost can be high, and to think about how easy it is to buy the filters, and to replace them. Owning more stuff increases the obligations - for storage, for ongoing parts. That might not be a problem for healthy people, but for those of us who put 'shower' on our 'to do' list, if getting filters isn't easy, the chances are the air purifier will get put at the back of a wardrobe after a while.

It's also good to think about what type of pollutants concern you the most - the Winix is not great at clearing VOCs. And, what size is going to work for storage and easy movement?

Is my life better with the air purifier? I'd say it's marginal (whereas, for my robot vacuum cleaner the answer is an unequivocal 'definitely yes').

The consumer organisation felt that an air purifier could be warranted if you have pets (we have a dog) and/or people with allergies (we have some allergies such as house dust and pollen). I think dealing with traffic pollutants is also a good reason. I think I'd want one if I was living in a city that often had dangerous levels of poor air quality.

 

[Hummingbird]

Did you buy one in the end, @Sasha ? If so, how did you get on with it?

I've wanted one for a few years but thought they'd be too loud.

I found one that has a sleep mode of 25db so I am thinking of leaving it on that setting all the time.

Amazon product ASIN B09GTRVJQM
Has anyone tried it? If so, I'm wondering...

How effective is it in clearing smells, such as BBQ's, perfume, smoke, etc?

Do you find it still makes a noticeable difference with the windows open?

Occasionally I've seen comments that air purifiers can make the room a little cooler, has anyone noticed this?

Or any effect on mould/humidity levels?

It would have to be very close to an floor uplighter lamp and I struggle with reflections. Did anyone find it reflected?

In the marketing pictures they don't show a blue sticker on the front, but some review photos on the manufacturer's website (and in the unboxing video below) show this and it would really irritate my eyes, does anyone know if it's an easy one to remove or is it super sticky?

https://levoit.com/products/core-mini-air-purifier

Has anyone with tinnitus noticed any change in their tinnitus?

Has anyone used it with a remote controlled plug? I don't have any at the moment but may get one in the future.

Here's a youtube unboxing video I found:

You can also download the manual from the manufacturer's website but I couldn't find answers to these questions in it.

I'm not sure if this one is big enough to make a difference in the air quality, allergies, etc, but bigger ones seem too imposing for the size of my bedroom.

I'd appreciate any advice as to whether it's worth it or not.

 

[Wonko]

I had, for a few weeks, the winix zero+ (not the pro version). I liked it, it was a perfect bedroom air purifier for running over night and made a difference to my sleep quality. I got rid of it because it wasn't very controllable. It was fine in 'sleep' mode, but on auto it was quite sensitive, and loud (as I vape, and it didn't like this, it was often running at full pelt, and it started that before other air purifiers, and kept running at max for longer - it got annoying).

I replaced it with a levoit core 400s. Not as 'good' in terms of either lack of noise in 'sleep' mode (although not load I can hear it) or in the feel of the air (the winix has one of those UV things - which is apparently bad if you have lung issues as they emit ions, which help to grab particles, but can also irritate lungs).

But, the levoit is controllable by app, has handles (which makes a difference when carrying it from room to room), has a display to suggest the amount of particles it's capturing/removing, and mostly keeps the air fairly clean.

However, I found quite rapidly that 1 purifier, no matter how powerful, couldn't keep the air in my flat clean on it's own (remember, I vape), without running at full pelt more of the time than I wanted. So I now also have a levoit core 300s, for the bedroom. The 2 of them manage fine, even tho most of the time they are both off, when needed i can turn both on and they get the job done in minutes, as opposed to one struggling for hours.

Downside is of course cost, they weren't cheap, and neither are the filters (I think the 400s filters are currently around £50 each, stated to last 6 months but mines now 8 months old and still has 58% filter life 'left' - the 300s filter is around £30 I think).

However - for many/most people an air purifier is probably not something they need. People with lung/breathing issues or people living in 'hostile' locations, may find them useful, but for most people, probably not worth the agro or cost.

ETA - they don't make any significant/noticeable difference to 'dust' levels - in that you will still need to ignore dusting just as much as normal. That's not what they are for. Most 'dust' doesn't stay in the air for long, it settles, and unless you are running an air purifier per room, 24/7, then you simply won't pull much dust out of the air while it's in the air. Air purifiers pull much smaller stuff out, stuff that stays in the air much longer if not removed.

 

[Sasha]

Did you buy one in the end, @Sasha ? If so, how did you get on with it?

Hi Hummingbird - I didn't buy one in the end, because I couldn't find one at a reasonable size or price to cope with the size of my flat (I live in a lounge/kitchen which, combined, seemed to be more than a purifier could cope with - plus, I was concerned about the constant noise.

 

[Hummingbird]

Thanks @Wonko and @Sasha - very helpful! I'm going to see if I can borrow one from anyone I know. I think it probably doesn't seem worth it, but I'd like to try as my sinuses could use some relief.