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Heating & Air Conditioning

Air purifiers to "clean" the air or really just for your mental state

housebuilder328

6 years ago

Which air purifier models do you guys recommend? I did a search and
didn't get much out of it - other than long thread arguments on whether
HEPA filter costs are worth it.

Our family has very bad allergies and also very sensitive to cooking
odors, so the well-designed carbon filters do work well and actually
do notice a difference. But it seems like many air purifiers with the
"sponge" charcoal filters don't do anything. The charcoal filters with a
honeycomb design with charcoal granules seem to work well. We are a
huge Greek family and the kitchen cooking is out of control most of the
time!

It seems like most of the medium range air purifiers cost around
$200-300. Our neighbor has a "top of the line" Austin Air model HM-450 that she brags
about which I just researched and it costs over $550! Can someone take a
look at these and see which one would work well for a fairly large
sized room? The most expensive one has a square feet rating of over
1500 square feet, so I guess that's where the extra cost comes in? But it also has 15 pounds of a carbon filter so that is much more than any run of the mill air purifier, so it must get rid of kitchen odors nicely.

Even if it doesn't get rid of odors, there's nothing wrong with
increasing air flow in the house and filtering out some big particles.
I think we all know that indoor air is much dirtier than outdoor air.

Winix 5500-2 - $203
https://www.amazon.com/Winix-5500-2-...x+air+purifier

Levoit LV-PUR131 - $283
https://www.amazon.com/Purifier-Alle...t+air+purifier

Aeramax 300 -$200
https://www.amazon.com/AeraMax-Purif...ds=aeramax+300

Austin Air HM-450 - $550 +

https://www.amazon.com/Austin-Air-B400B1-Standard-Healthmate/dp/B0007Y830I/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1507332596&sr=8-3&keywords=austin+air+healthmate

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Comments (3)

PRO
Austin Air Companie
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
This thought process goes far and above initial cost. When it comes to allergies there are no two people alike in this regard. What works for some won't work for all.

With that said, 'ANY' air cleaner must be maintained. Cycles for maintenance (changing filters and maintaining the appliance) could be as short as a few months.

Whole house systems cost much more, not only to install but also to maintain.

Room type appliances that sit in a room will only clean air near where the unit sits. (They often become dust magnets.)

If your allergies are bad, to the point that you need medication... start with whole house application and avoid any that produce Ozone in any amount. (You will need guidance from an HVAC professional.... it's not a DIY job.)
klem1
6 years ago
You shouldn't expect much from a $500 system.
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Consumer Reports tested several different brands a number of years ago--about the time I wanted to get one (allergies here, too). I was looking at the Sharper Image one--super expensive, supposedly the crud collected on the metal plate, just had to be swiped off. Supposedly really effective, and easy to clean. CR rated that kind at the bottom of the list. According to their test results, for the air filter to be effective, you need to have a fan and air filters involved. So we bought one for about 1/4 the price of the SI, and have been VERY satisfied with it. Turn it on, and in a half hour or so, the air in the room feels and smells like the air does after a summer shower--clean and cool. Makes such a difference. with ours, you have to wash the foam filter, and replace the paper one (looks like the air filter from a Mack Truck--LOL) regularly.
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I have an earlier model of the one in the link below. Bought it in 2002, and just before they were discontinued I bought 6 filters. Since I am only on the second filter since this year, I am covered for a while, if the unit doesn't peter out on me. I got mine because of allergies. It lives in my bedroom. I only turn it on at night, and only during allergy seasons. Allergy seasons are twice a year for me. February because of cedar tree pollen and September till a killing frost because of ragweed. I have other allergies, but those two triggers are the WORST for me. Moni Here is a link that might be useful: honeywell air cleaner
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Thanks, everyone! A whole-house unit isn't in my budget--and possibly not useful anyway. I do have forced-air heating, but it doesn't extend to the bedrooms. I didn't realize the good portable units cost that much. This is going to be an "interesting" year, as I need a new roof and also anticipate buying a new oil burner or propane burner if I switch to propane heat (a topic for another thread soon). I checked my three vacuum cleaners (one for each floor, including the attic, where a couple of cats like to hang out. Two of them, including the one I use most often, have HEPA filters. One of my family members is very allergic to my house. We thought it was residual allergens from our dogs, but I haven't had a dog in several years. So now I'm thinking it might very well be something else in this house, possibly the same thing that's now bothering me. Does anyone know if those DIY home mold tests are any good?
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Kelly Liam
3 years ago
last modified: 3 years ago
I do believe Air Purifier is machine that must be in each house. Thank you for providing list of Air Purifiers. May I ask how good are the filters in these air purifiers and how often will they need to be changed? I read on the internet that sleeping with the air purifier is very beneficial. Sleep becomes healthier and more pleasant. That is why I had a desire to buy myself the same device for my home so that it would be more pleasant to exist in it. I've already found a service where there is a fairly large catalog of various air purifiers https://dehumidifiercritic.com/best-large-room-air-purifier/ . Not only do they just have a review for each product, but all the pros and cons of each product are also written there. In addition, I read that each purifier is tested for about 3 months before being reviewed. It sounds pretty cool doesn't it? Still I really want to know the answer to my question please.

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