Choosing the Right Air Purifier
If you are in the market for an air purifier, what features are important?
by William Treasure
A good place to start is to identify the objective for the air purifier. Is there an air quality problem, who is it effecting, and why, for example:
- Is there a smoker?
- Is there someone with respiratory challenges?
- Is the flu widespread?
- Is someone allergic to dust or animals, such as cats?
- Is someone’s immune system compromised?
- Are volatile organic compounds (VOC’s) out gassing from new furniture or carpet?
- Are you in a profession like dentistry where you are exposed to mercury, microbiological particles and various aerosols?
- Is someone affected by multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS)?
Understanding your objective enables you to choose the purifier designed to solve your problem. The IQAir line of air purification equipment has models to handle many objectives. The IQAir purifier can even be customized to address a specific concern. Today, the Swiss made IQAir is a recognized international leader in air quality products.
For example, recently an elderly grandmother of a client moved into a new apartment. It was not just new to her, but newly constructed and beautiful. However, all of those new materials in the new apartment, such as the carpeting, countertops, flooring, etc. were emitting gases containing VOC’s. Soon after moving in, the client’s grandmother developed a bad cough and began wheezing. These new symptoms aggravated several pre-existing health conditions. Opening the windows would help but not on cold winter days. So our client took her IQAir Health Pro Plus to her grandmother. Within just a few days her cough and wheezing disappeared.
The Health Pro Plus includes a special filter, the V5-Cell Filter. This filter absorbs hundreds of gaseous pollutants and odors, especially volatile organic compounds. The filter uses granular activated carbon and chemically active alumina for superior gas and odor control in most residences and small offices.
The Health Pro Plus is also a great purifier for asthma sufferers, since gaseous irritants as well as allergens cause problems. In addition, The Health Pro Plus gives superior protection to people with pet allergies. The TKEC customer referenced above is allergic to cats but has been able to work in a small office with two cats, because a Health Pro Plus is operating.
In some more acute situations, the IQAir GC MultiGas series is required. These purifiers provide professional control of gaseous pollutants and odors. This series provides up to 12 pounds of specially formulated gas phase filter media. The IQAir Air Purifier GC Series series, provides 25 pounds of specially formulated gas filters. Both of these product lines are rated #1 for multiple chemical sensitivity and smoke. These are just a few examples which demonstrate the importance of understanding your objectives when making an air purifier decision.
