Which air purifier to choose for a city apartment. Which air purifier to choose for an apartment If a person with asthma or allergies lives in the apartment, some special measures are needed

Picture 1. Air purifier device

A fan located inside the device sucks air from the room. At the same time, the air passes through one or more filters installed in it, becoming cleaner and more transparent. The air passes step by step through the following filter types:

1. Pre-filter (coarse filter). This filter is classified as non-replaceable and is typically a fabric or polymer mesh disc that requires regular cleaning to maintain the unit's efficiency. When air passes through the pre-filter, it is “coarsely” cleaned, that is, large particles visible to the naked eye (dust, wool) are removed.

2. HEPA filter (filter fine cleaning air). This filter allows you to remove microparticles of impurities from the air. In addition to regular dust, the HEPA filter traps plant pollen, dust mites, and fungal spores.

3. Carbon filter (absorbent filter). This filter uses Activated carbon. The main purpose of a carbon filter is to clean the air from gaseous impurities and unpleasant odors. The frequency of replacing such a filter when used in a city apartment or office is once every three to four months.

Hybrid models (purifiers-humidifiers) are often equipped with additional filters:

Figure 2. Design and principle of operation of the purifier-humidifier

4. Electrostatic filter (ionizing filter). The operating principle of electrostatic filters is based on the attraction of electrical charges of different polarities. Polluted air passes through an ionization chamber, in which the pollution particles acquire a positive charge, after which they settle on negatively charged plates. To clean such a filter (plates), simply wash it with soapy water. Electrostatic filters effectively clean the air from dust and soot.

5. Photocatalytic filter. The essence of the method is the decomposition and oxidation of toxic impurities on the surface of the photocatalyst under the influence of ultraviolet radiation. Reactions occur at room temperature, while organic impurities do not accumulate, but are destroyed to harmless components (water and carbon dioxide), and photocatalytic oxidation is equally effective against toxins, viruses or bacteria - the result is the same. Most odors are caused by organic compounds, which are also completely decomposed by the cleaner and therefore disappear. This type cleaning is aimed primarily against various organic compounds: bacteria, microbes, viruses, fungal spores, pollen, carbon monoxide, as well as against formaldehyde volatile compounds and unpleasant odors. Photocatalytic purification is one of the most modern methods air purification.

6. Wet filter (humidifying filter). This filter is common in devices such as purifiers-humidifiers (air washers) and climate control systems. When air is blown through a moistened filter, its humidity increases, microparticles of contaminants are retained on the filter, and foreign odors are partially (not as effectively as when using a carbon filter) eliminated.

Often the purifier includes an ionizer, fragrance and/or humidifier. In this case, the device already belongs to the class multifunctional climate complexes. In this manual we will not consider climate complexes. Let's just stop at air washes, which combine the functions of humidification and air purification (Fig. 3). These devices are easy to use and do not require Supplies, consume little electricity. Maintenance consists only of periodically washing the tray.

Figure 3. Air washing device

Air humidification in such devices is based on the self-regulating principle of “cold” evaporation. Using a system of plastic discs, water is converted into fine “water” dust, which both humidifies the air and cleans it of micropollutant particles. Air forced into the device by a fan passes through the disks, carrying with it water molecules, and the smallest dust particles remain on the disks. The cleaning process is identical to what happens in nature during rain: natural air washing occurs.

In conditions modern ecology it becomes impossible to ventilate the room using open window, since the risk of penetration of carcinogenic compounds with street air significantly exceeds the expected benefits of ventilation.

And in a large metropolis the streets are so dusty that opening windows is simply unreasonable.

To overcome this impasse, an air purifier for the home was created.

Until now, many people are skeptical about this unique invention, trying to understand whether it is harmful to health. So what are home air purifiers, and which one is better to choose?

The principle of operation of the air purifier is circular air circulation - from external environment through the purifier to the outside. The room is cleaned using built-in filters. The home air environment is characterized by the presence of carcinogenic substances (formaldehyde, benzene, nitrogen dioxide), mold, fungi, bacteria and dust impurities.

When the air flow passes through the air purifier, the harmful microparticles it contains are deposited on the filter of the device.

The biggest concern among people is the electrostatic air purifier. It converts oxygen into ozone, which in large quantities is hazardous to human health. However, manufacturers produce devices with low ozone emissions, which is absolutely safe. It should be remembered when choosing an air purifier, benefits and harms are distributed in a ratio of 95 to 5%. In general, air purifiers are not harmful to people.

Main types

All air purifiers are classified by filtration type:

• mechanical;
• ionic or electrostatic;
• photocatalytic;
• combined.

Mechanical air purifiers contain HEPA air filters and carbon filters . They perfectly purify the air from house and construction dust, cope a little worse with bacteria and allergens, but are ineffective against viruses and gaseous compounds. You can make such an air purifier with your own hands, using filters and a fan.

An ionic air purifier (electrostatic) operates using an electrode that charges neutral air particles and attracts them to itself. It copes well with allergens, dust mites, viruses and bacteria, but is not able to clean the room from toxic gases. In addition, the air purifier ionizer fills the room with freshness.

An air purifier with a photocatalytic filter purifies the air in the home using UV radiation. It is effective against any microorganisms, allergens, toxic gases, but is not able to cope with organic impurities.

A cleaner with a UV lamp completely kills all microorganisms and literally sterilizes the room.

Combined purifiers are characterized by a multi-stage cleaning system and include all of the above filters. With the help of these devices, the air is simultaneously disinfected, cleaned of organic impurities and ionized.

How to choose

When choosing an air purifier the following factors must be taken into account:

1. Room area. All devices have a different range of action: from 10 m2 to 150 m2. It is especially important to consider the area when choosing a device that contains an ionizer purifier, since the ozone concentration it emits is calculated for a certain range of action.
2. Noise level. Devices with mechanical cleaning are characterized by noise during operation, this is due to the action of the built-in fan. The quietest option is an ionic purifier.
3. Dust content. With the greatest accumulation of dust and organic impurities (animal hair), it is more advisable to choose an option with mechanical or ionic cleaning.
4. Allergic reactions. With any household allergens ( dust mites, plant pollen) purifiers with ionic and photocatalytic filters do an excellent job. However, if the allergy is caused by animal fur, then best helper in this case, a HEPA filter.
5. Smoke and smells. Cope with tobacco smoke devices with an ionizer and carbon filtration will help with unpleasant odors.
6. Disinfection. Maximum air disinfection is achieved by using a UV lamp.

As a rule, the device is turned on daily for several hours or left overnight. Some devices are equipped with an air control function and operate according to the air atmosphere.

Electrostatic and photocatalytic purifiers do not require filter replacement, unlike mechanical ones. Therefore, before choosing an air purifier for your home, you need to decide on the frequency of its use.

Air purifiers for home: top 10

The table shows the most popular models of air purifiers, according to customer reviews.

Filters in air purifiers

Air purifiers use following types filters:

1. Pre-cleaning. Regular mesh filters, which are used at the first stage of cleaning, trap large particles of dust and animal hair.
2. HEPA filters. They are an accordion assembled on both sides with micro-holes. They cope with mold and fungi spores, animal hair, and dust mites.
3. Coal. Fights dust and absorbs odors using activated carbon.
4. Electrostatic (ionic).They work on the principle of ionization, provide a high degree of purification, and cope with microorganisms.
5. Photocatalytic. Purify the air using UV radiation. They completely disinfect the room from pathogenic bacteria and carcinogenic substances.

Air purifier operating instructions

The air purifier should be installed in areas where dust accumulates the most to operate effectively.

The device should not be adjacent to the wall, but located at a distance of at least 10 cm from it. For the purifier to work, you must plug it into the network and set the cleaning mode in accordance with the instructions.

Almost everything modern models have electronic control and filter replacement indicators. The device's replacement filters must be replaced every 2 months. The ionizer plates should be wiped with a damp cloth at least once a week.

An air purifier for home is useful thing, cleaning the airspace as much as possible. When choosing a device, you should take into account the area of ​​the room and its pollution factors.

The best option is a combined air purifier from dust, carcinogens, allergens and bacteria, which includes a multi-stage cleaning system.

More and more often, the conditions of urban life, characterized by polluted air, poor ecology, which leads to deterioration of health and constant depression, force residents of megacities to give up everything and move outside the city in order to breathe clean air in the lap of nature and not think about the problems associated with the constant bustle.

Another option is to move from a polluted industrial area to a quiet suburb without the noise of cars, trains and factories, with birdsong and the wonderful aroma of lilacs in the spring, and in winter - with quiet picturesque streets and the crackling of snow underfoot, which you can no longer hear in the city.

An air purifier is an indispensable accessory

Unfortunately, not everyone has the opportunity to move outside the city. So, does this mean there is no way to breathe clean air and not polluted air that has a detrimental effect on health?

There is a way out; it will allow you, even in a big metropolis, to turn your apartment into an oasis, fragrant with natural freshness. Yes, now there is an opportunity to improve conditions and create a good microclimate at home, and without special effort, because the inventors worked for this. Today modern technologies allow you to clean the air of your apartment from harmful impurities. Of course, the device cannot replace noise sea ​​wave or birdsong, but will definitely make the air clean. We are talking about residential premises, and in this article we will help you choose this device.

How does an air purifier work?

For an apartment, this is a simple device, easy to use, and does not require special skills for maintenance. It kills all germs in the air, and anyone can use the device. For people with allergies and those who often suffer from colds, this is a godsend.

The operating principle of a device with a removable filter is based on blowing air through several special filters, depending on the type of contamination. For example, some of them can remove gas or smoke from an apartment, others will clean it of dust, plant pollen, and animal hair. The air purifier model uses carbon and mesh. The strength of the air flow can be adjusted using buttons or a switch located on the control unit, or in auto mode.

Which air purifier is best?

Air purifiers with replaceable filters, which are in greatest demand, are products of the following brands: Daikin, Boneco Electrolux, Bionaire, Sharp Air, Comfort, Air-O-Swiss, Venta, Toshiba, Bork. In general, there is a large selection, and you can find a model that meets all requirements. Cost - from 80 dollars basic model and up to $1000 elite. The optimal air purifier for an apartment costs $200-500 (with the additional option of ionization and humidification), has a multi-stage cleaning system and a control panel.

Premium models are units that combine in one housing several devices with different functionality, capable of operating separately or simultaneously.

When choosing an air purifier, be guided by your needs, and also consider the size of the area that needs to be cleaned by the selected model.

There are also air purifiers on sale without replaceable filters, the main purpose of which is purification by passing air through water. They are also called “air washers”. They cost a little more.

“Air washing” passes it through wet cartridges. Such devices not only provide protection against contamination, but also increase its humidity to optimal standards for humans - 50-60 percent.

At high degree pollution, it is best to use apartment air purifiers with replaceable filters, and if your main goal If there is an increase in humidity in the room, then in this case you need to use a humidifier.

Market leaders producing air purifiers

Today many people want to buy the most best cleaner air for the apartment. Review modern market shows that the most popular brands are: Boneco (from $220), AOS ($250-500), Ballu (from $180), Venta ($250-800). For this price you can get not just a model that purifies and humidifies the air, but universal device with additional options for noise control. In addition, there is a silver function, and the model also comes with a remote control.

Particular attention to the quality of products among air purifiers, and most importantly, the demand for them Money, brands such as Sharp and Daikin deserve, the Aic air purifier is not bad. The products of these brands, first of all, purify the air, and the humidification function is additional, which does not prevent them from doing their job just fine. Differences in model range There is no humidification, only the cleaning systems differ.

The best air purifiers for apartments Sharp are equipped with a classic HEPA filter, ionizer and deodorizing filter, while Daikin has a proprietary Flash Streamer system, which allows not only to eliminate dust, unpleasant odors and allergens, but also effectively destroy viruses, including the swine flu virus.

The Swiss company IQAir is considered the best manufacturer of professional air purifiers. Household air purifiers from this company have HyperHEPA filters, which are 100 times more effective than conventional HEPA.

Filters in air purifiers

The filter is a key link in the purifier device. The degree of cleaning and the performance of the equipment depend on its type. Let's take a closer look at what types of filters are used for what, and which ones are of better quality. Let's start with coarse filters that remove large mechanical particles. They are a simple fine mesh. Such a filter is needed to remove large particles of wool, sand, poplar fluff, and hair. This filter also protects the device itself from these particles getting inside. As you use the mesh, you need to clean it or blow it out, then it can be used many times. For normal operation of the equipment, the mesh must be cleaned once every 3 months.

Carbon adsorption filter

This filter contains activated carbon, which is an adsorption element often used to combat toxins. Carbon adsorption filters successfully neutralize bad smells, available in the air. But, unfortunately, they do not protect against nitrogen oxides contained in city air, so they are used only as additional ones.

Carbon filters absorb impurities. Therefore, they need to be changed periodically. Their service life ranges from 3 months to one year, the cost is 30-40 dollars.

Electrostatic filters

These filters are used for more advanced and deep air purification, which is performed as follows: air is driven through the positive electrode, which is represented by a positively charged mesh, and polluting compounds remain on the negative electrodes. These are reusable filters that just need to be rinsed with water for reuse. Their main disadvantage is the release of ozone during their operation. This is a highly toxic gas, despite all its disinfecting and healing properties.

HEPA filters

These filters are a guarantee of effective and deep cleaning, which, in addition to being used in everyday life, are also used in medical devices, medical laboratories and institutions. These filters have earned many positive reviews. They capture up to 97% of allergenic particles larger than 0.3 microns and various pollutants. HEPA filters are disposable, have a service life of 1 year, after which they need to be replaced. Cost - 25-35 dollars.

Power and noise level

One of the advantages of air purifiers is their low power consumption, usually 50-70 W, and inexpensive models, in consumer demand - 20-35 W.

Also worth noting low level noise, which is important since many air purifiers work continuously, including at night in the bedroom. In any cleaning device, as a rule, the fan makes noise, and manufacturers took this into account by creating units with a night mode, when the number of fan revolutions is reduced to a minimum and the volume is 37 dB. This noise level is not distracting and does not interfere with sleep. In addition, it may depend on the type of filters used.

For example, to pass air through a HEPA filter, you need a fan of greater power, which means a noisier one. However, manufacturers claim that the noise level is no higher normative value. There are air purifiers for apartments with almost silent operation at night (in “Sleep” mode). The volume is only 16 dB.