Advantages and Disadvantages of Air Purifiers

By Consumer Advise Team
Edited On

Even though air purifiers have been widely known to the world since the late 20th century, the device was first invented 200 years ago as a gas mask to use in mines. They have gotten much advantageous since then, and the capacity and technology have become much advanced. 

The best air purifiers can purify inside a whole building, depending on the size. Due to the increase in air pollution and quality degradation, air purifier has become a much-needed commodity in everyday use. But, like any electrical devices, air purifiers have certain pros and cons that you will learn in this article.

Advantages And Disadvantages Of Air Purifiers

Advantages of air purifier

Other than providing fresh, clean air, the air purifier does much more work, such as keeping temperature and humidity levels at average, providing temporary cure to asthma, allergies, skin diseases, resisting virus spread, removing VOC, etc. The countless benefits of using an air purifier are mentioned below.

  • It purifies the air from pollutants, dust, mites, pet hair and micro-organisms

As the name suggests, the foremost benefit of owning an air purifier is to get purified, clean air free of any harmful components, volatile organic compounds or molecules. It is the major benefit to get from an air purifier.

  • Not only purifying the air, it also controls temperature and humidity

It is known that high pollution levels in the air cause it to get warmer and dry. 

The air purifier controls the temperature and humidity present in the air by reducing pollution levels. It is another significant advantage to use an air purifier.

  • It helps to cure respiratory problems

Polluted areas increase the cases of sore throat and nose block increase in polluted areas. 

It is because the harmful components cause blockage, irritation, and inflammation in the vocal passage of the human body. 

Several heart diseases and the problem of asthma increase with bad air quality. The air purifier reduces the chances of these illnesses by providing fresh air.

  • A good-quality air purifier reduces skin dryness and irritation

The unwanted particles and lack of organic components and oxygen in the air can cause severe irritation and damage to the skin. The air purifier provides a temporary cure to these problems by releasing clean air.

  • It keeps hair and scalp healthy

Polluted air causes not only skin diseases but also hair fall and hair damages. The low levels of humidity and carbon components make the scalp extremely dry or excessively oily. The air purifier can provide a temporary remedy to these problems.

  • An air purifier has virus resistant properties

Different types of viruses and bacteria are present in the air. The presence of large-sized of molecules makes it easier for viruses to spread through the air. The air purifier helps to reduce the level by a significant amount which is a remarkable advantage.

  • Air purifiers have a modern outlook

Having a room air purifier inside the house, besides serving the purposes of purifying the air of unwanted components, also gives a modern and aesthetic look and makes it look more organized, attractive, technologically advanced, and flashier.

Though the benefits of having air purifiers are enormous compared to the cons, there are still some limitations to what an air purifier can do.

Disadvantages of air purifier

  • Air purifiers involve costly maintenance

Most air purifiers that use filtration technologies to purify and clean the air need high and regular maintenance. Otherwise, the molds and bacteria can be formatted in the filters, reducing the efficiency of the filters. The filters are very costly, especially the HEPA filters, and the filters’ reinstallation also needs professional help.

  • Ozone emissions as a by-product

A side effect of purifying air using electric attraction, especially electrostatic precipitation cleaners, is the ozone component’s emission as a by-product that can be very harmful to the body. For many air purifiers, it is a significant disadvantage. Though, all air purifiers do not emit Ozone, it is better to look at their specifications.

  • The underperformance

Most of the air purifiers are unable to purify air at a 100% rate. Even if a device can 100% purify the air, the machine’s efficiency wears out with time. They need to be changed after a certain period to keep up the same purification rate.

  • Reactant UV rays

In some of the air purifiers, UV rays are used as a filtering method. But these UV rays can react with the particles present in the air and release even a more harmful gas which is a drawback of air purifiers.

  • Bacteria and mold formation

The filters are the perfect home to bacteria and molds if not cleaned or maintained correctly. For this reason, maintaining cleanliness is a must for air purifiers.

essential features of air purifiers

6 essential features of air purifiers to get the best output

Apart from the advantages and disadvantages, it would help get the maximum output if you know the essential features of an air purifier. By the purifying technologies, air purifiers can be categorized into two main types: active and passive air purifiers. The first uses “-ve” -ly charged ions to make the pollutants stick to the surface, while the other uses air filters for purification. The innovative working methods help to distinguish the various features-

  • Smart control command systems

Most of the air purifiers in India offer intelligent control systems. It has either a digital button-based command system or a remote-controlled command system. Some even come with Wi-Fi or Bluetooth connecting technologies that can be controlled and monitored with smartphones.

  • Pre-filters or multiple filters

The air quality in India is much worse than in any developed country. Naturally, the air purifiers made in India come with better filtering technologies. They are either pre-installed with pre-filters or multiple layers of filters to stop VOCs, PM 2.5, or other small and large-sized particles beforehand and extend the lifetime of the HEPA Filters.

  • Different modes of operation

The Indian air purifiers are mainly used inside the home and during sleep. They have in-built sensors to control the rate of air purifications. The sensors can read the air quality and can instruct the device to act accordingly. Sometimes they even have attached buttons or dials and timers to regulate the speed of the fans and release of air.

  • Easy transportation facilities

Most home air purifiers of India are transportable and come with handles and casters. They have a handle attached to the top of it to make carrying it more manageable. The products on the heavy sides come with small wheels at the bottoms of the purifier for moving it from one place to another.

  • LED display and LED lights

Indian air purifiers have an additional feature of LED display that makes it easier to read and monitor the room’s air quality. It also has an indicator installed inside to notify the owner when to clean and change the filters. Some of them even come with dim LED lights to act as night lamps.

  • Automatic anti-microbial cleaning technology

Most of the air purifiers come with automatic cleaning technology to save as much physical labor as possible. The filters also have an anti-bacterial coating to prevent mold and bacteria-fungus formation. This enhances the work efficiency and lifespan of the purifier.

Conclusion

The air purifier is an electronic device that clears the air of any pollutants, contaminants, dust, and viruses. The air purifiers, by capacity, are of two types: stand-alone air purifiers used for single, small-sized rooms, and the other type is large-unit air purifiers that can be attached to the HVAC or AHU to purify the air of an entire building or such. The filtration techniques are different depending on the place and the type of air needed to be cleaned.

Thus, we can justify their remarkable advantages and a few disadvantages from the pros and cons of air purifiers. Apart from it, consider the essential features of an air purifier to find a beneficial product. If you have further queries, kindly let us know in the comments below.

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