What is the Best Air Purifier For an Apartment?

The best air purifier for an apartment is the one that meets the purification needs of that area. This may sound a little cryptic, but the needs for purification aren't related to the type of dwelling so much as to how the dwelling is used, or even how often the rooms are cleaned. Compare what the different air purifiers excel at, and choose the one that most closely matches your living environment.

UV Air Purifiers

A UV air purifier is one of the best types to remove organic life from the air you breathe. UV kills many kinds of bacteria and fungus, and prevents mildew from becoming established in even warm, damp rooms, such as a bath or laundry room. Keep in mind that UV light doesn't actually remove anything, it just kills potentially harmful organisms. For filtering, you'll need to have a secondary filter, as will be discussed in a moment.

Ionic Air Purifiers

For years, many people thought the best air purifier was an ionic air purifier. Recently, however, this type of filter has come under fire. There has been some concern about potential breathing problems associated with the ozone an ionic air purifier emits. The EPA and American Lung Association recommend against using ionic air purifiers, but they are safe as long they are used in a room with sufficient circulation to prevent ozone from clumping together in an invisible cloud. As with UV filters, ionic ones need a secondary filter to actually remove debris.

HEPA Air Purifiers

At this writing, the very best filter you can get for an air purifier is a HEPA filter. That stands for High Efficiency Particulate Air, and the filter was originally developed to meet very demanding specifications. In order to be a HEPA filter, it has remove up to 99.97% of all airborne particles. For homes with people who suffer from numerous allergies or asthma, using a HEPA air purifier can offer you respite from both. Coupling a HEPA system with the benefits of UV purification provides the cleanest, safest air you are likely to find.

Charcoal Filters

Charcoal filters have been used for years, and are going to be the most inexpensive air purifier available. The problem with charcoal is that it is not an effective anti-bacterial agent, nor is it capable of removing extremely small particles. Charcoal filters are good for filtering smoke out of a room, and are recognized as a way to reduce odors. Coupling charcoal with an UV air purifier can provide excellent results.

Other Filters

There are other, new filters coming on the market that may one day rival HEPA filters. Sharp's plasmaculture filters work similar to ionic filters, but they do not produce as much ozone, making them much safer to use. ULPA (Ultra Low Particulate Air) filters claim a 99.99% filtration rate, but only filters down to .12 microns, meaning that a large number of pollen and bacteria is simply not filtered at all.