Types of Household Personal Air Purifiers

Types of Household Personal Air Purifiers

There are several types of air purifiers. Some work better than others. A few might actually be harmful to your health. Here’s a quick breakdown:

HEPA filters. This is the gold-standard filter for removing airborne particles. It uses mechanical ventilation — fans that push air through pleated fibers like foam or fiberglass — to trap particles from the air.
Activated carbon. This model uses an active carbon filter to trap odors and gases from the air. Although it can catch larger particles, it typically misses smaller ones. Some purifiers combine a HEPA filter with an activated carbon filter to trap both odors and pollutants.
Ultraviolet (UV) light. UV light has the ability to kill germs like viruses, bacteria, and fungi in the air. For a UV air purifier to kill these germs, the light must be strong and stay on for at least several minutes or hours at a time. This isn’t the case with all models.
Ionizers. Normally, particles in the air have a neutral charge. Ionizers negatively charge these particles, which makes them stick to plates in the machine or other surfaces so you can clean them away.
Electrostatic air purifiers and ozone generators. These purifiers use ozone to change the charge of particles in the air so they stick to surfaces. Ozone can irritate the lungs, making it a bad choice for people with COPD.