Vacuum the pre-filter on your air purifier every 2 to 4 weeks to remove loose dust and pet hair. This quick maintenance prevents clogs, which extends the life of your main HEPA filter and maintains airflow.
No, standard air purifiers do not physically remove moisture from the air. They merely cycle air through filters (like HEPA and carbon) to trap pollutants. However, the continuous airflow from the device's fan can increase evaporation from your skin and nasal passages, making the air feel drier.
Yes, air purifiers can help contain norovirus, primarily by capturing the airborne viral particles created when an infected person vomits. While handwashing and surface disinfecting are the most critical steps, an air purifier offers a helpful extra layer of protection.
Follow the 2/3 Rule
As a rule of thumb, the CADR of your air cleaner should be equal to at least two-thirds of the room's area. For example, a room with the dimensions of 10 feet by 12 feet has an area of 120 square feet. It would be best to have an air cleaner with a smoke CADR of at least 80.
You lie awake wondering if the gentle hum from your air purifier will keep you up all night. Or maybe you're concerned about running electronics while you sleep. These worries are common. The truth is that sleeping with an air purifier on is not just safe—it's one of the best things you can do for your health.
While air purifiers help reduce allergens and indoor pollutants, they come with notable downsides. The primary disadvantages include hidden maintenance costs, health risks from specific technologies, and limited effectiveness against gases.
The ideal distance to place an air purifier from your bed is 3 to 6 feet. This allows the unit to clean the air in your breathing zone without disturbing you with direct drafts or fan noise.
However, in general, the duration of use required depends on the size of your space and the amount of indoor pollution (which varies throughout the year). This is why most manufacturers will recommend you to leave your air purifier running all day, especially if it comes equipped with an automatic setting.
Air purifiers work everywhere
Stop worrying about upstairs versus downstairs. Put your air purifier in the room where you need clean air most, make sure it's the right size for that space, give it proper clearance, and run it consistently. That formula works every time — on any floor, in any home.
Yes, air purifiers help with mucus by reducing the airborne allergens and irritants (like dust, pet dander, and mold) that trigger nasal inflammation and mucus overproduction. While they do not directly clear existing mucus, they prevent the chronic irritation that causes it.
Health experts recommend using air purifiers to help prevent illness, especially during the cold months and flu season, as viruses like influenza and the COVID-19-causing SARS-CoV-2 are carried in respiratory aerosols.
Norovirus is highly contagious and notoriously resistant to many standard household cleaners and alcohol-based hand sanitizers. To properly disinfect your home, you must physically remove contaminated material first, and then sanitize using a strong chlorine bleach solution (or an EPA-registered disinfectant approved for norovirus).
To avoid getting sick when living with sick people, prioritize isolating the ill individuals, boosting ventilation, cleaning high-touch surfaces daily, and strict hand hygiene. Designate a single caregiver, wear masks in shared spaces, and avoid sharing items like towels, utensils, or bedding.
High or low humidity, particularly during winter months, can trigger your allergies and humidity is a bigger factor in whether or not your sinuses are dry. Adding an air purifier can help relieve your allergies by removing the particles in the air but they do not impact moisture in the air.
Yes. Humidity at 70% or above can make your bedroom feel sticky and uncomfortable, interfere with REM sleep, and increase wakefulness. High moisture levels also encourage mould, mildew, and dust mites, which can worsen allergies and respiratory issues, particularly during cooler months when ventilation may be limited.
Choose an air purifier if you suffer from allergies, pet dander, dust, or smoke. Select a humidifier if you have dry skin, throat irritation, or dry, cold air in winter. For maximum comfort, many use both—a purifier for cleanliness and a humidifier for moisture—to address both pollutant and humidity issues.
Don't push your purifier flush against walls. Don't place it behind furniture or in corners where air circulation is restricted. Don't drape towels or blankets over the unit. Don't set objects on top of the purifier.
One air purifier can work for small homes or apartments with open floor plans. Closed doors and walls block airflow, reducing effectiveness in separate rooms. For most homes over 1,000 square feet with multiple closed rooms, using two or more purifiers provides better coverage.
Most portable air purifiers last between 5-10 years, depending on the quality of the components and maintenance. Whole-home plasma systems can last 10+ years because they do not rely on disposable filters, bulbs, chemicals, or ion strips and typically require maintenance only every two years.
To use an air purifier effectively in your bedroom, place it on a nightstand 3 to 5 feet from your head to create a "breathing zone". Run the unit continuously on a low or "sleep" setting with the door closed for optimal overnight air filtration.
No, it is not bad. In fact, most experts and manufacturers recommend running air purifiers continuously. Indoor air is constantly polluted by dust, dander, cooking, and off-gassing. Continuous operation ensures pollutants do not accumulate.
Living Room Placement Strategy for an Air Purifier
Position the unit near seating areas where family members spend the most time. If specific pollution sources exist, like a fireplace, cooking area, or pet zones, placing the purifier nearby helps capture particles at the source.
Keep the door closed.
Closed doors let the unit efficiently cycle and clean the air within the defined space. According to the EPA, portable air cleaners are most effective when used in enclosed spaces with doors and windows closed.
Just be sure not to block the intake or outlet. While it's fine to sleep near your home air purifier, keeping it in an open space with good circulation is more effective than focusing solely on proximity to your bed.