Fortunately, air purifiers do not consume a huge amount of power. Most HEPA air purifiers utilize a low amount of energy - around 50-100 watts of energy every hour based on the airflow speed. So, even with a 24-hour operation, the monthly energy bill would amount to around $4-10 each month.
Regardless of where you live, the good news is, air purifiers do not use a lot of electricity to operate.
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.
But air purifiers aren't cheap. Most models that CR recommends cost more than $200, and up to $900. They can be expensive to operate, too, because they typically require filter replacements once or twice a year and should be run around the clock. (See our chart below for a breakdown of annual costs.)
What are the downsides of air purifiers? There aren't a lot of downsides to having an air purifier in your home aside from the financial investment. Many ionizers, especially older models, can generate ozone when they are operating, which is known to exacerbate asthma.
Ozone-Generating Air Cleaners
One mechanism of damage results from ozone-olefin reactions, and another from ozone reacting with electron donors (such as glutathione). Inhalation of relatively small amounts of ozone can cause coughing, chest pain, throat irritation, and shortness of breath.
Placing an air purifier in your bedroom can allow you to breathe clean air for hours at a time, which you may not be able to experience during the day. However, to get the most benefit to your indoor air quality, you should make sure that your air purifier is in an ideal spot, like your nightstand, while you sleep.
When running 24/7, most HEPA air purifiers rated 50 to 100 watts per hour would only set you back around $4 to $10 monthly or $72 to $120 in a year.
A whole-house air purifier is undoubtedly worth the money for those with allergies, asthma, and other respiratory conditions. The system helps reduce symptoms by removing antagonistic air pollutants. This results in less frequent and intense allergy and/or asthma attacks.
If you have more air purifiers than is necessary, you do stand the chance of over-purifying the air in your home and using more energy than necessary.
Keep your device away from moisture or areas with high humidity. Place your device at least 6 inches from walls, furniture, or other items while in use. Place your air purifier near the most likely source of indoor air pollution. Consider investing in an air purifier that shuts off automatically with a timer.
When used correctly, air purifiers with HEPA filters can effectively reduce dust and other allergens in the air. They may be particularly useful if you're allergic to dust mites or pollen or if allergens trigger your asthma.
When you have a large indoor space, you may need to run the air purifier longer. But after you run the air purifier on its highest setting for an hour or two, you may its lowest speed. This will help keep the air clean all day. As mentioned above, you may run the machine all night without any worries.
Mold is an obvious health risk in any home, but investing in an air purifier can help limit your exposure. The best among them will ideally offer HEPA-level filtration, with this level of filtration being able to trap up to 99.97% of airborne particles down to 0.3 microns in diameter.
Finally, to calculate the cost, multiply the daily kWh by the cost of electricity per kWh, which you can find on your local utility bill. If electricity costs $0.12 per kWh, running your air purifier for 10 hours a day would cost you 0.6 kWh * $0.12 = $0.072 per day, or approximately $2.16 per month. Wow, that's cheap!
Heating and cooling: 45-50%
The largest electricity consumer in the average household is your heating and cooling appliance. By a long shot. Central air conditioners and heaters use tons of energy in order to keep your home set to the right temperature.
Specific effects may include throat irritation, coughing, chest pain and shortness of breath, as well as an increased risk of respiratory infections. Some ozone air purifiers are made with an ion generator, sometimes called an ionizer, in the same unit. You can also buy ionizers as separate units.
The reality is, air purifiers offer an effective option for helping remove particles from the air that circulates in your home.
Whole-house air purifier costs range from $419 to $4,962, with an average of $2,610 depending on house size and filter type. Installing a whole-house air purifier costs $419 to $12,000, though most homeowners spend an average of $2,610.
It's perfectly safe to keep the device running continuously, and the amount of energy it consumes is very small. And the advantages are significant—by running your air purifier all the time, you'll benefit from the best air quality possible, and the cleaner the air, the better for your health!
Room air cleaners are portable, electric appliances that remove fine particles, such as dust and pollen, from indoor air. A standard room air cleaner, operating continuously, uses approximately 450 kWh per year in electricity. This is more than the energy used by some new refrigerators!
Specialists recommend placing the device on the floor, because it is near the ground that there is a higher concentration of pollutants. Setting it on a shelf can significantly reduce the filtration efficiency. An important issue is also where not to place the air purifier.
Is It Safe to Leave an Air Purifier On While You're Away? Leaving an air purifier on while you're away from home is generally considered safe, as most modern air purifiers are designed for continuous operation.
Ensure your air purifier has enough clearance around it to function optimally. Avoid placing it behind furniture or in tight corners where airflow might be restricted. Ideally, there should be at least 3-5 feet of clear space around the unit to allow for unimpeded air intake and output.
Avoid Ionizers, Ozone Generators, or Ineffective UV Purifiers. It's essential to avoid air purifiers that introduces more pollution as a byproduct. Ionizers and ozone generators pose health risks, including potential respiratory issues and environmental hazards – after all, ozone is a pollutant.