How to tell if air purifier is working? Air purifiers are more important than ever, especially if you’re a tummy ache survivor. Pollution is at an all-time high and we’re surrounded by it every day, no matter where we go. It is very essential for our health to protect ourselves against air pollutants, but if we are not aware of what we need to do it makes us feel helpless.
Air purifiers help in protecting yourself from air-borne diseases by removing dust particles and odor. If the air purifier has become old or has stopped working, then these harmful elements can affect your health. But, if you know how to tell if air purifier is working effectively then you will be able to take the necessary actions and replace it or send for repairs, depending on its condition.
There are ways to find out what is wrong with your air purifier and we’re going to present them in this article. We will give you some simple methods to test how well does your air purifier work and if it needs any kind of replacement. If you do not know anything about electronic appliances, these tests can be performed by any person as long as the troubleshooting process is followed properly.
Air Purifier Overview
What Is An Air Purifier?
What is an air purifier? An air purifier is a device that removes dust, pollen, pet dander, tobacco smoke, and other types of airborne matter from the air. The main function of an air purifier is to cleanse the air and make it safe to breathe.
As the name suggests, the device uses a number of methods such as filtration and chemical processes to remove pollutants from the indoor environment. There are three common types of air filters: HEPA, electrostatic, and carbon filters.
An electrostatic filter has a mesh that has been coated with a charge that attracts particles like dust and pet dander. HEPA filters use what is called pressure-gravity separation through a high-velocity flow of air, while carbon filters have a chemical charge to attract particles in the air.
Types of Air Purifiers
There are a number of different types of air purifiers. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, there are five common types: room air cleaners, electronic air cleaners, whole-house mechanical ventilation and heat recovery systems, furnace-mounted air cleaners, and clean-air hoods.
Room air cleaners are devices that attach to windows, walls, or ceiling surfaces. Electronic air cleaners also attach to the wall, but they filter out microscopic particles in addition to larger ones like dust.
Whole-house mechanical ventilation and heat recovery systems help control indoor air pollution by bringing fresh, outdoor air in and circulating it throughout the house.
Furnace-mounted air cleaners are also attached to the wall or furnace, but they can handle large particles like dust. However, this type of filter does not get rid of microscopic particles that may contain allergens.
Finally, clean-air hoods are designed for kitchens and other areas with high levels of cooking fumes and other airborne particles.
How Does An Air Purifier Work?
How To Tell If Air Purifier Is Working? An air purifier works by sucking in dirty, dusty particles from the air. These particles are then trapped by what is known as a filter. A HEPA or High-Efficiency Particulate Air Filter traps the most minute of particles, but some air purifiers use charcoal filters to remove odors and chemicals like formaldehyde.
The finer the filter, the longer it needs to be cleaned. Most filters need regular cleaning (every month to every 3 months) depending on usage. The dust is then filtered by a cloth that traps the impurities before they are burned off with an electric coil, trapping them inside the coil while producing clean, filtered air for you to breathe.
Particles that slip past this filter and get trapped in the burning coil are completely eliminated from your indoor air supply, leaving you free of dust and similar impurities.
An air purifier cleans your room’s stale and polluted indoor environment while also minimizing chemical reactions that produce pollutants. This device is good for not only people with allergies or asthma but also for anyone who wants to keep their home healthier through quality breathing.
How To Tell If Air Purifier Is Working?
How To Tell If Air Purifier Is Working? There are several different ways to find out if the air purifier is working properly and we’re going to tell you about them in this section.
Power Supply
How To Tell If Air Purifier Is Working? If there’s no power supply then the appliance won’t work, so start by checking that it has electricity. If there is a cable or an extension wire leading from the plug socket, make sure it is tightly connected and try pressing the power button. If there is a battery backup, check that it isn’t flat and try switching to a new set of batteries.
If there’s no power then you’ll have to find out why. Sometimes the switch itself will have broken or the cable has been damaged. In other cases, it might be caused by a blown fuse or tripped circuit breaker. If all else fails, there might be a problem with the wiring or the plug socket itself.
It’s also possible that it’s working but you can’t see any lights or hear any noise from it. The power supply is still connected and the appliance is simply not switched on. Check to make sure there isn’t an on/off switch on the side of the purifier. Look for any buttons or switches that need to be pressed before it will startup.
Check Airflow
How To Tell If Air Purifier Is Working? Checking the airflow direction – one of the most basic things that you need to check when checking an air purifier for functionality is the airflow direction. All appliance brands have a fixed way of changing or directing the flow of air so you’ll need to find out how it’s done in your particular brand and model.
If there is airflow, then you’ll know that the filter is working. There are three common types of filters – mechanical filters (usually found in vacuum cleaners), HEPA filters, and carbon filters.
Mechanical filters simply trap dust and other particles inside the machine until they clog up or become too much of a nuisance to work any longer. These are very efficient at removing small particles from the air but don’t really deal with gases or chemicals.
These will often have a display showing how many liters of air the machine is processing per second. On average, a purifier should be able to process between 5 and 10 liters of air every hour.
If there are no mechanical filters, then the machine may have an ionizer or ultraviolet lamp. These emit small amounts of ozone into the room but these amounts are generally safe for people to breathe in. You can still see whether it is working or not – just switch it on to the highest setting and wait for a couple of minutes.
If there are no mechanical, chemical, or ozone filters… how does it work? Sometimes purifiers have an ionizer that produces ions that change the electrical charge of harmful particles in the air. This means that they can then attract them to the purifier.
Other machines have a photocatalyst that breaks down harmful organic molecules into harmless ones by using ultraviolet light waves. These are sometimes found in larger, industrial air purifiers used in manufacturing plants and other areas where there is a lot of pollution.
Checking The Vents
How To Tell If Air Purifier Is Working? There are many ways to tell if an air purifier is working. One of the first ways to check is by looking at the vents of the air purifier. If it’s blowing out clean air, then there are no dust particles in the air.
If the air purifier isn’t working, then you’ll be able to see dust coming out of the vents. Based on this information alone, you will know if it’s time to call in a repairman or take corrective measures yourself.
Checking The Filter
Another thing that you can do is check the filter. If the filter is dirty then there’s a good chance that the air purifier isn’t working. How To Tell If Air Purifier Is Working? You should check the filter.
Checking the filter – one of the most important things that you need to check while checking an air purifier for functionality is the filter. This filter needs to be clear and clean so that it can absorb all dust particles in the air.
The filter inside an air purifier is responsible for absorbing all dust particles, pollens and pollutants present in the air to ensure a healthy living environment. With a dirty or broken filter, you won’t be able to get a clear view of your surroundings and it will affect your health too.
You can tell if your filter is dirty by checking to see if there are any visible signs of dirt on it or if the material looks heavy and compressed. If this is the case, then you should replace the filter right away.
Checking Performance Stats
How To Tell If Air Purifier Is Working? You can also determine whether or not an air purifier is working by checking the performance stats. These are usually found on high-end machines and can provide information about how many particles have been filtered out of the air, the temperature of the room being processed, and so on.
There are also apps that you can download onto your smartphone which will monitor these stats for you. They’ll keep track of the time that has elapsed, how many particles have been removed, and even give you an estimate of how much money it would take to run the purifier for a full year.
Air purifiers are great at removing pollutants from the air but only if they get used properly or get repaired when they stop working! You can tell if your purifier is working properly by checking for dust particles in the vents, checking the filters to see if they’re dirty, and monitoring performance stats such as airflow and temperature.
Air Quality Performance Check
How To Tell If Air Purifier Is Working? You should also check the air quality performance to know if your air purifier is working or not. You will see a lot of dust particles in the air if your purifier is working. If not, you can find out the reason and fix it to get good air quality.
Checking the power status of the appliance – the air purifier has to be plugged in and turned on to determine if the appliance is working or not.
Checking the fan speed
The next thing that you need to check while checking an air purifier for functionality is the fan speed. If your air purifier has a manual button to change between two or more settings of fan speeds, then test it and see if it’s working. The maximum and a minimum number of fan speed settings vary from one brand to another.
Checking the LED indicator
A lot of air purifiers come with a built-in LED light or indicator that will help you to know the working status of the appliance. Check out your purifier and see if it has an indicator light or not. If yes, then test it by turning it on and off several times to check if it’s working or not.
Checking the warranty period
How To Tell If Air Purifier Is Working? It is important to check your appliance’s warranty period because most brands offer an extended warranty for their appliances. Make sure that you are using your appliance according to the guidelines given in the user manual so that there are no problems in terms of repair and maintenance. Repairing your appliance according to your warranty period will help you save money on repairs.
Checking the power consumption
How To Tell If Air Purifier Is Working? It is important to check the power consumption of an appliance before buying it, after buying it, and while using it. This is because some brands tend to exaggerate their facts when it comes to saying how much power an appliance consumes in a year or over a specific time period. You can compare two or three appliances and go for the one that consumes less power as compared to other brands.
Checking the EMI emission
Check your appliance’s emission of electromagnetic waves along with all its positive aspects and disadvantages. If you think that your surrounding is already polluted then it’s better to get an appliance with low EMI emission so your baby or anybody else in the household doesn’t have to deal with any kind of health issues.
Tips For Making Your Air Purifier Work Properly
How To Tell If Air Purifier Is Working? Check your filters: If you purchased a HEPA filter, make sure the filter is rotating. If it’s not, try to find out why and fix it. Check your return-air setting: Set the air cleaner so that current returns to the system instead of recirculates.
Change the filter: Once every six months is best, but every three to four months is okay if you want to save on cost. Change the furnace filter: Furnace filters should be replaced at least once per year.
Keep dust and pet hair out: Vacuuming and wiping surfaces help control these and will keep your air purifier from having to work as hard. Clean the air purifier: Outdoor-air intakes and HEPA filters need regular cleaning.
Use air cleaners properly: Place your air cleaner in a single room per day. Daily use allows pollutants to be removed from the room instead of recirculated throughout your home. Replace the filters as soon as they become dirty or clogged, even if the indicators are not yet on.
Select an air purifier that is perfect for your lifestyle and the needs of your family. Keep your air purifier at least three feet away from walls or other electronic devices. Otherwise, it will make noise and disrupt the flow of the filter.
Clean the filter every six months to ensure it is not clogged and does not cause pressure on the motor. Keep the air purifier away from windows because cold air hitting it will cause the airflow to reduce.
Clean or replace filters regularly so they can remove contaminants in your air effectively. Avoid placing the purifying unit under direct sunlight to avoid any issues with overheating, which can damage it.
How To Tell If Air Purifier Is Working? Be sure to keep the general maintenance of the appliance up to date. If there are loose screws, replace them before they damage any internal components. If you have pets, consider an air purifier that is pet dander-specific.
Always check for blockages in case anything got caught between the filter and venting system. Remember to clean or replace the filter every six months. Do not run the device 24/7, as this can cause it to overheat.
Don’t place air purifiers near windows because cold air hitting them will reduce airflow. Keep pets away from air purifying units that deal with pet dander; animals love to lick the filters.
FAQs
Can an air purifier really clean up bad smells in my home?
Yes. Cleaning the air is only half of it. Many purifiers come with built-in fragrance discs to provide a pleasant smell for your room at any time. While some may not like the fake smells, many people actually enjoy activating these features just for that fresh scent!
Which is better, HEPA filters or activated carbon filters for cleaning the air inside your home?
HEPA and carbon filters work in tandem and both provide benefits to your home. Studies have shown that the best type of filter for your home is one that uses both HEPA and activated carbon technology. However, since we know HEPA does a lot more than just clean the air, some people prefer to stick with it exclusively.
Why is a high MERV rating important?
A higher MERV rating means that the product you’re buying has a more effective filtration system. So if you have allergies or other health conditions, make sure to purchase an air purifier with a high MERV score for the best results.
Is an air filter and a humidifier the same thing?
It can come as a surprise that an air filter and a humidifier are not the same things. An air filter removes pollutants from the air, while a humidifier adds moisture to the air.
Air filters are used to remove particles, odors, allergens, or other things from the air before it is returned back into the home. A humidifier adds moisture to dry winter indoor air by evaporating water contained in a reservoir using an electric heating element.
Does activated carbon work like a HEPA filter?
Somewhat. Activated carbon captures pollutants by physical means — trapping particles because they’re too big to fit through the pores in the filter — whereas HEPA filters need to be paired with an airflow system that allows them to capture pollutants this way. They both exist independently and together
Why does my air purifier smell like moldy clothes after using my heating system?
It could be because the ducts connecting your air conditioner and heating system are not insulated to protect them from the outside which is why you’re smelling that type of odor.
You can tell by looking or feeling the air ducts. Another reason to check is whether the insulation has become damaged/ripped, leaving parts of it exposed to outside elements.
If you don’t want to go through all that hassle, just get a dehumidifier instead. They’re designed to remove the moisture from the air inside your home without having to check if there’s any insulation damage.
Does an ozone generator work like an air purifier?
No, exactly not. If it were true, then people would not have to get an ozone generator for their homes. Air purifiers are designed specifically to clean the air of pollutants that are harmful or otherwise dangerous to humans, while ozone generators produce a toxic gas called. It can cause different effects in people depending on how much is inhaled and how long it lasts, ranging from dizziness to asthma attacks.
Why does my air purifier smell after I just cleaned it?
A lot of people think that because you have allergies, you should buy an air purifier with fragrance discs included. However, it’s just not worth the risk. Think about what often smells good to most people: flowers and perfumes. That doesn’t mean they’re good for anyone to breathe in.
The reason why air purifiers have fragrance discs included is that it’s there so you can enjoy the nice smell while you’re still in the room. However, if your air purifier smells after cleaning it, it could be because you still left something behind when wiping down the filtration system.
Conclusion
How to tell if air purifier is working? An air purifier that is set up correctly and installed in the home can be very effective at removing pollutants from the indoor environment. However, if you’re not sure whether your unit is working, we hope our reviews above will help you.
