On a daily basis, we consume four pounds of water, one pound of food and 22 pounds of air. Air is our most important nutrient and we assume that the air we breathe is clean and not contaminated, especially in an indoor environment such as our home, office, medical facility, restaurant or hotel.

Yet, the fact is that the air we breathe in our homes can be two to ten times more contaminated than outside air. This is due to the tight structure of our buildings that make them more energy efficient. It has been documented that a majority of us spend 90 percent of our time in enclosed buildings, especially during fall and winter months when many of us are further restricted to inside activities.

Many Pollutants Indoors
Indoor air pollution consists of many different irritants and allergens. These include airborne dust, tree pollen, grass pollen, pet hair, pet dander, allergens, textile dust, dust mites and their feces, bacteria, fungus and mold spores and other lung damaging particles. These pollutants are implicated in a wide range of illnesses from irritating to severely debilitating and even fatal.

Indoor airborne pollutants are measured in microns. One micron is 1/25,000 of an inch. This is really miniscule. A human hair, for example, measures between 30 and 120 micron. Dust mites measures between 0.1 to 0.3 micron and staphylococcus bacteria measures 0.7 micron.

The size of a given particle helps to determine the degree of potential threat to human health. Mid-range particles range from 0.3 to 0.9 micron and pose the biggest threat and are most likely to become lodged in our lung tissue.

These particles are also small enough to get past the tiny hairs in our breathing passages but are too large to be easily exhaled.

Examples of mid-range particles are pollen, pet dander, mold spores, dust mite particles, auto exhaust and particles from laser printers and copiers. These particles are known to trigger asthma episodes and allergy attacks. Mid-range particles also cause such health problems as headaches and dizziness to cardiovascular disease and even cancer.

Getting Rid of Dust Mites
One problem allergen especially for asthma and allergy sufferers is dust mites. For these individuals, dust mites are a real concern, especially in the bedroom as they sleep at night. According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, dust mites are probably the most common cause of year-around allergy and asthma. They can be found everywhere, except for Antarctica.

The life cycle of a dust mite is 2 to 4 months and a single female can lay up to 100 eggs. But dust mites themselves are not the problem. It’s the dried excrements and body parts from dead dust mites that cause the problem.

Dust mites survive on the skin cells we shed. One person can produce enough dead skin cells to feed 1,000,000 dust mites a day. Dead skin works its way down into your mattress, box spring, pillow, carpet and upholstered furniture, where dust mites thrive.

Symptoms from dust mites are similar to other allergens such as mold spores and pollen. Symptoms include sneezing, running nose, itchy red or watery eyes, nasal congestion, post nasal drip, coughing and others. For a child, dust mites could cause frequent nose rubbing in an upward fashion.

Dust
Another indoor pollutant is plain old dust. Dust particles tend to be larger and fall out of room air quickly, settling on furniture, carpets and floors. If inhaled, dust particles are normally prevented from entering the lungs by the cilia (hairs) lining the sinuses. These types of particles should be removed.

Filtering Out the Air
Poor air quality can affect your health and often causes coughs, headaches, dizziness, fatigue and nausea. It can also affect your energy level and your degree of alertness.

As the number of allergy, asthma and respiratory sufferers increase each year, assuring good quality air is becoming of critical importance. We need to filter our air just like we filter our water. The challenge is how do we do this?

One way is to purchase a proper in-room air purifier that meets your requirements.

But with a multitude of air purifier models and technologies to choose from, a consumer needs to undertake a considerable amount of research before purchase. An air purifier should also meet the required standards, the size of the room, how many times per hour the air is filtered and is capable of removing the harmful indoor pollutants that affect the buyer.

Two standards are especially important in the selection process: the Clean Air Delivery Rating or CADR and ENERGY STAR.

CADR indicates the volume of filtered air delivered by an air purifier. The higher the tobacco, smoke, pollen and dust particle number, the faster the unit filters the air. For example, if an air purifier has a CADR of over 375 cubic feet per hour, as does our Blueair Model 503, the unit will reduce smoke particle levels to the same concentration as would be achieved by adding 375 cubic feet of 100% clean air every minute. Each air purifier listed by CADR has been independently tested by a third party laboratory. Details can be found on www.cadr.org.

A second standard is called ENERGY STAR, a government-backed program that helps individuals and businesses protect the environment through

superior energy efficiency. An energy efficient choice can save consumers about a third on their energy bill with similar savings in greenhouse emissions without sacrificing features, style and comfort. For details see www.energystar.gov.

Types of Air Filtration Systems Available
Another area consumer’s need to research is the type of filter in the unit. The consumer needs to determine the overall percentage of particles and the smallest size particle a unit can capture with the filter system used by the air purifier manufacturer.

Several types of filter systems are available. They include electrostatic precipitators, HEPA filters and pre-charged filters. Hybrid/Combi filters, such as Blueair’s patented HEPASilent™ Air Filtration System, combine the best features of mechanical and electrostatic technology.

The benefits of an electrostatic precipitator is how easily air can pass, its low noise level and low energy consumption levels. Disadvantages include the fact that these types of systems generate ozone, the system’s low efficiency rating and maintenance since filters need to be cleaned on a regular basis for the system to operate properly.

The second type of filter system is a HEPA filter. Most air purifiers still use this technology founded in the 1940’s and originally made for submarines and power plants. For the most part, these type filters are not environmentally friendly since they require a lot of energy to operate, have a high-pressure drop, have a high noise level and have a difficult time passing air through them. The benefit is that HEPA filters clean up to 99.97% of small airborne particles down to 0.3 micron.

A third system is pre-charged filters. This type of system does have low energy usage, but are inefficient since they lose their charge quickly.

A fourth type of system is the HYBRID/COMBI filter that combines the best features of mechanical and electrostatic precipitator technology. Blueair is an example of this type of technology. Blueair developed its own filtration technology over 15 years ago that it calls HEPASilent™. HEPASilent™ has numerous benefits over existing technology

In selecting an air purifier filtration system, the consumer should consider the types of bacteria, viruses or other airborne contaminants they want to remove from the air and match this to the type of filter that best handles these pollutants. For example, Blueair’s patented HEPASilent™ filtration system captures 99.97 percent of the smallest airborne pollutants down to a tiny 0.1 micron. Specific filters are also available to handle heavier particles such as cigarette or cigar smoke. These particles are very small and light.

Other Factors to Consider
Besides the type of filter, there are several other factors to consider in selecting the best air purifier.

1. Room Size -- The unit purchased should match maximum room requirement suggestions. Blueair, for example, has units available with room capacities ranging from 175 square feet to almost 700 square feet. It is suggested that an air purifier be placed in each room you want clean air. Use the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM) recommended room size to select the correct unit.

2. Operating Cost - Beside checking the unit’s energy efficiency rating expressed in watts, also check the manufacturer's recommended filter replacement interval and cost. Generally, the most effective units are also the most costly to purchase and maintain on a daily basis.

3. Noise Level - Don’t replace air pollution with noise pollution.

Request operating noise values expressed in decibels. Blueair units, for example, are designed to run at 32 to 66 dB (A) similar to noise from a laptop computer. Units are so quiet that a blue light was designed to let the operator know the unit is operating.

4. Legitimacy of Manufacturer’s Claim—AHAM is the most reliable source of unbiased information. Check the manufacturer’s legitimacy and performance claims. Consider filter efficiency and air volume capacity statements, physical address on brochures or websites or lack of detailed information on filter composition or technology.

5. Air Changes Per Hour - Check to see how often the air is cleaned. Blueair units clean the air 5 to 6 times an hour depending on the model. Other units may only clean the air once or twice.

6. East of Use - Replacing filters and periodic internal cleanings can be a negative factor for some individuals. Filter change can be as simple as lifting the unit's lid and sliding in filters in and out, as Blueair’s are, or a complicated operation involving hand tools.

7. Warranty - Select an established manufacturer with a solid warranty. Consider both the length of the warranty and what it covered.

8. Ozone - Make sure the unit selected does not emit ozone. Ozone is a lung irritant and is produced indirectly by ion generators and some other electronic air purifiers and directly by ozone generators. Under certain conditions, ion generators and other ozone generating air cleaners can produce levels of this lung irritant significantly above levels thought harmful to human health.

9. Construction Quality—Look for in-room air purifiers with quality construction, especially internal moving components such as fans and blowers. Check the warranty to make sure it covers all internal components. The unit should be certified for product safety by organizations such as Underwriter’s Laboratory or ETL.

Here are a few final tidbits. Don’t assume that a large unit is more effective or that a small unit is less effective. Select a unit based on efficiency and air volume capacity. Also, don’t forget to check the operating instructions for advice on air purifier placement. Some units require special clearance from walls and windows to operate effectively.

Conclusion
Indoor air quality directly impacts your health. For this reason, we need to filter the air we breathe just as we filter the water we drink. One way to filter the air is through in-room air purifiers that can help reduce indoor pollution levels. Although all air purifiers clean certain particulates from the air, there are differences in what and how they clean. Some air purifier only remove dust and particulates such as pet dander and smoke very effectively while others will actually eliminate bacteria, viruses and molds and mildew, but very few will do all these things. So, the consumer needs to research air purifiers and select the one that can improve the air quality in their home, office or commercial establishment. It’s a dirty world out there and we need to clean it!

Caption #1
The world’s most energy efficient air purifier, the eco-friendly Blueair ECO 10 room air purifier uses 95% less energy than comparable units in its class, costs less than US$10 a year to operate on high speed and has been designed to fit into any room. The greenest and most energy efficient air purifier even made, the unit offers a stylish Swedish design and has a room capacity of up to 300 square feet. Energy savings for the first year in operation is up to $190.00. The unit is designed for residential use in bedrooms, home offices, nurseries and commercial establishments such as hotels, restaurants and daycare and healthcare facilities. It has a suggested retail price of $735.00. 

Caption #2
Designed for rooms 150 square feet or smaller, the stylish cylindrically-shaped silver and black mesh Blueair Model 103 air purifier is ideal for compact areas of the home such as bedrooms, playrooms, home offices or other areas. It offers a new compact design, patented HEPAQuiet™ Filtration Technology and a progressive filter design consisting of variable weave fibers that remove larger particles first for maximum efficiency and airflow and then smaller particles to purify the air. It has a suggested retail price of $199.95.