No matter how aesthetic and comfortable your place is, indoor smells can ruin the atmosphere. Whether dealing with cooking fumes, lingering smoke scents, or pet odors, it might seem like a never-ending battle against unpleasant odors. We have just the solution for you: air purifiers! Let’s see how effective are room air purifiers can be in fighting unpleasant odors and how to choose such a device!
How Air Purifiers Work
Air purifiers operate by filtering the air in a room. They draw air into the room using filters to trap allergen particles. Then, they circulate the purified air back into the room.
Types of air purifiers:
HEPA: High-efficiency particulate Air (HEPA) air filters can capture 99.97% of particles as small as 0.3 microns.
Carbon filters: Air cleaners that use activated carbon filters are the most potent at neutralizing smells in a room.
The air purifiers at Khols offer both types, and most top companies have such a selection.
The Role of Activated Carbon
Air purifiers that use activated carbon filters are known to be the best at neutralizing smells. These filters can remove even the most stubborn odors from kitchen and pet odors.
Unlike HEPA filters, activated carbon filters trap the molecules that cause the bad smell through a process known as adsorption. Through this process, the odor-causing molecules are magnetized toward the carbon surfaces and trapped there so they will not be released into the room. The carbon material is very porous, increasing trapped molecules’ capacity in a relatively small filter.
The smell is trapped as the air passes through the carbon filter, releasing fresh air into the room. The filter captures and holds the odor-causing molecules without changing their chemical structure through the Van der Waals forces.
As such molecules fill the porous surface of the carbon filter, its efficiency will decrease, requiring the air purifier to have a new filter.
Types of Odors Air Purifiers Can Help With
The fitting room air purifier can make a difference in how your house smells and the comfort you enjoy in your space. Understanding how air purifiers address each type of odor in your household can help you choose the best one for your needs!
Kitchen Odors
Cooking smells are the most common, and you might be bothered by them longer after you enjoy a delicious meal. Air purifiers with activated carbon filters can help you eliminate the smell of frying, grilling, or strong spices. You can maximize the effectiveness of such air purifiers in open living spaces where the kitchen is not enclosed and smells circulate quickly.
Pet Odors
We love our furry friends, but sometimes, we must control the odors they create to enjoy the comfort of our homes. From dander to litter boxes and dog-specific scents, your room air purifier can help refresh the air in your home. If this sounds familiar, you can use a combination of HEPA filters and activated carbon filters. The HEPA system will catch the dander, and the carbon filters will efficiently remove the odors.
Smoke
Fireplace or cigarette smoke is not only unpleasant but also unhealthy. Air purifiers with dense carbon filters absorb the scent and compounds in the smoke, improving the air and making it healthier for everyone in your household.
Mold and Mildew
Mold and mildew generate an odor that indicates too much moisture in the room and presents health risks. Air purifiers can’t eliminate mold but can efficiently filter mold particles from the air. Air purifiers for mold can use HEPA filters to eliminate mold spores and activated carbon filters to eliminate the smell.
Other Household Odors
You can rely on the best air purifiers at Khols to eliminate other household odors, such as trash bins, different chemicals, or paint. Air purifiers that use activated carbon filters capture volatile organic compounds (VOCs), leaving your home with fresh, healthier air.
Limitations of Air Purifiers
Air purifiers can efficiently eliminate unpleasant smells but don’t offer a complete solution.
The best air purifiers will eliminate the airborne particles but not the source of the odor. This means the unpleasant smell will likely come back according to its source.
Addressing the Source of the Smell
Before choosing the best room air purifier, it is essential to identify and address the source of the unpleasant smell. Doing so will help you choose the right air purifier for you and keep the odors under control. Eliminating the source when possible will prevent recurrence, improve air quality, and enhance the efficacy of the room air purifier.
You can do several things to identify and even eliminate the source of a foul odor.
Ventilation
By increasing airflow, you can reduce or even eliminate odors. This method is particularly efficient for cooking smells and those from chemical products. Additional ventilation or simply opening the windows and using exhaust fans is also very efficient.
Regular cleaning
If you clean your space regularly, the odors will not have time to settle in, and many might even disappear altogether. You should keep your upholstery, curtains, and rugs clean and eliminate mold and mildew.
Pet care
Your lovely pet can be a constant source of unpleasant odors. While simply having a furry friend in the house causes some of them, you can avoid others. Regularly bathe and groom your pet, and ensure you keep their space, such as their bed and favorite blanket, clean.
Garbage management
Disposing of your garbage regularly doesn’t allow the decomposing materials to bring a foul odor to your house.
Plumbing issues
Stay on top of plumbing issues such as leaks or drain issues to avoid unpleasant smells and water damage in your home.
Choosing the Right Air Purifier for Odor Removal
Before you choose the best room air purifier, you have to consider several factors. Finding the most efficient air purifier for you can make all the difference, as not all air purifiers are made equal!
Your Room Size
The design of air purifiers accommodates different volumes of air, making your room size one of the most important aspects to consider. Check the product description for the air purifier’s surface and ensure it matches your room size. For instance, air purifiers at Khols are sorted by room size, so you can find what you need faster.
The Type of Odor
Next, check whether the air purifier uses the right filter to eliminate your space odor. Organic smells like cooking or pet odors can be efficiently reduced or eliminated with activated carbon filters. Chemical or synthetic odors might require HEPA filters or a combination of HEPA and carbon filters.
Decide on the Filter Type You Want
Choosing the type of filter you want your air purifier to have will significantly narrow your options. Aside from the classic HEPA and activated carbon air filters for the home, some air purifiers use specialized filters and systems like UV-C light or photocatalytic oxidation. These specialized filters are commonly used to eliminate specific allergens or pollutants.
Check the Clean Air Delivery Rate (CADR)
The Clean Air Delivery Rate (CADR) found in the product specifications can strongly indicate how efficient an air purifier is. CADR measures how efficient an air purifier is in eliminating air pollutants like smoke, dust, or pollen. Even if it measures the capacity to get rid of matter rather than smells, a high CADR score indicates an increase in filtration and airflow efficiency, which helps eliminate odors, too.
Look Into the Air Purifier Reviews
Air purifier reviews can provide valuable insight into the product’s performance in certain conditions. While you shouldn’t rely solely on what other customers experience, these reviews will help you make an educated choice.
Maintenance and Replacement of Filters
The efficiency of your room air purifier also depends on how well you keep on top of filter removals and maintenance issues. Replacing an overloaded filter with a new one is paramount for the air quality your purifier delivers. Regular filter maintenance keeps your air purifier efficient, prolongs its lifespan, and ensures high air quality.
Air filters for homes will need different maintenance and replacement according to their type and the air they filter. You should generally replace HEPA air filters every six to 12 months. When it comes to activated carbon filters, you might need to replace them every three months.
Neglecting air filter management attracts consequences such as:
Reduced performance: Overused filters will not capture pollutants as well as they should, which reduces air quality in your home.
Reduced airflow: A clogged filter decreases airflow, making your air purifier less efficient.
Increased power consumption: The clogged the air filter, the more the air purifier engine needs to work. Your electricity bills will be higher, and your efficiency will suffer.
Health hazards:
Not replacing overused filters on time can lead to the growth of bacteria and mold, which will then be released back into the air, creating health hazards.
Wrap-up
The best room air purifiers can be highly efficient for maintaining clean and fresh air in your home. However, rather than relying entirely on these devices, it is mandatory to identify and eliminate the source of the foul odor. Use the proper criteria to choose the room air purifier that will address your needs and stay on top of filter maintenance for increased efficiency. You will find the perfect device among the air purifiers at Khols selection and enjoy cleaner, healthier air in your home!
