Alen Air Purifier

If you watch television late at night, you are probably familiar with a filterless air purifier called the Ionic Breeze. These systems have benefits and drawbacks. Lately, there has been some controversy over their safety. Some consider them to be unsafe, while others swear by the results.

How a Filterless Air Purifiers Work

A filterless purifier works by giving the incoming air an electrostatic charge. This charge also charges particles in the air. The air is then moved past an oppositely charged collection grid. The impurities in the air are attracted to the grid, like a magnet. The grid must be removed periodically and cleaned of the impurities. This is easily done with a damp cloth. Once the grid is completely dry, replace it and turn the machine back on. These systems can be installed on a forced air heating system to treat the whole house, or can be purchased in portable units.

This process creates ozone in the air. If you have been outside after a thunderstorm, you have smelled natural ozone in the air. These systems clean the air the way nature cleans the outdoor air.

However, some feel the ozone that is created can be a health hazard, particularly if it is highly concentrated. If you are using a portable air cleaner, be sure it isn’t too big for the room in which it is being used. The square footage is listed on the box and in the owner’s manual. Another option is to run it for a while and then turn it off before using the room.

Benefits of a Filterless Air Purifier

There are no filters to change with this type of purification system. Replacement filters can be expensive and not having one saves money in the long run.

They use a collection grid to collect impurities, rather than a filter. The impurities stick to the grid and are wiped off with a damp cloth. Once the grid is clean and dry, place it back in the machine and turn it on.

The filtration process leaves a fresh smsell in the air that many people find vitalizing. You won’t need to use air fresheners with these systems.

They are nearly silent when running. This is great for night time use. Some air purification systems can be very noisy and may need to be turned off at night.

Drawbacks of Filterless Air Purifiers

The safety of these filtration systems was called into question a few years ago when Consumer Reports gave the Ionic Breeze a bad review and called it hazardous. The reason is the ozone that is a by product of the purification process. Ozone is a pollutant and can be irritating to people with asthma or other respiratory disorders. Sharper Image responded by adding a component called “Ozone Guard” which is said to convert most of the ozone into oxygen. On a later review, Consumer Reports still gave the machine low marks, but said the ozone output is now in acceptable levels.

These systems are more expensive than other air purifiers. However, when you add in the cost of replacement filters, this price difference diminishes over time.

The collection grid must be cleaned frequently. If it isn’t clean, it won’t work. The frequency depends on the number of impurities in the air. Homes with pets, smokers, a lot of dust, etc, will need more frequent cleaning.www earth4energy com|www earth4energy com|www earth4energy com

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There is a debate raging about the safety of ozone air purifiers. Some love the fresh smell and swear by them. Others are voicing concerns about the ozone that is a by product of the air cleaning process. Ozone is a pollutant and at high levels can cause respiratory problems. This is particularly true for people living with a condition that causes decreased lung function.

How Ozone Air Purifiers Work

These purifiers work by giving the air a positive charge as it moves through the machine. This causes the particles in the air to become charged as well. The charged contaminants are handled in one of two ways. In some systems, the air simply moves through the machine and is charged. The particles then settle on your walls, furniture and carpeting. These need to be vacuumed or dusted away.

More common is a system that contains a collection grid to trap the contaminants in the air. The Ionic Breeze is probably the best known of these systems. You have probably seen this advertised on late night television. The particles attach to a collection grid. You remove the grid and wipe away the contaminants and then replace the grid in the machine. The grid is easy to clean with a damp rag. This eliminates the need for replacement filters, as with hepa air purifiers.

Safety Concerns with Ozone Air Purifiers

The controversy over the safety of ozone gained publicity a few years ago when Consumer Reports gave the Ionic Breeze a low rating due to the ozone released. The position of Consumer Reports was that the ozone released was unhealthy. Sharper Image disputed this claim and tried to sue Consumer Reports and the parent company, unsuccessfully.

The new Ionic Breeze has a feature called Ozone Guard that is intended to clean the ozone out of the air. While not all the ozone can be removed, the level in the room is lower than without the Ozone Guard feature. In spite of this change, Consumer Reports still gave the system low marks. According to their testing, the purifier scored just within the acceptable limit of ozone in the air.

Ozone is particularly bad for people with decreased lung function. This includes people with asthma or COPD. For these people, ozone can cause coughing and shortness of breath. Many find the symptoms of respiratory disease become worse when exposed to ozone in the air.

5 Ways to Improve Safety with Ozone Air Purifiers

o Operate the purifier on a lower setting to reduce the amount of ozone in your air. If odors are a problem, run the machine on the higher setting when you are not in the room and then turn it to the lower setting.

o Buy a machine made for the size of your room. Using a machine intended for larger areas in a small room can cause an unhealthy level of ozone in the room. Be sure your unit is appropriate for the size of your room.

o Make sure the room is well ventilated. The more air circulation, the less ozone will accumulate in the room. Keep the doors open to increase air flow.

o Home furnishings help absorb some of the ozone in your air. A sparsely furnished room will contain more ozone in the air than a room with upholstered furniture, curtains, rugs, pillows and other decoration.

o Run the appliance when you are not in the room. Turn it off and air out the room before entering. If you are having company, you can run the machine in the empty room and turn it off before your guests arrive. This will remove odors and leave the room smelling fresh.earth4energy a|earth4energy a|earth4energy a

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Air Purifiers are all the rage now, everybody has them and everybody sells them.

There are Ionic Air Purifiers, regular filter Purifiers and HEPA filter purifiers.

The Journal of the American Medical Association now suggests that the air pollution existing today in the US raises the risk of lung disease to a point where more than half of the US population is breathing unhealthy amounts of air pollution . More than 50 million Americans seem to be suffering from allergies and more than 20 million battle asthma. There is such a thing as Sick Building Syndrome, a worldwide phenomenon, when chemical substances used in office construction such as glue, insulating materials, cardboard, and fiberglass are steadily released into the atmosphere from electronic equipment, carpeting, furniture and fittings. That is why the air inside buildings or residential structures may be many times more polluted than the air outside, according to the EPA.

Because of all these reasons Air Purifiers have become very important. The different types of air purifiers include mechanical purifiers, electronic air purifying systems, hybrid purifiers and gas phase purifiers. Most of these systems remove particles and harmful toxins from the indoor air.

The HEPA Filter is a High Efficiency Particulate Arrested Filter designed to remove 99.97% of all airborne pollutants 0.3 microns or larger from the air that passes through the filter ( including tobacco smoke, household dust and pollen).

There are also filtering technologies that operate by using ozonation. The most popular air purifier on the market today uses ozone. These purifiers actually produce ozone which is an irritant that can worsen asthma and decrease lung function.

The removal of particles from the air is what is measured when the efficiency rate is trying to be achieved. The fraction of particles that is removed from the indoor air being measured is what determines the amount of efficiency an air purifier possesses.

Air cleaners using mechanical filters or electronic technology can perform particle removal. Mechanical home air purifiers are units that can draw the indoor air through a metal or fibrous filter that is designed to trap the particles.

Because filters have different size pores they are able to catch these particles. is able to catch these particles with its different sized pores. Different types of filters may be pleated , square, round, with different levels of efficiency.

Mechanical filters in general are very efficient in eliminating contaminants from the air as long as they are cleaned regularly. There are 3 diferent types of electronic purifiers:

Electrostatic purifiers pull air into a chamber and charge the particles electrically. The air is then let through wafers which are negative ion generators, give particles a charge and cause them to stick to the nearest solid object.These purifiers are not as effective as the other electronic or mechanical purifiers because they do not eliminate particles but move them to another location.

Ionizers do the same thing but create ozone which in itself may be bad for your health. Ozone is a lung irritant produced by ion generators and some other electronic air cleaners and ozone generators. While indirect ozone production is of concern, there is even greater concern with the direct, and purposeful introduction of a lung irritant into indoor air. There is no difference, despite some marketers’ claims, between ozone in smog outdoors and ozone produced by these devices. Repeated exposure to ozone pollution may cause permanent damage to the lungs.

Hybrid air cleaners use both mechanical filters and electronic technology in order to clean the air of particles. Ozone emissions may be present from the use of electrostatic air purifiers and negative ion generators. High levels of ozone may be harmful but cleaning the units as specified by the manufacturer may mitigate the possible bad effects of ozone to some extent.

Efficient Air Purifiers can cost anywhere from $500 to $1500 for a single room and a System to clean a whole house can easily run into the thousands of dollars.earth4energy guide|earth4energy guide|earth4energy guide

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