Most air purifiers are very easy to use. At the easiest level, you can just turn it on and forget about it. However, you can maximize your air purifier's performance by following these simple tips:
 1. Leave your air purifier on all the time. If you're concerned about energy usage, turn the fan speed to low. (Luckily, most air purifiers don't require very much energy – only about the same amount as your computer.)
Air purification is a continuous process because the air quality in your home is constantly changing. You cannot run an air purifier for a couple of hours and expect your air to remain clean. We also recommend that you leave your air purifier on when you go out of town; otherwise, you'll return home to polluted air.
 2. Leave your air purifier in the same room. If you own only one air purifier, you should place it in your bedroom, since that's where you spend a third of your life. Air purifiers work best if you leave them in the same room all the time.
(Editor's Note: I must admit that I do move my air purifier into the kitchen sometimes when I'm cooking. Cooking is detrimental to indoor air quality, as it releases chemicals into the air. Most of the time, however, my air purifier remains in the bedroom. If I ever get my tax rebate check from Uncle Sam, perhaps I'll invest in a dedicated unit for my kitchen.)
 3. Keep doors and windows closed when your air purifier is on. If you leave a window open, then all the clean air will escape! Air purifiers work more efficiently in confined spaces. With that said, we do recommend that you open doors and windows to air out your home periodically. Just turn off your air purifier beforehand so that you don't waste the electricity.
 4. Point the flow of clean air toward your breathing zone for maximum results. Now, if you leave your air purifier in your bedroom all the time, then it doesn’t really matter which way it's pointed. However, if you're sitting in a large office building, for instance, then you should point the flow of clean air toward your face to create a pocket of clean air around you.
 5. Avoid ionic air cleaners and ozone generators. At this point, thanks in part to the huge class-action lawsuit against Sharper Image because of deceptive marketing claims for their ionic air cleaner, many people know that ionic air cleaners are ineffective and potentially harmful. Nearly all ionic air cleaners emit ozone, which is a harmful lung irritant that can trigger allergies and asthma attacks. Stick with doctor-recommended HEPA air purifiers for safe, effective air filtration.
 6. Replace filters on time for maximum efficiency. As time passes and filters collect more pollutants, they lose efficiency. Follow the filter replacement guidelines in your owner's manual to ensure that your air purifier is operating optimally. Or, let achooallergy.com do the work for you: sign up for our free filter replacement reminder program, and we'll send you an email with a purchase link when it's time for a filter change. |
