Dennis Reed - Page 51 of 53

Do You Put Water in a Humidifier?

There are so many appliances that deal with Air Quality available on the market. Some clean air, Some add moisture, Some reduce moisture.
Humidifiers are one of them that can get confusing. What do they do? How do you use a humidifier?

For instance,

Do you put water in a humidifier?

Yes. Humidifiers come with a detachable tank that you fill with water.

The purpose of a humidifier is to add moisture to air that is too dry.

When the humidifier is filled with water and turned on, it disperses water droplets into the air, either by misting or vaporizing it.

Humidifiers are usually considered a winter appliance. That’s because
dry air is typically more problematic in the winter months. Dry chapped lips, crusty or bloody noses, dry coughing, are all symptoms that you can experience when the air is too dry.

Dry air can have an effect on the amount of dust in your home also.
Dust can also cause you to have issues with your respiratory system as well as dry out your skin.
Dust can also affect things like laptops and other electronics.

Adding a humidifier during the low humidity season
to your home or office can help you reduce the amount of dust in the air.

Providing extra moisture to the air can make the dust wet enough that it will clump together and fall to the surface.
Adding moisture to the air with a humidifier can also give dust an adhesive quality that will keep it from kicking back into the air as long as the humidity stays at a good level.

Do you put hot or cold water in a humidifier?

Cool or Room temperature water are are best . No need to mess with hot or scalding water. A warm mist air purifier will heat the water on its own. Also very cold water doesn’t create mist very well.

What kind of water do you put in a humidifier?

Filtered or distilled water is better because it has less sediment that can get into your air or clog up your humidifier filter.
Tap water is okay if the water is not known to be extra hard. The Vicks V5100 cool mist humidifier owner’s manual calls for tap water.

Both will add humidity to the air equally. But cool mist humidifiers are generally known to ease allergy and sinus symptoms better.

There are advantages to both.

Warm vapor humidifiers typically have some type of tray or compartment to add Vicks or eucalyptus oil.

Breathing warm vapor with Vicks added to the mix can open up your airways nicely.

But without adding some type of enhancement like Vicks, warm vapor tends to cause your nasal passages to swell which could make it harder to breathe.

Warm mist air purifiers also heat water to a boiling point. So they can be quite dangerous if knocked over.

Should a humidifier run all night?

A Humidifier is a great way help you sleep when you have sinus issues that can dry out your nose and throat.

It is safe to leave it running all night as long as the humidity level in your home calls for it.

Is it safe to leave a humidifier running when it is out of water?

The water in the humidifier does nothing to help it cool down the humidifier itself, so there is no danger of overheating if it runs out of water.

Cool mist humidifiers can be quite loud and have a calming effect comparable to listening to rain loops or white noise.

The sound from a cool mist humidifier can be a sleep aid as much as the cool mist emitting from the humidifier.

The only real danger to leaving a humidifier running all night is if your humidity level is already high enough.

Can you over humidify a room?

Too much humidity can exasperate breathing problems as much as low humidity.

One of the reasons that is true is that heavy humidity levels facilitates the growth of dust mites.

One of the most common household allergens is dust mites. Dust mites actually get there nourishment from the humidity in the air.

How long should I run a humidifier?

The ideal humidity in the home is 30-50%. If you were humidifier has a built-in automatic shut off, setting it at 40% RH is a good number.

If your humidifier does not have a automatically shut off when the target humidity is reached, then you will need a hygrometer to measure the humidity and manually turn off you were humidifiers when the desired humidity is reached.

A hygrometer is a inexpensive item that looks a lot like a thermometer but instead of measuring the temperature in a room, it measures the humidity.

One thing to remember when purchasing a humidifier is they must be kept clean. Failure to do so will create an environment for mold to grow inside of your humidifier and the Humidifier filter.
As you can imagine water recirculating through a contaminated filter kind of goes against the point of purchasing a humidifier in the first place.

Summary

A humidifier is a great way to add moisture back into the air when you are suffering or dealing with the effects of dry air.

If you are not familiar with a humidifier or the way one works, it is actually a very simple machine then anyone can figure out very quickly.

Operating a humidifier basically comes down to filling the removable tank with water, plugging it in and turning it on.

But there are some more specifics that will help you get the best out of using a humidifier and help you decide which type of humidifier is best for you.

You might choose a cool mist air purifier if your primary reason for operating a humidifier is for health reasons related to dry air such as dry or cracked lips, nose bleeds, dry cough, etc.

Cool mist humidifiers run a little louder than warm mist humidifiers but the sound combined with the humidity actually make a great white noise machine to help you sleep.

Warm mist humidifiers are less loud.
They also create a small heater effect there can help heat up a room.

Warm mist humidifiers also usually come with a compartment to add Vicks or some other type of essential oil to help you breathe.

The main concern with warm mist humidifiers is that they do heat water to a boiling point to create steam and if they are knocked over there is a chance of someone getting burned.

And remember that humidifiers must always be kept clean to avoid mold growth inside of the humidifier and the Humidifier filter.

Why Is The Dehumidifier Freezing Up?

What a pain in the keester.

The temperature is soaring. The humidity is through the roof.
Now the Dehumidifier is icing over.

How does this even make sense?

The middle of Summer. 100 Degrees and the AC and dehumidifier keep freezing over.

What gives?

Why is the dehumidifier freezing up?

1. The room temperature is too low.
2. Blockage. The air flow is interrupted.
3. Malfunctioning humidistat.
4. Fan is not working

Dehumidifiers and air conditioners work on the exact same principle.
If you have an air conditioner that is freezing up, then you can figure out, using the same logic, why your dehumidifier is freezing up.

Air conditioners and dehumidifiers both pull warm air over refrigerated coils that cause humidity in the air to turn to condensate.

In the case of an air conditioner it’s to exchange the warm air for cool air in the room.

In the case of a dehumidifier it is to reduce the moisture content of the air in the room.

1. The Room Temperature is too Low

Usually the most obvious reason a dehumidifier is freezing up is that the temperature in the room in which its operating is too low.

Dehumidifiers are meant to run at temperatures 65 degrees and over.

Imagine if the air that is being pulled over the refrigerated coils is hot, then the result is going to be condensation like on the outside of a glass of water sitting in the sun.

But if the air that is being pulled across the refrigeration is not hot, then the liquid in the air is not going to turn to condensation, it is going to turn to ice.

That doesn’t mean that the whole machine is going to be a block of ice, it just means that there may be areas in your coil system that are icy or even in some cases completely iced over.

The fix is easy. Turn the machine off and let it thaw out. Then make sure you’re not running your dehumidifier in cool air unless you bought a dehumidifier that is specifically made for winner air.

2. Blockage

Another thing that can cause your dehumidifier to freeze up is a blockage that is not allowing your air to flow freely across the refrigeration coils.

In other words you have something either clogging up your filter or you have the unit too close to the wall where the air cannot enter and exit easily. In some instances you may have debris actually get inside the machine and and prohibit the air from flowing through it.

It’s the same concept as running the dehumidifier into low of a temperature.

If the air that is over the refrigeration coils is not allowed to flow freely it will eventually freeze.

The fix for this is easy also. Clean the filter. Make sure the placement of the machine is not in an area where air cannot Flow in and out freely. And open it up to make sure that there is no trash or debris inside that could cause the air to be slowed.

Even though most problems with dehumidifiers and air conditioners freezing can be solved very easily using the methods we stated above, there are also going to be times when the problem is mechanical.

If you have a dehumidifier that it is freezing up and you have ensured that you’re not using it in a room that is too cold or that you have a blockage that is prohibiting the air from flowing through the machine easily,

3. Humidistat Malfunction

There is always a chance that your humidistat is not working.

The humidistat on a dehumidifier is basically the thermostat that tells the machine when to turn on and turn off based on the temperature in the room.

If the temperature in the room drops too much and the humidistat does not communicate with the machine to tell it to turn off then the machine will continue running when the air in the room is too cold and the refrigeration coils will freeze over.

The fix for this is not going to be as easy.
If you’re mechanically inclined, then you may be able to take a tester and test out the humidistat easily enough. And the part itself is held on by a couple of screws usually.

But if you’re not mechanically inclined then you’ll probably want to hire a technician to do the job for you.

4. Broken Fan

Another mechanical problem that can happen that would cause your dehumidifier to freeze over is the malfunctioning of the fan.

Related to the airflow being prohibited when you have a blockage is the function of the fan moving air through the machine evenly and often.

If the fan is not working then the air will not flow through the machine as designed and can end up lingering over the freezing refrigerated coils too long and cause your unit to freeze over.

The fix for replacing a fan or fan motor is the most difficult thing to fix when your dehumidifier is freezing over.

It is recommended that you call a technician to check and replace the fan motor if needed.

Depending on the price that you paid for the dehumidifier and the price of the part and the cost of the service, you might be looking at the cost of a new dehumidifier as well.

Summary

Why does the dehumidifier keep freezing up?

There’s only a few things that can go wrong when a dehumidifier is freezing up.

A couple are very easy to deal with and a couple not so much.

Typically if the dehumidifier is freezing up it’s because the temperature in the room is too cold and instead of the air that is passing over the freezing refrigerated coils turning to condensation, it turns to ice.

And easy enough fix. Turn it off and let it thaw. Then make sure you don’t run it in a cool room below 65 degrees.

Similar to the first problem is airflow. If your filter is too clogged or if you have something in the way of the machine causing the air not to flow freely then the air cannot move easily across the refrigerator coils and the humidity inside of the air will freeze instead of turning to condensation.

Another easy fix. Remove the blockage, clean the filter, make sure the placement of the machine is not inhibited by a wall or any other thing.

The humidistat is a mechanical problem that if it goes out or is not working properly will keep your dehumidifier from turning off at the right time, allowing your dehumidifier to keep going when the air is too cold. Which causes freezing.

Replace the humidistat. Fairly easy job that even a novice technician can accomplish easily.

Lastly and related to the issues with air flow is the fan itself. If the fan has gone out, then they are going inside of the machine will not be forced out evenly and can eventually freeze.

This is the most difficult fix. It is also one that you’ll probably want to call a service man or get someone that is mechanically inclined to deal with.
Parts and labor might be comparable to buying a new machine at this point.

Does a Humidifier Help with Dust?

Dust is a fact of life and one that finding a effectual way of dealing with it is not always the easiest thing to do. Humidity is something you may not associate with the amount of dust in your house. But it can play a huge part.

Does a humidifier help with dust?

Yes. By using a humidifier to add moisture to the air you can significantly reduce dust.
When the air is damp, airborne dust particles will absorb the humidity and get too heavy to float.

Humidity will also will also give the dust and adhesion effect that will keep it from stirring up into the ambient air.

What does Humidity have to do with dust? Is it a help or is it a hindrance?

The answer is both. Low humidity has its issues and high humidity has its issues when it comes to controlling dust.

Low humidity and dry air can make your surfaces, as well as your air, extra dusty where as high humidity can help feed dust mites and facilitate the growth of mold. Both of which are common household allergens.

Dust has the ability to create havoc anywhere.
It can have an negative effect on your:

1.Respiratory System – Dust is made up of multiple components that are considered allergens
2. Skin – dust can clog skin pores which makes acne spread easier as well as dry out your skin and your lips.
3. Household electronics like laptops – laptops and computers tend to get very hot when dust settles on the components located inside. Not only does it make you where electronics get hot, we can make things like switches and volume knobs staticky.
4. Plants- if your plants are covered in dust, you can affect photosynthesis and cause your plants to be malnourished for lack of sunlight.
5. Etc.

Honestly just about anything you can think of can be affected by being inundated with dust.

And the anatomy of dust can be just downright gross.

Some of the many components of dust include insect waste and decomposing insects. As well as shed skin and pet dander. Along with bacteria and pollen and every other microscopic particle, is there any wonder that dust could induce allergies and mess with your respiratory system?

Do humidifiers help purify air?

Yes. Humidifiers can add moisture to the air that will purify the air by causing the dust floating in the air to clump together and become too heavy to stay airborne.

Adding humidity to a dry room can actually have a washing effect on the air.

But though humidifiers can temporarily freshen your air by dampening the dust and preventing it from floating, they will do nothing to completely remove the dust.

To get rid of the dust you are going to need an air purifier.

The majority of air purifiers pull air through a series of filters including a HEPA and a carbon filter.

HEPA filters are able to capture particles as small as .03 microns which would include particulates like pollen and pet dander.
Other pollutants like off-gassing and odors are adsorbed by a carbon filter.

Does an air purifier help with humidity?

Unfortunately no. Air purifiers do not do anything to add or subtract moisture from the air.

Seems a little unfair that a humidifier can have a cleaning effect on the air but an air purifier you can do nothing to humidify a room. But there are air purifier/ humidifier hybrids like Air Washers that can be purchased that can potentially kill two birds with one stone.

But there are issues with having too much humidity that make that type of device useless in the hot humid months.

Can you use an air purifier and humidifier together?

Yes. The use of an air purifier can only compliment the use of a humidifier and leave the air that much more pure and easy to breathe.

But there is one caveat. If the air is too humid, condensate can cover the filters and make them less effective.

Carbon filters do not mix with humidity and are basically useless when the humidity is too high.

Though humidifiers are usually only pulled out in the winter months when the air is dry, an air purifier is needed every day of the year.

Low humidity is not the only tissue that creates problems with dust. Or more specifically, dust mites.

Dust mites sounds scary because they sound like they might actually bite you. But the truth is dust mites do not bite and what makes them dangerous is that they are so minuscule that they are easily breathed in where they can cause nasty allergy symptoms.

How they relate to humidity is that they actually get their nourishment from humidity. So when the humidity is high, dust mite populations skyrocket.

2. Dehumidifier

Controlling humidity during the hot muggy months is not about using a humidifier to add moisture back into the room, it is about reducing the amount of humidity in your home by the use of a dehumidifier.

High humidity has the ability to hold higher levels of indoor air pollutants than low humidity.

And because the problems like dust mites and mold spores that thrive and high humidity, the indoor air quality can be much worse when the humidity is higher indoors.

A dehumidifier can help reduce the level of humidity in your home and help put a stop to the exponential growth of mold and dust mites that happens in moisture.

Summary

Humidity can help reduce dust by simply making the dust wet and unable to float. It also causes the dust to have an adhesive quality that keeps it from moving around.

a humidifier is a device that you can use in your home that will help you control dust by adding moisture to your air the same way that moisture is added when humidity levels go up outside.

But even though humidifier will help keep the dust population out of the air, it will not purify the air or keep it safe from the allergens that travel in dust.

To completely remove dust allergens, you will need an air purifier.
Most air purifiers simply pull dust through a filter where it is captured.
They can do nothing to add or take away moisture from the air.

So even though a humidifier might help with dust control, a air purifier won’t help with adding humidity to the air.

But that’s assuming that your air is too dry.

What happens when you have the opposite problem? High humidity?

Dust is also a problem in high humidity because dust mites flourish in high humidity and dust mites are one of the most persistent household allergens that creepy and make your air quality unbreathable.

When the air is over humidified, a dehumidifier is a device that can reduce the amount of humidity in your air and give you a welcomed relief from dust mite and mold spore allergies.

Just remember that the collected water in the dehumidifier has the aforementioned allergens residing in the pool with it. So don’t drink it. And don’t let your pets drink it. But it’s probably safe to water the grass or flowers with it.

Where Should I Place My Air Purifier?

Where do you put your air purifier is not as easy as you might think. And then again it just might be that easy.

Where should I put my air purifier?

1. Bedroom
2. Living room
3. Kitchen
4. Arts and crafts room

The obvious answer to where the place your air purifier is where it is needed the most.

In other words if there’s a specific room where you find yourself having sneezing fits or headaches, that would be a good suggestion for where to put your air purifier.

Almost every room in the house is a good candidate for an air purifier.
Whether it’s aerosols or nail polishes, cooking smells or pet dander, air quality is important wherever you are in the home.

Bedrooms make a good choice because that’s where we spent a significant amount of time sleeping. And when you sleep you tend to breathe deeper. So having an air purifier in the bedroom only makes sense from a better health better sleeping point of view.

People also tend to spend a great deal of time in the living room or family room.
The living room gets a lot of traffic and a lot of airborne contaminants moving through it because of the amount of feet moving through it kicking up contaminants into the air.
So the living room is also a great candidate for keeping an air purifier running.

Kitchens usually have a residual smell of some sort from cooking. From an odor stance , using an air purifier with a carbon filter to absorb cooking smells is also a good place to place an air purifier.

Craft rooms can be particularly contaminated with polluted air because of the adhesives and paints, varnishes, so forth.

Placing an air purifier in your crafting room is great way to reduce vocs in the air that can cause headaches and nausea.

Other suggestions include:
Bathrooms
Garages
Game rooms

But whatever room you decide to put an air purifier there are some other specifics to think about.

Should you put your air purifier on the floor?

No. The floor is not a good place for the air purifier because an air purifier will always clean the air directly around the machine the best.
The air that you want clean the most in your home would be the air that you are breathing.
So placing the air purifier on a table or stand will be much more efficient at cleaning the ambient air that will be going into your lungs.

Can I place an air purifier on the carpet?

There is nothing about an air purifier that will inherently harm your carpet. An air purifier is not like a humidifier that has water in it and has the potential to spill but it still is not the best place to keep it because it will be primarily cleaning the air next to the ground instead of the air that you are breathing.

Should I keep on air purifier on the nightstand next to the bed?

No. An air purifier works much like a fan in reverse. In other words it pulls air towards it instead of blowing it away from it.
Is the air purifier is right next to you while you were sleeping, then the air purifier will be pulling the contaminants from the air directly to your side of the room and bed.
Instead of deeply breathing clean air, it will have the opposite effect and you will be breathing extra polluted air.
Having the air purifier across the room from your bed will keep your are clean and keep the particles in the air from coming directly towards you.

Air purifier placement in the living room.

Air purifier placement in the living room is similar to the bedroom. you don’t want to place the air purifier right next to your easy chair that you sit in because the direction of the air is being pulled into the air purifier and with you sitting next to it, the pollutants in the air are coming directly towards you.
Putting the air purifier on the opposite side of the room away from people will keep the polluted air from flowing directly in their direction.

Can I hide my air purifier behind plants?

As long as the air purifier has plenty of airflow and is not obstructed, you can place it behind plants.

but there is one point you may want to think about and that is that many plants themselves are known to oxygenate the room.

If you place an air purifier directly behind the plants you may be filtering out the benefits of having the plants in the room as well.

If you are in the market for an air purifier and you are thinking about where you are going to place it,
There is a type of air purifier that goes directly into your HVAC system and cleans the whole house.

These in duct air purifiers are the perfect placement of an air purifier because they make your central heat and air system into a whole house air purifier.

There are many people who suggest placing air purifiers by the air duct vents in the house because the air coming out of the HVAC system is one of the most polluted sources of air in the house.

Though it may be true that placing an air purifier by the vent could possibly help keep the air from the HVAC from polluting the house, placing an induct purifier or two inside of the ductwork will transform the air inside of your HVAC system.

You will no longer have to use it for a preventative measure to protect yourself from the air because the air itself will be clean and the HVAC will clean any are recycling back into the system.
It’s a win-win situation if your house is outfitted with central heat and air.

Summary

Air purifiers are generally very mobile and can be put anywhere with your having an issue with bad air quality.
Sneezing, headaches, and nausea can occur when you are living in a room that has bad air quality.

If you have a particular area where you are experiencing symptoms then that is the room to place your air purifier.

Bedrooms, living rooms, kitchens, anywhere in the house practically is a good place to put your air purifier because every room in the house has its own type of indoor air pollution problem depending on what’s happening in that room.

Just remember that you want to clean the air that you breathe and not the are next to the floor or next to the ceiling.
So keeping it at head level will give you a much better result.

Also make sure that the air can flow in and out of the machine easily and that there is no obstructions either in front or behind the air purifier.

Finally the placement of an air purifier can be simple by choosing to purchase and induct air purifier that will clean the whole house via the ductwork of your HVAC.

One or two of these air purifiers is enough to clean an entire house without ever having to worry about where to place it for moving it from room to room.

How Often Should You Run An Air Purifier?

Have you recently purchased an air purifier and are wondering where to put it or how long to run it. Air purifiers are expensive and definitely want to get your money’s worth after you’ve bought it.

How often should you run an air purifier?

24/7. Environmental allergies like pollen do not take a break so be prepared to leave your air purifier on all the time during allergy season.

Air purification is an important part of maintaining a healthy environment in your home or office. Breathing clean air use as important as drinking clean water and eating nutritious foods.

Often people purchase air purifiers because they are health conscious and want to have the cleanest home possible for themselves and their families.

But you can argue that more often than not, air purifiers are not even on your radar till you come into a local situation where you are getting unexplained sneezing fits or headaches.

Or you’re just sick of dealing with pollen season.

The point is is that there is a variety of reasons people purchase air purifiers and not every reason requires the same type of air purifier or placement or length of time to keep it on.

But all air purifiers do not use the same types of technologies.

Is it safe to run an air purifier all the time?

Yes. When you use the standard 3 filter air purifier that combines a pre-filter with a HEPA and a carbon filter then you are completely safe to leave it on 24/7.

If your air purifier relies specifically on HEPA and carbon filters, then you can turn it on and leave it on and not think nothing about it after that till it’s time to change the filters.

But…

If your air purifier on the other hand uses oxidation, then you’re probably not going to want to leave it on 24 hours because of the byproduct of ozone being created in the oxidation process.

What!

A lot of people will click out and run away at the mere mention of an air purifier creating ozone.

But the truth is that some of the best types of air purifiers for sanitizing the air and reducing germs in your home do create some ozone as a byproduct. It is a fact.

As an example, photocatalytic oxidation is a technology that can reduce mold spores up to 99 percent and has been proven to destroy airborne viruses.

These air purifiers require a different approach to how long they should be left on.

Though most of these air purifiers do not create a dangerous level of ozone, ozone has a odor at a very low level.

Should I leave my air purifier on when I’m not home?

Yes, unless you’re one of the people that likes the smell of ozone and believe me, plenty of people do, running ionic and oxidation air purifiers is best when you are not home.

Set a timer for to come on when you’re not home and to turn off an hour or so before you get home. That way, your air is being disinfected and you’re not dealing directly with the byproduct of ozone or the smell of it.

Can I use the air purifier with the window open?

Not efficiently. Running your air purifier with the window open is going to greatly reduce the capacity of your unit to clean your air.

For the most part it is exactly the same effect as you get when you run your air conditioner with the windows open.

The mixture of the outside air with the indoor air causes your air conditioner to be much less effective.

You’re not cooling the air and you’re causing the electric bill to spike.

It’s the same thing with an HEPA air purifier, if you open the doors and windows then you were basically just repopulating your air with contaminants. And your air purifier can’t really make any headway.

Ionic air purifiers don’t work with the windows open either but not for the exact same reason.

Ionizers emit ions into the air. the ideal is that when ions come in contact with airborne pollutants, they become too heavy to float and fall to the surface.

But opening the windows with an ionizer running will basically suck all the ions they were intended to clean the air out the window.

It is a waste of money to run an ionizer with the windows open.

Most of the time air purifiers are bought as an afterthought. you don’t even think about needing one until you come across something in your air giving you fits.

Hindsight is 20/20 and had you known that you were going to have issues with certain allergens in your home, you could have made a lot better decision.

But if you’re in the market for an air purifier and wondering where to place it when you get it, why not consider purchasing an air purifier that has a built-in sensor but automatically turns the air purifier on and off as needed.

Smart air purifiers are the latest greatest in the world of air purification. They usually incorporate three or four different technologies that operate in concert together to ensure that you have clean air all the time in the room that you want it.

These are purifiers are equipped with air quality sensors the communicate with the air purifier to turn on and off only as needed and when there is pollutants identified in the air.

Smart air purifiers are also connected to your phone so that you can monitor your own air as well as schedule and check your air quality anytime you want to.

Another alternative if your home is equipped is to use in duct air purifiers in your HVAC.

The HVAC is actually given as a reason many times to keep your air purifier running 24/7. It is because the ductwork in the average person’s house is usually quite filthy.

Placing photocatalytic or plasma in duct air purifiers into the HVAC is a way of cleaning the air in the entire home with only one or two air purifiers.

How often do you run and induct air purifier is based on the cycling of the air conditioning and heating system.

Summary.

You should run your air purifier 24/7 during allergy season as long as you’re using a HEPA filtering air cleaner.

But if you’re using an air purifier that employees oxidation, then setting a timer and running when you’re not home is a better solution so that the air purifier can disinfect your air while you’re not there and you can come home to clean air without the worry of ozone.

Also running an air purifier with the windows open will greatly water down the ability of the air purifier to work.

Air purifiers are made to clean the air in closed areas with specific square footage. They are not designed to clean the whole outdoors.

Finally, if you haven’t bought an air purifier yet, there are more efficient ways and better technologies available that will clean your air and keep up when to turn it on and off all on their own.

You should check out the world of smart air purifiers and in duct air purifiers for your HVAC.

That’s the smartest way to know how often to run your air purifier.

Do Air Conditioners Purify Air?

Having an air conditioner is an indispensable part of living in today’s modern culture.

Can you imagine that the indoor air conditioner has only been around since the early 1900s?

Many of the architectural designs we admire, high ceilings for instance, came to be out of necessity define ways to cool off the air inside of the house.

But these days, only a little over a hundred years later, many of us cannot stand to be outside in the summer separated from the cool air indoors.

But as building techniques have grown into highly sophisticated ways keeping our homes sealed up, we now have a different problem of our indoor air being polluted.

Breathing clean air is as fundamental a need as being able to cool down or heat up indoors.

It would be great if the same appliances and machines that cool and heat our air we’re also responsible for cleaning our air.
But is that even a possibility?

Do air conditioners purify air?

Air conditioners function mainly to cool off the air in a home but they do work slightly as an air purifier in two ways.

1. They filter the return air.
2. They reduce the humidity can facilitate mold growth and house dust mites.

Do I need an air purifier if I have AC?

Yes. Though your AC can help clean your air through the return vent and keeping the humidity down to a small extent, your typical indoor air quality is much worse then what the air conditioning is able to combat.

Though your AC does have a filter, the primary reason it is there is not to purify the air but to keep dust pollution from getting into your air conditioner.

And though you can purchase HEPA filters that capture much more air pollutants then the typical AC filter,

You have to remember that the AC requires a free flow of air to function properly. Using a dense filter like HEPA for your AC we’ll put a lot of strain on your machine and require much more energy to work.

And though air conditioning coils work much like a dehumidifier, relying on the air conditioner alone to reduce the humidity in the house during the hot summer months also causes the AC to work on overload. Which makes your bill higher and the efficiency what’s your air conditioner work lower.

The air conditioning function of your HVAC unit is also responsible for much of your bad indoor air.

What do I mean?..

The climate inside of your HVAC is moist and it is dark. And there can be actual standing water inside of the drip pan located by the condenser coils.

Standing water in a moist dark area is the ideal environment for mold to grow.

If you have mold inside of the duct work of your AC, then every time your unit cycles, it dispenses mold spores throughout your home via your duct work.

And then the same moldy air gets pulled into your return vents where the cycle starts over again.

Another problem your AC poses to the indoor air quality in your home is dust mites.

If your duct work is dirty, then you have a built-in home for dust mites.

Dust mites also flourish in humidity.

and how humidity is one of the main reasons the air conditioner is running Non-Stop in the summer.

A vicious cycle..

Long story short. Indoor air quality is not best left to an air conditioner to manage.

Air conditioner with air purifier?

With most combo type devices whether it be a humidifier / diffuser or air conditioning and air purifier all-in-one combo, the result is usually subpar.

Most of these machines do completely different jobs and shoving all the parts for both inside a box is not the best ideal.

The portable air conditioner with a built-in air purifier usually means one of two things:

1. It contains a HEPA filter that can filter out smaller particles as the air is being pulled into the air conditioner.

2. Or the purifier itself is an ionizer

Using a HEPA filter in the slot where the normal AC filter goes will capture a little more of the airborne contaminants then the typical filter but it cannot do anywhere as much as having a dedicated filtering air purifier.

Plus the exchange of air that an air conditioner requires to work properly does not happen easily when the air filter is extra dense like a HEPA.

The result will be much like running the air conditioner with a dirty filter which limits its ability to cool dramatically.

A portable or window air conditioner with a built-in ionizer is a better idea but it doesn’t exactly make for all the components of a good air conditioner or a good air purifier.

The problem is is that ions have a very short life and they have a even shorter life when they are blown by a fan.

The air condition will have to be kept on it the lowest fan setting for the ionization to have a real effect on the room.

But…

Ionizers inside of a HVAC air conditioning unit can be a much better idea.

Specifically ionizers that use photocatalytic oxidation or plasma.

Placing these air purifiers directly into the ductwork and the plenum of your HVAC can extremely limit the amount of mold and germs, as well as dust mites that are distributed by your AC and heat every time your air handler kicks on.

This is the best way that your air conditioning can actually be your air purifier and efficiently work as a air purifier and air conditioner.

Summary.

Can your air conditioner purify air?

Yes your air conditioner does have some slight air-purifying function because it does contain a filter that captures dust pollution before it is pulled into the AC.

Also air conditioners have a dehumidifier effect that help reduce moisture in the air which can facilitate dust mites and mold spores.

But air conditioning is not an air purifier and does not have the capacity to manage indoor air quality or efficiently combat indoor air pollution.

Though there are a few portable air conditioner and air purifier combo available to the public, they are fundamentally flawed and do not cool or clean the air, either one efficiently.

But if your home is outfitted with central heat and air, the opportunity for you to have an air conditioner that efficiently cleans the air is available.

In duct air purifiers, specifically photocatalytic and plasma in-duct air purifiers can efficiently clean the air inside of your ductwork as well as clean the air that is returning to your unit to be redistributed.

Hopefully as time moves forward, this type of air purification will be built in to each central heat and air unit that is being installed.

We’ll see…

Can An Air Purifier Cause Dry Throat?

Having a dry throat is not fun. Especially when you’re sleeping good and you have to wake up because of that hacking feeling. Or you’re dying of thirst.

There are many reasons you can experience a dry throat and most have one thing in common, the air is dry.

There are many machines in the house that all related to the quality of the air and affect the air in some way. Air conditioners and heaters, humidifiers and dehumidifiers, and diffusers.

Air purifiers are another one of them, so how can you know if it’s the air purifier that is at the source of your dryness?

Do air purifiers cause dry throat?

No. A dry throat is normally symptomatic of the air being dry which has nothing to do with an air purifier. Air Purifiers Clean the the Air Only. They do nothing to add or take way moisture.

There is fundamentally only two types of air purifiers, one being a mechanical reverse fan style, and the other being a ionic.

1. HEPA air purifier

The mechanical air purifier is basically a fan that pulls air through a filter or a series of filters to capture pollutants such as pollen and pet dander as well as dust mites and hair.

There is not one single component that can in anyway pull moisture out of the air.

2. Ionic air cleaners

Ionic air purifiers basically polarize dust and other airborne contaminants so that they become too heavy to float in fall out of your breathing air.

Again nothing to do with adding or taking away moisture from the air.

The air conditioning and heating is more likely the culprit causing your air to dry out. Humidifiers and dehumidifiers are machines brought in to combat poor indoor humidity levels.
A humidifier is to add humidity, and a dehumidifier is to reduce the humidity.

Air purifiers are for cleaning the air it have nothing to do with adding or taking humidity out of the air.

Air purifier sore throat?

Having a sore throat is symptomatic of a cold or flu. An air purifier is a device that removes allergens and dust from the air. It does not have any function that could cause a sore throat.

Virus and Voc air purifiers can help reduce the capacity for germs and bacteria to move inside your home.

Do air purifiers make your eyes dry?

No. Although dry eyes can be a symptom of air blowing into your eyes, air purifiers draw air to a filter and not directly towards anyone in general.

But..

Placement of the air purifier.

The purpose of an air purifier is to eliminate harmful airborne contaminants from your air.

Many of these contaminants are known allergens such as dust mites, mold spores, pet dander, and pollen.

And these allergens have many symptoms that come along with breathing them. Sneezing, dry or watery eyes, dry and sore throat, headaches, etc.

If you have a HEPA air purifier for instance, the function of the air purifier is to pull the contaminants from the air into the HEPA filter inside of the air purifier.

So..

if you are putting the air purifier next to your bed or your easy chair or anywhere that the air is being pulled toward you as well as the air purifier,

It should come as no surprise that the air directly around the air purifier would be extra polluted,

And you would be breathing and experiencing some symptoms related to that bad air because of where you are in relation to where the air purifier is.

Why is my air purifier making me sneeze?

Again..

Air purifier placement

If you are located near your air purifier, then the air purifier is drawing allergens to award you as well as itself.

it only makes sense that the air around the air purifier will be extra Dusty and have a higher level of allergen contamination.

Dust mites and pollen are known to aggravate your sinuses and cause allergic reactions such as sneezing,

if the air purifier is doing its job, and you are sitting next to the air purifier, then you are pulling those sneezing inducing allergens to toward yourself.

Can air purifiers cause headaches?

No. Air purifiers are machines that remove much of the allergens in the air that cause headaches.

But the air purifier itself does not have any component in it that would cause a headache.

But there is a couple of exceptions

a. Where are you sitting in relation to the air purifier?

Remember that air purifiers draw airborne contaminants into a filter.
if you were sitting too close to the air purifier, then the air around you is probably extra contaminated with headache causing allergens.

b. Ozone.

If you have a air purifier that creates ozone as part of its air purification process,
ozone has somewhat of a bleach smell to it, and just like breathing and smelling bleach would give you a headache, ozone can do the same.

Does an air purifier make you light-headed or dizzy?

No, air purifiers are made to reduce the allergens thay can be associated with lightheadedness and dizziness.

Summary

Air purifiers are made for the good of mankind.

Their function is to reduce indoor air pollution and remove the contaminants from your air that cause you to have different symptoms including dry eyes and throat, sore throat and dizziness.

But there is a couple of things that may cause you to have an adverse reaction to an air purifier.

1. You’re sitting too close to it.

Air purifiers or continually drawing bad unhealthy air to their selves. If you are sitting or sleeping next to your air purifier then it makes sense that you are drawing that bad air to yourself as well.

2. Your air purifier creates ozone.

Ozone can have a pungent bleach smell that can give you a headache if you’re around it too long. Also breathing ozone is also known to be a lung irritant and could cause a congestion type symptom.

If you feel like your air purifier could be the cause of your problem, the simple thing to do is turn it off for a while or a day or two and see if symptoms stop.

Most of the complaints about air purifiers making people sick do not have to do with air purification at all but rather dry air in the home or office.

Though an air purifier is a good ideal anytime over the year because breathing clean air is as essential as drinking clean water and eating nutritious foods,

If your air is too dry, many of the symptoms related to dry air are not something an air purifier can fix.

Dry throat, dry eyes…

It may be time to invest or pull out your humidifier.

Are Air Purifiers Loud?

Air purifiers are machines are you typically want to have on as much as possible. To make sure that you’re breathing healthy air anytime you are in your home.

But that poses a challenge because so much of our life needs to be done without a layer of background noise going on from a loud appliance.

Are air purifiers loud?

HEPA air purifiers can be so loud that they are considered to be a white noise machine as well as an air cleaner.

How loud an air purifier is depends on, what type of air purifier it is, what size is the air purifier, and whether or not the air purifier is set on high or low or in between.

Air purifier noise levels range from very loud when you’re talking about using a HEPA air purifier on high to very quiet when using a ionic air purifier with the fan turned off.

Loudest Air Purifiers

HEPA air purifiers are the most common air cleaners on the market and they tend to be a little on the noisy side.
They are often marketed as having a blanket of white noise to help your baby sleep.

Loud air purifier for sleeping.

A loud air purifier for sleeping is not the worst idea. I personally like to have some sort of white noise or rain sounds playing while I am sleeping. Not only does it block out other sounds, it helps you sleep more soundly.

But that being said, there are also much of the time when having a white noise machine running is not opportune at all.

Even watching TV with something running behind you all the time can be a challenge.

Unfortunately the only thing you can do with a HEPA purifier to turn the sound down is the put it on low or cut it off.

Quietest air purifiers

The quietest air purifiers are

1. Ionic air purifier.

Though some ionizers come with a small fan to help push the ions further from the machine, the fan is not much bigger or noisier than a computer fan.

But most ionic air purifiers are completely silent.

But ionic air purifiers, even though being very quiet, are not the best for sleeping.

Why?..

a. Ionic air purifiers create a low level of ozone that can be an annoyance to smell when you are trying to relax or sleep.

Though ionizers can be very effective at reducing airborne allergens, they are better when you turn them on for a little while, then turn them off to let the smell dissipate.

b. Blue light.

Another annoyance about a ionic air purifier that makes it less desirable to sleep by is the blue light that shines from the air purifier.

Some people can sleep with the lights on, TV on, and train driving through the living room.

But not me. I like it dark when I’m trying to sleep. I’m not a night light type of person and having a blue light from a ion air purifier illuminating the ceiling when I’m trying to sleep is not for me.

2. Induct

Having the air purifier inside of the HVAC (heating ventilation air conditioning unit) is the ideal way to get a whole house air purifier that is completely silent.

The amount of air pollution coming from the ductwork in your home might surprise you.

The HVAC unit is actually one of the main sources of indoor air pollution your home can have.

The quality of your air can be impacted greatly when you have dirty and moldy duct work.

In duct air purifiers or a great way to ensure that the are coming from your heating and air system is clean and that your unit is circulating clean air.

You can also have an effect on the way you sleep, especially if you have any underlying conditions like sleep apnea.

Summary

Most appliances make some level of noise. With air purifiers it’s pretty easy access whether you’re looking at a lot of noise or not.

Air purifiers that use filters as their primary method of cleaning air are going to be louder by nature. Especially if they are designed to clean a large area.

Remember that a HEPA air purifier is essentially a large fan but pulls are through a filter. It takes a large motor to be able to pull the air from a large room through a filter. It’s going to be louder.

HEPA air purifiers are also widely marketed as white noise machines.

Air purifiers that use ionic technologies are going to be quiet because they are simply generating ions or illuminating a germicidal bulb.

Though they may have a small fan, the fan is generally the size of a fan in a laptop and is considered to be whisper quiet.

The best way to get absolute quiet air purification is to play spin doctor air purifiers into your HVAC system.

Not only will you get complete silence with your air purifier, you will turn your HVAC and ductwork into a whole house air cleaner that provides clean air and cleans the air circulating back into the machine, and back into your house etc.

How Long Do Carbon Filters Last?

Activated Carbon filtration is one of the best ways you can safely reduce odors in your home but it can be hard to determine how long an activated carbon filter will continue to adsorb odors and smells as well as chemicals and gases.

How long do carbon filters last?

Carbon air filters last anywhere from 6 months to 12 months. Carbon water filters can last 12 months. Carbon is sold by the weight. The heavier the weight, the longer the carbon will be effective.

Activated carbon filters, once they are done, are pretty much just done.

Rinsing is not effective because the amount of area throughout the porous filter and it is the activation of the filter that causes chemicals and odors to be attracted to it.

Unfortunately the activation of carbon requires excessive temperatures in the range of 900 degrees.

But fortunately activated carbon is readily available and does not cost a mint.

A little explanation on what and how a carbon filter works will help quite a bit when your determining how much time you can expect to get out of a carbon filter.

Carbon or charcoal filters as they’re called pretty regular, can be compared to a sponge.
In the same way that a sponge has millions of tiny pores, a carbon filter is comprised of an area with millions of tiny pores to.
But unlike a sponge that absorbs water and completely fills up, a carbon filter adsorbs contaminants.
That essentially means that they are attracted to the surface of the filter pores and do not fill up the pores but create a film that over time will not allow four chemicals, odors, and gas to adhere, to the filter anymore.

There are more than one reason why a carbon filter will last longer in some cases and have a short life in other cases.

1. How polluted is the area you’re using the carbon filter in?

Does carbon filters are primarily for gases and odors, they do not fare well with dust.

Though Most air cleaners come with a pre-filter to keep any larger debris from clogging up the HEPA or the carbon, they will not do and 100% job.

If you’re using the carbon filter in a dusty area, you can expect the filter to get clogged and have a shorter life.

2. Humidifier sediment

If you’re using a air purifier with a carbon filter in the same room as a humidifier, you may have more than one problem getting a good result out of your carbon.

Not only does a carbon filter not work well in humidity, if you are using a humidifier, the same white settlement you see in the bottom of a humidifier could be getting into your carbon filter and clogging it.

a. Carbon filters do not work with humidity very well because water droplets will fill the porous filter and do not allow the gases and fumes to adhere to the walls of the pores of the filter.

In other words, water clogs up carbon.

b. If you were using a humidifier to add humidity to your room, the water that you add to the humidifier is typically tap water and tap water has many chemicals that turn to sediment when the water dries.

If you’re using the carbon filter in the same room with the humidifier that is using tap water to humidify the room, then the sediment from the hard water can end up in the pores of your activated carbon filtration device.

It’s the same concept but you get from using a carbon water filtering process.
How clean or how dirty your water is is going to affect the life of your carbon filter.

Fortunately it’s a little easier to know when your water carbon filter is going out because the sediment from the impurities in the water will clog up your filter and cause your water pressure to go down.
Also the taste of your water will become noticeably different.

2. The size of the filter compared to overall square footage of the room.

If you’re using a small air cleaner in a larger room, you can expect your filters to get dirtier faster than if you were using the smaller unit in the more appropriate smaller area.

Filters that are designed to cover area is 100 square feet are not going to be able to do the same job in an area that is 200 square feet.

They are not going to perform as well and they are not going to last as long because of the volume of air going through and past the filters.

The appropriate filter in the appropriately sized room will have an impact on how long you can expect your carbon filter to last.

3. The quality of your carbon filter.

Activated carbon is measured by the pound. Even the filter that is in your air purifier is rated by how many pounds of activated carbon it has in it.

Some carbon filters contain 5 lb of activated carbon where other carbon filters contain anywhere from 10 to 20 pounds of activated carbon.

The life of your carbon filter is also determined by how many pounds of carbon the filter contains.

If you have a smaller air cleaner, then the probability is that you have a filter that contains less activated carbon.

But that is not always the case because certain air purifiers are specifically made for chemicals and odors which may mean that that specific air cleaner has a carbon filter that contains a higher weight of carbon.

In any case, the weight of your carbon will help you decide the amount of time you can get out of a charcoal filter.

How can you tell when it’s time to change a carbon filter?

1. It simply is not doing its job.
If the odors that you are using the filter to diminish are starting to get strong again, it’s probably time to start looking at a new filter.

Although if you are in the area all the time, then there is a possibility that you have become nose blind and do not even notice the smell anymore.
If that’s the case then bring another person into the room and see if they can smell it.

2. Carbon filters that are going bad don’t smell sweet anymore.
Have you ever noticed that sweet smell the carbon filter has when you first buy it? Some compared it to cake.

But one way you can tell that you’re activated carbon is beginning to not be effective anymore is that sweet smell of the carbon itself is not there anymore.

Summary

Activated carbon is an amazing way to reduce odors as well as chemicals and gas and your air and in your water.

But they are not a filter in the traditional sense and for that reason it can be tougher to know when it is time to replace the filter.

One of the main reasons it may be time to change the filter is that it is just not doing the job anymore.

But there are other indicators that you can look for that will help you decide whether it is time to change or activated carbon filter.

Some of these include the quality and weight of your filter, the size and weight of your filter compared to the area you are trying to treat, and the filter does not have the sweet smell that carbon is known to have anymore.

Unfortunately activated carbon is not the type of filter that you can rinse off very successfully. And the activation of carbon requires high heat in the range of 1000 degrees.

Replacing is really the only option.

Do Air Purifiers Help With Smell?

Dinner lingering in the air from supper last night, diapers sitting in the trash can that should have been taken out yesterday, cat litter that your daughter was supposed to empty last week but somehow can’t break away from her phone long enough to do so.

Household odors can build up fast. And making the time to do housework is not always the easiest thing to do.

Do air purifiers help with smell?

Yes. As long as an air purifier is using either carbon filtration or photocatalytic oxidation technologies.
HEPA filters will do very little to remove odors.

Getting rid of bad smells and lingering odors is not something any air purifier on the shelf is going to be able to do very easily.

Especially overpowering smells like fried fish and cigarette smoke, or strong odors like gas fumes or turpentine.

Most air purifiers feature HEPA filtration as their main air cleaning technology and though HEPA is the best at filtering out allergens like pollen and dust mites, the molecules that makeup average household smells are too small to be captured in a HEPA filter.

But there are a few other different technologies that will help breakdown and absorb the air particles that produce lingering smells.

4 types of air purifiers that get rid of odors

1. Activated Carbon or charcoal filtration

What is carbon filter in an air purifier?

The carbon filter in an air purifier is a spongy, very porous filter that absorbs
the tiny gaseous molecules that make up odors.

First. activated carbon and activated charcoal are the exact same thing.

Charcoal is a popular carbon substance so the two terms are used interchangeably.

Carbon is a extremely permeable material that attracts and retains VOCs (volatile organic compounds)

The filter is kind of like a charcoal sponge that is been activated with oxygen to attract molecules.

And being like a sponge, it is so porous that the molecules that are drawn into the spongy area get stuck inside of the filter.

The molecules were talking about are airborne particles that are smaller than .03 microns. Namely gases and chemicals that are responsible for bad odors or smells.

Carbon filters are always part of a filtration system that usually includes a HEPA filter and a larger pre-filter to capture the airborne debris that would clog the tiny pores if it were not filtered first.

2. Photocatalytic oxidation

Photocatalytic oxidation or PCO for short is a technology that is very effective at reducing VOC’s. Which are the underlying cause of odors.

Vocs are generally what are considered to be the indoor air pollution that is caused by chemicals, and gases. Unwanted smells fall into this category.

PCO is a scientific process of combining ultraviolet light with titanium oxide and moisture.

The result of the process is what is called hydroperoxides.

Hydroperoxide is the gas form of hydrogen peroxide.

If that sounds familiar, it’s because hydrogen peroxide is a very popular antibacterial solution that is sold to pour onto a cut or an abrasion to keep it from getting infected. or to help kill the infection if it is already infected.

If you were able to take a bottle of hydrogen peroxide and spray or mist it on every airborne contaminant that is in your breathing space , you would essentially be doing what a photocatalytic oxidation air purifier does.
By creating a blanket a virtually millions of hydrogen peroxide ions and dispersing them through a room, the PCO process is able to disinfect your air much the same way as hydrogen peroxide is used to disinfect a wound.

Photocatalytic oxidation air purifiers do not require filter replacements either.

But since they do require ultraviolet light to work, the PCO module has to be replaced once a year or so.

Photocatalytic oxidation is also considered a ionic air purifier that creates ozone as a byproduct.

Most people might shy away when they hear but ozone is part of the process.

But photocatalytic oxidation is such an amazing technology for reducing germs, bacteria, and viruses, as well as odors,
It would be well worth looking into even using PCO is a secondary air purifier to run when there is no one home if the ideal of ozone is to scary or if the smell of ozone is too pungent.

Photocatalytic air purifiers or also used in induct air purification.
Houses equipped with HVAC systems can place induct PCO air purifiers into the ductwork of the central heat and air system and virtually turn the heat and air into a whole house air purifier that is rated high for mold spores,

viruses, and odor removal. and since most HVAC units are either in the basement or the attic , any ozone created in the PCO process dissipates before it reaches the ambient air.

3. Ozone generators

When you’re talking about heavy odors like third hand smoke that has been woven into the tapestry of a home and seemed to be part of the smell of the home itself, an ozone generator is like pulling out the big guns for strong odor abatement.

Ozone generators are not meant to be used in the vicinity of people, pets, and plants.

Though there are some ionic air purifiers that create ozone as a by-product and may not be considered dangerous for the amount of ozone they manufacture, that is not the case when you are using ozone specifically to reduce odors.

Ozone would not be considered a domestic air purifier but you can run to get rid of the smell of fried fish that you just cooked last night.

It is considered an odor abatement method to get rid of heavy odors that can’t be dealt with with everyday house cleaning or even opening a window to air out the lingering smell of trout.

Ozone, also called activated oxygen will basically oxidize every airborne contaminant in a room that it is used in.

It is used a great deal in house flipping and or hotels that are reconstituting smoking rooms into non-smoking rooms.

Because ozone travels in basically the same paths as cigarette and cigar smoke, it is able to get into every nook and cranny that is hiding the tobacco odor.

Cigarette smoke also has a tar residue that helps it cling to every item in a room, including the carpet, drapes, and walls.

Ozone even breaks down the tar residue that is trapping the cigarette smell.

Many people use ozone generators for mold abatement but though ozone will kill every airborne molecule in the room including on surfaces, it can’t get under the service or behind the walls where the mold is originating.

It is the same for pest control, though it will rid the room any insects that it is used in, it does not get behind the walls and it does not treat the original problem.

If you had mold or insects before you use the ozone generator, if you did not address the problem behind the mold spores and creeping pest, you will still have the same problem after you use the ozonator.

4. Plasma air purifier

Plasma air purifiers are also a very effective technology for reducing odors.

The process of using cold plasma is an air purifier is about splitting oxygen molecules into both positive and negative ions.

As the negative and positive ions are emitted from the machine they immediately snap together because of polarity.

Any air pollution including vocs that create odors are trapped inside the newly formed ionic cluster and fall to the surface.

Some multi-tech air purifiers use plasma to create air pollution clusters better than pulled into a filter and captured.

Plasma is also a very popular induct air purifier option that can help keep your ductwork clean for much longer then typical HVAC filters or even media filters.

Summary

Are air purifiers worth it?

Air purifiers can get rid of smell as long as they are equipped with the right technology to do so.

The technologies that are best for removing odors from the air are:

Activated carbon filtration, which uses a spongy filter to absorb and trap odors and gases.

Photocatalytic oxidation, which uses the scientific process to create hydrogen peroxide ions that oxidize any pollutant in the air including the molecules that create odors.

Ozone generators. Ozone generators are for heavy odor abatement and not used in the vicinity of people.
They are very effective at getting rid of long-standing permanating smells.

Plasma air purifiers. plasma air purifiers create negative and positive ions that combined around airborne pollutants to create clusters that are too heavy to float while oxidizing any live bacteria trapped inside the cluster.

Carbon filters are the only technology that do not use ozone or create ozone as a byproduct.
But they also do nothing to kill or neutralize viruses and bacteria so it’s worth checking out every type of air purifier.

My personal opinion is that both can be used safely as long as you do so according to the guidelines and instructions. A full spectrum odor air cleaner should give you every option and capacity to get the job done.