The air purifier is an extremely functional device for smokers, for those with allergies, and for the general purification of your house. A few are also utilized in places prone to mildew and mold. At times, it can be difficult to tell if the air purifier is functioning.
The air purifiers can actually do more harm than good if not functioning properly. According to the EPA, air purifiers can be really useful in decreasing airborne pollutants; as a result, they assist in improving health conditions like asthma and allergic reactions.
Such improvements are just possible if the air purifier is functioning effectively. Although knowing if the air purifier is functioning can be difficult at times, we are gonna make it simple for you. So, without any further ado, let’s get to the answer on how you can tell if the air purifier is functioning.
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Effortless Ways For Knowing If The Air Purifier Is Working:
Wondering if the air purifier is functioning properly or not? Here is how to tell if an air purifier is working. Testing the airflow
- Checking the power indicator light
- Using a separate air quality monitor
- Checking the filters inside your air purifier
- Using the chemical testing kit
Let’s see all of such ways in detail now.
Check The Power Indicator Lights:
One of the most apparent methods to know if the air purifier is functioning is by checking the power indicator lights on the panel. Every air purifier model is diverse. A few come with a touchscreen panel, and the majority of air purifiers have several indicator lights. To know which lights show power read the user manual given with the machine.
At times, air purifiers don’t function even when the power light is on. That is because the filters require replacement. In such a situation, you’ll see the filter indicator light on. You can read everything in the given user manual in detail.
Check The Airflow Of The Air Purifier:
You ought to physically feel the disparity in the air quality to check if your air purifier is functioning. Although it’s an intuitive procedure, the high-performance air purifiers can remove foul smells and even stray pet hair quickly.
Besides that, you may see a thin layer of dust on the furniture as well. If it’s not the situation or you’re uncertain about the outcome, you ought to check the air purifier’s airflow. All the air purifiers make use of a powerful fan to suck in polluted air from the space and blow out pollutant-free and clean air from the other end.
You can check if the fan functions by listening to the operating noise or utilizing the palm to feel for the breeze. For example, if the purifier is making a humming noise and you see its fan move, you know that your air purifier is functioning.
Conversely, if the fan is making a lot of noise, it’s probably out of order, choked up with dirt, or requires a filter change. Remember that the air purifier ought not to work really hard to clean the indoor air. In contrast, if you can’t feel a breeze on the palm or see its fan move, you know that your air purifier isn’t functioning.
Examine The Filters Of Your Air Purifier:
If you’re confused about whether the air purifier is functioning or not, one simple way to check is to glance at the filter. The majority of air purifiers clean the indoor air by simply passing it through HEPA filters or the 3-way filtration system for removing all the dust.
Over time, a thick layer of pet fur, mold, dust particles, and other contaminants build up on its filters. As a result, the air purifier begins either malfunctioning or doesn’t clean the air as well as it used to.
While a few digital air purifiers have an automated sensor for alerting about the filthy filter, you ought to check them manually too. It’s particularly true if you live in a dusty, polluted area, like near main traffic streets or a highway.
Since the air filter will get filthy much faster, you’ll have to replace it more often for the air purifier’s best performance. Moreover, remember that a few air purifiers have several filters, and not only one. For such devices, keep an eye on all of them frequently.
Use A Separate Indoor Air Quality Monitor:
It’s the simplest way of checking the working of the air purifier. You simply need to purchase a digital air monitor. I know what you’re thinking at the moment, that the air purifier already comes with a digital air monitor on it.
Such integrated monitors aren’t always accurate because the sensor installed in them is less accurate and cheaper. Purchasing a separate digital air quality monitor can be really useful. Such digital air quality monitors are particularly made for air quality checking purposes and showing precise readings.
You can see the difference in the air quality before and after utilizing the air purifier. Also, the integrated filters are always connected to the air purifiers, and the air is cleanest around your air purifier, so it’s never a great idea to depend on the integrated air quality monitors to check the air quality.
Use The Chemical Test Kit For Telling If The Air Purifier Is Working:
When you choose to do a further, and more serious examination on whether the air purifier is functioning, chemical air quality test kits are a great starting point. Utilizing the air quality test kits, you can test for volatile organic compounds, mildew and mold, and biological pollutants like pollen and dander in the indoor air.
The way you’d make use of such tests is by switching off the air purifier and, after one or two hours, conduct the test as instructed on the test kit. Record the outcome and then switch on the purifier. After twenty-four hours, as the purifier is working, run a second test.
If the outcome is the same or worse than when the air purifier was off, then you know you have an issue with the air purifier, and it’s not functioning. When running this test, my big assumption is that your purifier operates 24/7.
Pro Tips:
Read the user manual cautiously to use the air purifier effectively.
- Keep the windows and doors closed when the air purifier is switched on.
- Check how many hours it can continually operate and don’t extend the perfect time limit.
- Set timers on it so that it switches off automatically when you’re not around.
- Clean the pre-filter once or twice every week to get a better outcome.
- Replace your HEPA filter once every six months as really contaminated filters have harmful contaminants and can direct to adverse health issues.
- If you just purchased the air purifier, do not forget to take out the plastic cover of the filters inside your purifier.
How Long Does It Actually Take The Air Purifier To Work?
A related question is: how long does it really take to see purification improving air quality? The great news: the machine starts the moment it’s switched on, or the entire time the house’s HVAC system is on and blowing.
How fast you’ll actually see the effect will rely on the exact pollution source. On average, a change is obvious as rapidly as a half-hour with solid improvement in air quality after some hours.
What Can You Do For Making The Machine More Efficient?
The air purifier ought to work wonders right out of the box, but there are certainly a few best practices that you can apply while utilizing it that will make it more competent and offer you cleaner air. A few of them are:
- Make use of the device in small spaces
- Clean the filter often
- Disable auto mode
The majority of models are created for cleaning specific air volumes, which denotes that a device that effectively gets rid of pollution from a small space may not function as well in a large living area.
Particularly when set to the auto mode. I know how it may seem extremely convenient, but there’ve been numerous studies that show that this feature isn’t as helpful in cleaning the air as setting a constant operation level manually.
Conclusion:
If you still think the air purifier isn’t functioning properly, the issue may be the size of the model. Make sure when you buy yours that it’s rated to cover the area bigger than the space or room where you plan to make use of it.
The air purifier will get rid of dust mites, VOCs, and other allergens and improve the air quality in the house. However, they are not maintenance-free; you will have to develop a regular maintenance plan to guarantee proper operation.
If you are still having issues after such steps, and particularly if they happen early on, call the company for support or return it to the shop you bought it from. Top air purifiers have warranties, but they are frequently just for a year, so time is imperative if you have an out-of-order device.
