How much effort are you putting into ensuring that you remain healthy? Are you eating right? Keeping fit and getting enough sleep? Many of us will tick yes to the questions above. But did you know that you should be mindful of the quality of the air you breathe in?
If you think that your indoor air is clean because you live in the countryside where there is no crowding and air pollution, you are mistaken. Research from World Health Organization records that indoor air is more than five times more polluted than outdoor air. Unfortunately, millions of people breathe in low-quality air, which results in severe health problems.
The good news is that you can improve the quality of indoor air by using an air purifier. However, the location of the air purifier in your house determines its efficiency. Therefore, you must figure out the best place to place your air purifier.
In the following section, we look at guidelines that you need to follow when selecting the best place for your air purifier. Read on…
Where is the best air purifier location for your home?
You might have invested in the best air purifier on the market, but never get to enjoy its full potential because of where you have placed it. To help you choose the right location, follow the guide below:
Check the air inlet and outlet
Once you know where the air gets in and out of the appliance you will be halfway towards achieving the best placement. Ensure that you leave enough space between the air inlet or outlet and other items such as furniture (leave 6 to 12 inches of space).
Also, avoid placing objects such as books on top of the air purifier, especially if the air exits from the top.
Place it near the dirtiest air
You will maximize the potential of your air purifier if you place it near or in the source of air contaminants in your house. And since you know your home best, you should not fail on this one.
For example, if you have a smoker in the house, most probably, smoke is the main air pollutant. In this case, place the air purifier near their smoking zone. The closer the air purifier is to the source of contaminants, the faster it will trap particles from the air.
Also, if you want to get rid of kitchen smells, you should place the air purifier inside or near the kitchen.
Consider the size of the room
Air purifiers come in different sizes to clean designated room sizes. For example, if the recommended room size is 100 sq. ft., it is suitable for cleaning a 100 sq. ft. room or smaller. In this case, this air purifier will not serve its purpose in a 300 sq. ft. room.
Also, instead of placing the air purifier in a corner as most people do, it is advisable to place it somewhere in the middle. This will ensure maximum efficiency.
What’s more, it is crucial to consider the Clean Air Delivery Rate of the purifier. CADR is the amount of air filtered in an hour. While the size of the room matters, the accurate gauge of the air purifier’s efficiency is the CADR.
The best air purifier for a room should also deliver several air changes in an hour.
Do not place the air purifier on the ground
Placing an air purifier on the ground increases the chances of tripping. Therefore, elevate it to prevent you or another occupant from knocking it over. Secondly, you will increase floor-to-ceiling cleaning efficiency – the purifier easily captures horizontal and vertical air movement.
However, do not place it on surfaces higher than 5 feet tall. A good position would be on your dressing table. You can also save on storage space by investing in wall-mountable air purifiers.
Place it away from open doors and windows
Good airflow is important for the functioning of an air purifier, but you do not want to overwhelm it with polluted air from the outside. You might think that open doors and windows allow clean air, but this is never the case.
As the air comes in from the outside, it carries dust and pollen. The air purifier will concentrate on cleaning that air instead of the air indoors. Air purifiers are most effective with all doors and windows shut.
Place it away from electronics
Air purifiers, like many other electronics, work on wavelengths. Therefore, placing the air purifier close to appliances of the same wavelength may interfere with its performance.
Besides, some air purifiers affect the signals of televisions or interfere with Wi-Fi signals. To avoid such interferences, create at least a five-foot distance between air purifiers and other electronics.
Sometimes the only way to determine if an air purifier affects your appliances is through trial and error. But, ionic air purifiers must be placed away from other electronics because of their purification technology.
Ionic air purifiers release negative ions, which bind the particles in the air to create a bond. They then become too heavy to float in the air, and, therefore, fall on nearby surfaces. If you don’t dust your house regularly, the dirty particles can accumulate on the electronics resulting in damage in the long run.
Keep it away from high humidity
Humid air is heavier and makes it difficult for the air purifier to work well. This is because the air purifier will need more energy to create airflow with heavy air. Also, if the filter absorbs too much moisture, its capacity and lifespan reduce.
Therefore, keep the air purifier from areas of high moisture like the bathroom and the kitchen. If you must use an air purifier in a humid room like a stinking kitchen after cooking fish, consider using a humidifier at the same time.
However, keep the appliances on opposite sides of the room and the humidifier at the lowest setting.
Give the purifier adequate ventilation
Air purifiers require a constant air floor to purify the air. Therefore, it is important to place it in a location without obstacles. Do not place it behind furniture, under shelves, inside the closet, or in tight corners.
The rule of thumb is that the air purifier’s top, front, and sides should be free from obstacles for efficiency. Also, ventilate the room well before you turn on the air purifier.
Move the air purifier around
The best thing about an air purifier is that you can easily move it from one location to the other. For example, you can have it in the living room during the day for clean and fresh air as you watch the TV.
As bedtime approaches, move your appliance to the bedroom for a clean atmosphere as you rest. Instead of moving the purifier from one place to the other, you can have one in every room or invest in a whole-house air purifier.
Conclusion
To get the best out of an air purifier, you must find the right location to place it. With the guide above, you can now decide the best location for your appliance at any given time. Also, moving the air purifier around the house increases its effectiveness.
Watch this YouTube video by Coway Airmega for more information on where to place an air purifier:
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