An air purifier for bacteria and viruses are a great line of defense for your home when there is a disease outbreak. In fact, they are so effective that hospitals utilize them to keep the air extra clean in rooms that need it. The proper air purifier can clear the air of harmful bacteria and viruses and keep you and your family healthy. We recommend purchasing an Air Sanitizer for bacteria and viruses.
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Not every air purifier can kill bacteria and viruses…but an Air Sanitizer can. In fact, the wrong unit could end up becoming a means for spreading illness in your home. The best air purifier for killing airborne pathogens will have both a sanitizer and a HEPA grade filter.
There is a lot to know before buying an air purifier in a panic. In fact, the wrong air purifier can become a breeding ground for harmful bacteria and viruses. The right air purifier, however, can be very effective at killing pathogens including Covid-19 (the Coronavirus), the Bird Flu, common cold, and much much more.
If you are wondering how you can clean the air in your home and keep it safe from diseases like the Coronavirus and the common cold then you have to find a unit that is rated for just that. Your run-of-the-mill air purifier is not guaranteed to help you if it isn’t meant to capture or kill things as small as viruses. Air purifiers that can kill and capture pathogens must have both a sanitizer (to kill bacteria and viruses) and a HEPA filter (to catch whatever survives and also stop particles from passing through).
Air sanitizers are an absolute must, if you are at all worried about viral outbreaks. These units utilize several different methods to kill dangerous bacteria and viruses. If you don’t have an air purifier that has a sanitizer, then the pathogen you are worried about may actually take up residence inside of your air purifier. In the event your air purifier does become infected, it could serve as a breeding ground for certain contagions. Translation? That means it can actually spread certain pathogens!
And no one wants that.
In addition to having a sanitizer in your air purifier, you really ought to find a unit that has a HEPA type filter in it. These particular filters are so effective that they are even utilized in hospitals! HEPA filters can capture all sorts of airborne particles, bacteria and many viruses included. In fact, HEPA filters can even serve to filter out things as small as smells (which are actually just microscopic particles in the air).
If you purchase an air purifier that only has a sanitizer (which is relatively hard to do, as most air sanitizers come with filters) then you’re not cleaning the air you breathe as well as you could.
Not having a filter would the dead viruses and bacteria float out of the air purifier (those won’t get you sick because they are dead). No one really likes dead things floating around in their homes. These floating dead pathogens can also serve as irritants for people with asthma. That being said, there is another caveat about air sanitizers–they aren’t always 100% effective.
Yes, we out and said it, some (a very very small amount) of germs can get through the air sanitizer. This is where your HEPA filter should/will come into play. Whatever the sanitizer misses, your HEPA filter will capture. Some filters are even antibacterial, which is super awesome if you are worried about germs.
An air purifier that only has a filter is not recommended for dealing with the Coronavirus as it is proven to be ineffective. Even a HEPA filter is not enough to deal with the virus. This is why you must purchase an air purifier with a built-in sanitizer. Sanitizers including UV and Heat sanitizers are your only option for dealing with the Coronavirus.
Long story short? If you want to avoid getting sick, then your best bet is an air purifier with both a sanitizer and a HEPA filter.
Can an Air Purifier Help Me Against the Coronavirus.
The short answer is not really, but air sanitizers can.
For starters, the Coronavirus cannot be captured with a HEPA filter. This is where a sanitizer must come into play, in fact, it is the only way an air purifier can help you. The reason why a HEPA filter can’t filter out Covid-19 is that it is too small. More specifically, a HEPA filter is rated to filter out particles larger than .3 microns. The Coronavirus is just .1 micron, far too small to be captured.
As per the CDC, viruses like the Coronavirus ought to be avoided. This is achieved by avoiding public areas to reduce your exposure and by washing your hands. An air purifier for bacteria and viruses will help while you are in a building.
The CDC reports that the virus is mainly spread through person to person contact and through airborne respiratory droplets that come from someone coughing or sneezing. This means that your air purifier will not be able to help you unless someone who is infected is coughing or sneezing in your home, in which case close contact is still going to be a hazard.
All that being said, if you are afraid of airborne Coronavirus-infected particles in your home or office, then an air purifier with an air sanitizer can help you.
What is the Difference Between an Air Purifier and an AIR SANITIZER?
Air sanitizers sanitize the air, killing everything that passes through it. Because of this, air sanitizers are great for bacteria and viruses. Air purifiers, on the other hand, capture what passes through them–they don’t always kill those things.
Air sanitizers utilize several different means to kill the germs that pass through them. Two of the most prevalent methods for air sanitization are heat and UV light. Both can be very effective at sanitizing the air of viruses that even filters cannot capture.
Air purifiers, on the other hand, capture particles. HEPA filters do even better at that, capturing microscopic particles including bacteria and many viruses. Air purifiers, on their own, are not effective at combating viruses smaller than .3 microns, which means it is ineffective at battling the Coronavirus.
A lot of air sanitizers have built-in filters so they serve to sanitize and purify the air simultaneously. These combination units are a great option for those with weak immune systems and for those who want an extra line of defense against germs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are there Air Filters that can Sanitize the Air?
Yes, there are several air purifier filters that are treated to kill germs as they pass through. Many of these are activated carbon filters that are coated with an anti-bacterial material. This means that bacteria, viruses, and everything else along those lines are killed when they come into contact with the filter.
Does my Air Sanitizer Need an Activated Carbon Filter?
Activated carbon filters are not required for air sanitization units. Activated carbon is largely used as a means to remove odors from your home’s air. Many people enjoy carbon filters in their homes because of their odor-removing qualities, and oftentimes the added cost is negligible.
What Room Should I Put my Air Purifier in?
It is widely recommended to put your air purifier in your home office, living room, or bedroom. It all depends on where you spend most of your time when you are at home. After all, what would the point be in cleaning the air in your basement, if you never go down there? Just consider where you would be able to enjoy the benefits of your new air purifying unit the most! Any air purifier for bacteria and viruses should help clean your air.
What is an Ozone Generating Air Purifier?
These machines work like normal air purifiers, but with one major caveat, they also release a gas known as ozone. Small amounts of ozone are not dangerous, in fact, that clean smell you smell during a lightning storm is actually ozone! Air cleaners with ozone generators are great for sterilizing a room, but you had best keep the room vacated.
Are Air Purifiers a Waste of Money?
Not at all, unless you’re lucky enough to be living somewhere without any pollution. Air purifiers for bacteria and viruses are a great investment! If you have any allergies, or even just dust in your home that you wish would just go away, and air purifier can solve your problems.
