Let's Talk About Air Purifiers

[William33 110]

Last February, I bought the "top of the line" Hunter air purifier with ionization, a charcoal pre-filter and a "permanent" primary filter. $269.00 + tax.

With that said, I smoke (save the commentary on that).

The new Condo I live in (2006), has all stainless, top of the line appliances, yet the designers failed to provide ventilation or filtering in the kitchen. Not even the grease filter type hood.

To partially mitigate smoking and cooking issues, I open a window, with the filter off. Being in a tower building, the "chimney" effect is quite effective in evacuating any lingering cooking smoke, odors and cigarette smoke, assuming there is any wind going.

Unfortunately, this purifier does not deal well with particulate airborne oil (grease) while cooking or overall ciggy smoke when the windows are closed.

After 6 months, the "permanent" filter was dirty and seemingly less effective. This filter cannot be washed, only vacuumed.

I communicated my concerns to Hunter and they sent me another "permanent" filter.

Fast forward to February 2007, and the filter was sh!t again. I asked Hunter if I need to start buying "permanent" filters every six months. They offered another model that has a HEPA filter, with 3 HEPA filter replacements and 3 Charcoal pre-filters.

Net cost for all would be over $450. Generous customer service, no doubt.

The problem is, the filter system does not have ionization.

So, the question: What am I losing, with the lack of Ionization? I think I will lose alot.

Thoughts?

Edited March 3, 2007 by William33

[Jenn! 918]

The topic title was so captivating I couldn't help but click!

Sorry I have nothing to contribute. Pure air is good.

[Otto 83]

I've read HEPA is the way to go. Ionization is suppose to charge the air - making the 'bad' particles heavy and causing them to fall to the floor..but they could easily tell me it super duper cleans my walls, ceilings, and makes me smarter and I'd have no proof.

But honestly I'd only have one in the bedroom for sleeping and only IF I had breating issues.

p.s.

those cheapo 'vents' in most houses/apartment's kitchens only blow the same air right back into the room after going to a charcoal filter... just something that makes noise when I overcook something so the smoke alarm won't go off.

hmm..is this post a rant or an opinion? Am not sure.. lol...

[William33 110]

I have heard HEPA is the best filtration. But, the ionization piece is what I am curious about.

The recirculating exhaust hoods in most kitchens are designed to capture grease, if you are frying or cooking anything else that propagates airborne grease particulate.

When you fry chicken for example, and the sun is shining in a window, you can actually see the particles floating around.

Does Ionization mitigate that or anything else that HEPA does not?

I've read HEPA is the way to go. Ionization is suppose to charge the air - making the 'bad' particles heavy and causing them to fall to the floor..but they could easily tell me it super duper cleans my walls, ceilings, and makes me smarter and I'd have no proof.

But honestly I'd only have one in the bedroom for sleeping and only IF I had breating issues.

p.s.

those cheapo 'vents' in most houses/apartment's kitchens only blow the same air right back into the room after going to a charcoal filter... just something that makes noise when I overcook something so the smoke alarm won't go off.

hmm..is this post a rant or an opinion? Am not sure.. lol...

[William33 110]

Bump!!

Anyone with a purifier?

[Fuzzness 2]

http://www.iqair.us/residential/roomairpur...althproplus.php

this one seems to be the best one

[KarenCee 3]

We are going to need one for our new house since I have asthma. Lately the breathing issues have been better, but I'm still not where my specialist wants me to be. The air purifier seems to be what I need. We've looked at several models and haven't decided which one since whichever one we choose will be an investment for us. I'm gonna Google ionization...that's got me interested.

[Reba 2]

here's a website that is pushing HEPA filter purifiers and dissing ionizers. http://www.hepa-zone.com/

and here's one that is pushing ionizing and dissing hepa filters http://www.peakpureair.com/savsaf.htm

We have 2 ionizers, one upstairs in the living room, and one in the den (tv room). We have a Bionaire hepa/ionizer in the bedroom.

The 2 ionizers are sooooooo quiet, I have to actually walk up to it to see the green light on to make sure its actually on! Until the catchers get full, then it crackles. The one in the den fills up faster because the room is carpeted, and the carpet is rotting and just way too old, I need to tear it out. The one upstairs in the living room doesn't fill up as quickly, its hardwood up there.

The filter in the bedroom is a tabletop one, with hepa filter and blue light ionizer. The fan is kinda noisy, but the blue light is nice as a night light.

I have no idea if any of them are actually helping any or not. I guess I'd only know if I turned them off for a few days.

What I mostly don't like about hepa filter filtration is the cost of the filters. Depending on your home (pets, cooking, smoking, dust etc) it could fill up rather quickly, and need replacing often. (like the OP's "permanent" filter) and could end up costing quite a lot. But with the ionizers, I'm not sure its getting everything out of the air that we need it to. Which is why the one with the hepa filter/ionizer is in the bedroom, so I can at least sleep a little less stuffed up than before we got it.

**edit to add**

Oh! If any of you have trouble sleeping at night because you're stuffed up, aparently the Tempurpedic mattresses and pillows would help with that. They're treated with something or other that doesn't let dustmites in, and dustmites in beds and pillows is what gets most of us stuffed up. And they're there no matter how often you clean or change the sheets.

Edited March 3, 2007 by Reba

[Fandango 1,440]

I got this air purifier, it's incredible. I'll have to go downstairs and check the name and whatnot & get back to you.

This company came into my office...they pitched their purifiers to all the agents & marketed them as perfect solutions to smelly houses. And I'll tell ya what, they work completely! They remove and neutralize smoke, pet oders, nastiness, etc. It's incredible.

They went into all the scientifice particulars as far as why it does what it does, but I'm no scientist, so I couldn't repeat any of it with any degree of effectivity. But I have taken it to smelly listings of mine, and come back a day later...wow smell's gone.

I've cooked fish with it in my kitchen, and nothing! It really is amazing and the best money I've ever spent

It was like $600. I'll get you the information if ya want.

Edited March 3, 2007 by LisaD

[Kathryn41 3,205]

just a quick comment about ionization - museums do not allow ionizing air filters in their buildings because part of the process allows the particulates in the air to ionize and be attracted to and deposited on surfaces - walls, floors, filters, furniture, windows - and artifacts. The air particulates may be corrosive and damaging so any one using an ionizing air filter does need to wash down surfaces regularly to remove the particles deposited as they can damage your furniture. We have a Holmes hepa filter in the bedroom that works well although the replacement filters are pricey. We also make sure the furnace filters are the highest particulate filter we can get as well as replacing them regularly.

[Fandango 1,440]

http://www.tryfreshair.com/index_home.asp <---there's what I got

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Brookstone has a pretty nice one that we quite like - around $300 in the store, which will be something to save up for in the summer months.

I get chronic summer hayfever which is aggravated by dust and our 2 cats.

[mawilson 2,133]

The topic title was so captivating I couldn't help but click!

It's FILTRATION, not FLIRTATION, Jenn

[pedroh 21]

we sell a good one too

[Ban Hammer 13,969]

now tell them about how they can get a class iv ozone alert in their house just by using one of these