Do air purifiers really work?

[Deleted member 4644]

I am thinking of getting a HEPA filter for my house. I have read some reviews that say they are amazing and you feel almost immediate health benefits.

Anyone have any personal stories/comments?


Be aware that this is an old thread revived by a spammer whose post has now been removed.
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[irishScott]

Some do, some are bullshit.

I bought a HEPA unit for my small apartment, and while it was gratifying to see it sucking crap out of the air (that I'd otherwise be breathing) I didn't really notice any health differences. But then again I have next to zero allergies. For someone with significant allergies, effects might be more apparent.

 

[Raizinman]

I tried a few of the static charge ones and then moved to the HEPA. I was not happy with any of them. The static charge ones worked too slow. Some even deposited the dirt form the air on the walls or needed some complex cleaning to frequent. Even the better static ones were only good for a very small room. The HEPA or filter air purifiers worked, but the filters clogged quickly and their efficiency went down quickly as the filters clogged. The filters were expensive and most were not able to be cleaned. I finally gave up and just purchased a whole house HVAC (SpaceGuard) filter. Not really a purifier, but the $40 filters will last the year and you can really see the dirt this thing picks up.

 

[gorcorps]

Just dust your damned house already

 

[Markbnj]

Step 1: Get rid of carpets.

 

[OlafSicky]

Most of them don't work and don't buy anything with ozone since that is poisonous

 

[highland145]

Anyone try the ones that use water?

 

[lxskllr]

Anyone try the ones that use water?

Is that like a bong, where it sucks air through water for filtration? Might create too much humidity in the summer, but would be an interesting project to make at home.

 

[JulesMaximus]

I have a large Honeywell HEPA filter but the fans are loud so I only use it when the air quality is particularly bad, like when we have bad fires in the area. It is pretty effective though.

 

[highland145]

Is that like a bong, where it sucks air through water for filtration? Might create too much humidity in the summer, but would be an interesting project to make at home.

Yep. Saw one for a little over $100. The wife borrows her Mom's rainbow sometimes and will run it.


Hey, I do have the defunked bissell upright.....interesting. Could run it with a 3 gal bucket+water. I should have all I need already. Thanks.

 

[Vdubchaos]

For THOUSANDS of years people lived on this planet with no filters/purifiers.

You will survive.

Besides, even if you filter your air, guess what....if you live close to a highway or metro area chances are you are getting way too much pollution anyways.

Don't worry about these little things in life. Just hope for the best.

 

[Nintendesert]

Just dust your damned house already

Yep. Just save your money and clean your damn place up.

 

[Deleted member 4644]

For THOUSANDS of years people lived on this planet with no filters/purifiers.

You will survive.

Besides, even if you filter your air, guess what....if you live close to a highway or metro area chances are you are getting way too much pollution anyways.

Don't worry about these little things in life. Just hope for the best.

I usually try to be rude and call people out... but....

For THOUSANDS of years people didn't have highway or metro area pollution.

Air pollution kills. Look up the mass coal kills in London if you don't believe it.

 

[DrPizza]

People are nutcase germophobes. They go to extremes to create as sterile of an environment as possible. The results: their kids wind up with asthma & other problems as a result.

Idiots.

 

[Nintendesert]

I usually try to be rude and call people out... but....

For THOUSANDS of years people didn't have highway or metro area pollution.

Air pollution kills. Look up the mass coal kills in London if you don't believe it.

Again, just clean your house up you freak.

 

[dud]

I am thinking of getting a HEPA filter for my house. I have read some reviews that say they are amazing and you feel almost immediate health benefits.

Anyone have any personal stories/comments?

I have an ancient Honeywell canister purifier with both a HEPA and foam pre-filter. Thu unit has 3 speed settings and each moves a considerable amount of air in all directions. The highest setting is quite powerful (and loud).

 

[JulesMaximus]

People are nutcase germophobes. They go to extremes to create as sterile of an environment as possible. The results: their kids wind up with asthma & other problems as a result.

Idiots.

When you get forest fires every few years and the air quality gets bad enough that your car looks like this after being parked outside for a few hours you might see the need for having one around.



I keep a good one around for just this reason.

 

[gorcorps]

When you get forest fires every few years and the air quality gets bad enough that your car looks like this after being parked outside for a few hours you might see the need for having one around.



I keep a good one around for just this reason.

outside is not the same as your enclosed and climate controlled house, though I can see why you'd be worried

 

[JulesMaximus]

outside is not the same as your enclosed and climate controlled house, though I can see why you'd be worried

It gets inside. I don't care how tight you think your house is sealed up. When you can barely see the sun on a clear day it's pretty bad (that pic was taken at 11AM on a clear day-well, clear except for the smoke).

Oh, and good luck finding one once the fires break out and the air quality turns to shit. The local stores sell out of them within hours.

 

[Exterous]

I think it depends on why you are thinking about getting one. The last two allergy seasons have been brutal to me in the early spring. My eyes were watering and itching all the damn time and my sleep suffered due to stuffiness but the OTC stuff didn't do a damn thing - except Afrin which is fucking awesome. Too bad its addictive...

Anyway - I got a Honeywell HEPA in room filter and it made a very noticeable difference. I still suffered some symptoms but could actually get a good nights sleep and no longer needed 2x day eye drops. On the 'Low' setting its quieter than the box fan we use often during the warmer months

So for me it was very worth the money. Hell, the money saved from not buying OTC allergy stuff more than paid for it in a year. If you don't have a particular reason for wanting one then you probably won't see much benefit

 

[wirednuts]

hepa filters work the best, but most expensive as you need to replace them often. electrostatic ones, the good ones, work well and they are washable. but they cost hundreds of dollars and can break... so most people just do the hepa

 

[jagec]

HEPA is massive overkill for most people.

Of course, I'm sure that many cheap "HEPA" units wouldn't fit the definition.

 

[Nintendesert]

When you get forest fires every few years and the air quality gets bad enough that your car looks like this after being parked outside for a few hours you might see the need for having one around.



I keep a good one around for just this reason.

So we're talking commercial air filtration now? LOL you freaks. None of those consumer level dinky air filters are going to protect you from that.

 

[Mixolydian]

Yep they work. I have horrible springtime allergies and would tear my eyes out if I didn't have one.

 

[Red Squirrel]

I have thought of installing one, but I rather have air that's slightly dirty so it keeps my immune system working a bit. Whether or not it helps keep it strong is another story, but given I have nothing prompting me to install one figured I'd just stay without.

Though having one probably means less dust in the house thus no need to dust furniture so often, I assume.

When I build my server room I'll probably have a hepa filter in the ventilation system though, to keep the machines nice and dust free. Speaking of servers, here's a PSA: Never cut a piece of particle board with a skill saw next to a server rack of active equipment.