Should I get an Ionic air purifier or standard HEPA type?

Toggle sidebar Toggle sidebar
F

futurefields

Diamond Member
Jun 2, 2012
6,470
32
91
I should probably also mention that the window in my room is sealed shut which is why its kind of needed, the air gets stagnant and dirty fast.
 
BurnItDwn

BurnItDwn

Lifer
Oct 10, 1999
26,276
1,783
126
"ionic" purifiers are snake oil.

If you believe in magic elixers and alchemy, then go for Ionic.

Otherwise, if you believe in science and facts, then go HEPA.
 
E

Exterous

Super Moderator
Jun 20, 2006
20,553
3,713
126
dud said:
Here you go:

http://www.amazon.com/Honeywell-5025...l+air+purifier


You should also be able to pick this up at Wallyworld for the same price. This unit has multiple settings ... even the lowest should filter the air in your bedroom multiple times per hour.
Click to expand...

I got one similar to this and it noticeably helped with my allergy problems in the spring and from our dog. Not completely gone mind you but definitely better. YMMV of course
 
bryanl

bryanl

Golden Member
Oct 15, 2006
1,157
8
81
Ion generators should be avoided since they put high levels of toxic ozone into the air and clean the air by depositing dust on the walls and ceiling. Far better and safer are electrostatic precipitators, which also generate ozone but neutralize it on positive metal plates that also hold the dust.
 
OutHouse

OutHouse

Lifer
Jun 5, 2000
36,410
616
126
BurnItDwn said:
"ionic" purifiers are snake oil.

If you believe in magic elixers and alchemy, then go for Ionic.

Otherwise, if you believe in science and facts, then go HEPA.
Click to expand...

this, 100%

i hae a IQ air in my bedrom and the air is so crisp and clean its like drinking pure water from a waterfall
 
TurtleCrusher

TurtleCrusher

Lifer
Apr 20, 2008
10,065
984
126
I've had a HEPA for the past year and a half. A little black Honeywell branded. It's been awesome. I lived in a basement and after running it on low for a day it was like I lived on the main floor with a window open.
 
F

fandroid

Banned
Apr 28, 2014
10
0
0
Ion generators emit ozone, a powerful lung irritant that is especially dangerous for people with asthma and other chronic lung diseases, children, and the elderly.
HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air) Filters set the standard for air purification. HEPA filter removes at least 99.97% of all particles as small as 0.3 microns. Not all HEPA filters are created equal. Size matters: the more square feet of HEPA filter, the more particulates it will be able to remove. The size, material, and construction of the actual filter media all play a role in the air purifier's performance and may account for why one HEPA filter is more expensive than another.
 
MongGrel

MongGrel

Lifer
Dec 3, 2013
38,466
3,067
121
yeah and she has asthma and still loves it.

Go figure.

I've been telling her this a long time.

But she's pretty think headed in some ways.
 
Last edited:
B

bradley

Diamond Member
Jan 9, 2000
3,671
2
81
First of all, a negative ion is an oxygen atom with an extra electron and completely odorless. Ozone is an oxygen molecule with three oxygen atoms. They are two totally separate entities.

A good ionizer actually will produce insignificant amounts of ozone at close range - way less than .05 parts per million. The best ionizers generate negative ions internally to electrostatically charge the filter. This allows more dust and bacteria to be trapped and eliminated from the air you breathe.

A great ionizer will work in tandem with a good HEPA filter to produce amazing results. Before getting an Aprilaire 5000 whole house electrostatic filter my ductwork still got dirty using a plain HEPA MERV 10 filter.

Whole house electrostatic precipitators clearly work better than plain HEPA filtration, according to Consumer Reports.

http://www.arb.ca.gov/research/indoor/cr-12-2007.pdf


Secondly, negative ions are extremely beneficial to have in/around your environment and counteract the affects of positive ions. Tons of studies exist on Pubmed demonstrating this fact. These filtration systems are used in major US hospitals for a reason.
 
J

jaedaliu

Platinum Member
Feb 25, 2005
2,670
1
81
OutHouse said:
this, 100%

i hae a IQ air in my bedrom and the air is so crisp and clean its like drinking pure water from a waterfall
Click to expand...

Absolutely, get one with a HEPA filter.

Hopefully yours doesn't cause the runs like OutHouse's does.
 
PliotronX

PliotronX

Diamond Member
Oct 17, 1999
8,883
107
106
bradley said:
First of all, a negative ion is an oxygen atom with an extra electron and completely odorless. Ozone is an oxygen molecule with three oxygen atoms. They are two totally separate entities.

A good ionizer actually will produce insignificant amounts of ozone at close range - way less than .05 parts per million. The best ionizers generate negative ions internally to electrostatically charge the filter. This allows more dust and bacteria to be trapped and eliminated from the air you breathe.

A great ionizer will work in tandem with a good HEPA filter to produce amazing results. Before getting an Aprilaire 5000 whole house electrostatic filter my ductwork still got dirty using a plain HEPA MERV 10 filter.

Whole house electrostatic precipitators clearly work better than plain HEPA filtration, according to Consumer Reports.

http://www.arb.ca.gov/research/indoor/cr-12-2007.pdf


Secondly, negative ions are extremely beneficial to have in/around your environment and counteract the affects of positive ions. Tons of studies exist on Pubmed demonstrating this fact. These filtration systems are used in major US hospitals for a reason.
Click to expand...
True that! I've always slept better with ionic air purifiers in the room even without filtration. Just IME they are better than nothing at all.

My focus has been on the Sharp Plasmacluster filters because they take it a step further and don't just put a negative charge on air. Been a while since I read about them but maybe I'll get around to dropping the dough on one of them this year. They have a large upfront cost but in return you get filters that last for over a year (some models 2-5) and quiet motors. These are what Japan uses to clean their air and ninjas know how to filter air.
 
JulesMaximus

JulesMaximus

No Lifer
Jul 3, 2003
74,544
924
126
The only way to clean the air is to pass it through a filter of some sort. Those ionizers don't do shit.
 
D

desura

Diamond Member
Mar 22, 2013
4,627
129
101
I used a HEPA for a while...I don't know if I can say I noticed any difference overall. It did leave a weird smell though.

wouldn't it make more sense to adjust your humidity?
 
B

bradley

Diamond Member
Jan 9, 2000
3,671
2
81
JulesMaximus said:
The only way to clean the air is to pass it through a filter of some sort. Those ionizers don't do shit.
Click to expand...

You probably just don't understand the science behind them.

Ionization can actually take a MERV 10 HEPA filter and increase its efficiency and ability to trap and remove particles by over 50%. This further allows for a decrease in air flow resistance and the static pressure caused by a higher MERV filter, a win-win in the fight against anaerobic pathogens.

More importantly, proper ionization has the ability to not only capture but kill over 90% of pathogens by breaking their cellular walls. A mere HEPA filter (with the additional moisture) becomes a petri dish for these still living organisms. And the electrical costs of these systems over a traditional HEPA filter is negligible.

Anyhow, these electrostatic filters are the ventilation standards in almost all hospitals in the United States.
 
J

jaedaliu

Platinum Member
Feb 25, 2005
2,670
1
81
bradley said:
First of all, a negative ion is an oxygen atom with an extra electron and completely odorless. Ozone is an oxygen molecule with three oxygen atoms. They are two totally separate entities.

A good ionizer actually will produce insignificant amounts of ozone at close range - way less than .05 parts per million. The best ionizers generate negative ions internally to electrostatically charge the filter. This allows more dust and bacteria to be trapped and eliminated from the air you breathe.

A great ionizer will work in tandem with a good HEPA filter to produce amazing results. Before getting an Aprilaire 5000 whole house electrostatic filter my ductwork still got dirty using a plain HEPA MERV 10 filter.

Whole house electrostatic precipitators clearly work better than plain HEPA filtration, according to Consumer Reports.

http://www.arb.ca.gov/research/indoor/cr-12-2007.pdf


Secondly, negative ions are extremely beneficial to have in/around your environment and counteract the affects of positive ions. Tons of studies exist on Pubmed demonstrating this fact. These filtration systems are used in major US hospitals for a reason.
Click to expand...

did you read your article?

Buy a whole-house model with a filter rather than an electrostatic precipitator, which produces some ozone
Click to expand...

The recommendations say: We used to recommend ionization purifiers with ozone, but we don't any more because ozone is bad for you in many ways.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

COMPANY
RESOURCES
FOLLOW
Top Bottom