It is estimated that 90% of the global population lives with substandard air. And since indoor air can be unhealthier than the air we breathe outdoors, an air purifier is the perfect solution.
Deciding where to put an air purifier is just as important as the brand you buy and we’ll talk you through everything you need to know.
What You Should Do First – Measure Your Space
If your kitchen is always smelly or your basement is just plain gross, you’d be better off putting your purifier in those rooms. Most of today’s air purifiers use both a HEPA filter that removes pollutants and an activated carbon filter that gets rid of odors and harmful gasses.
Only you know which of the rooms in your home is the “dirtiest,” so that’s where the air purifier should go.
You’ll need to know the room size before you install an air purifier. If you have a 300-square-foot room, you certainly don’t want an air purifier that only cleans a 100-square-foot room. It simply won’t be able to do its job and you’ll be disappointed in the end. All air purifiers will let you know how big of a space they are able to clean, but you’ll have to measure the room first to make sure that you buy the right one.
Where Should You Put Your Air Purifier?
Not surprisingly, air purifiers are great at pulling in air. In fact, the more air that surrounds these units, the faster the air gets cleaned. For this reason, an air purifier always works best when it’s in an open area. Try to place the purifier close to an unopened window or doorway for the best results.
This is also important because, with lots of airflow, the dust, mold, and other particles are lifted up; therefore, it is easier for the purifier to grab hold of the particles so they can be eliminated.
In addition, placing your air purifier in a corner is the worst thing you can do because this usually blocks the vents on the purifier and therefore reduces its performance.
As a general rule, you’ll want to give your air purifier at least one foot of space on the front, back, and sides of the unit. This way, it will clean the air all around it instead of just a small section of the room. Never have any obstacles surrounding your air purifier, and you won’t be disappointed with its performance. When there are no obstacles anywhere near your air purifier, it is much more likely to clean the entire room and not just a part of it.
Where to Put your Air Purifier:
- In an open area
- Near an unopened window
- Near a doorway
- Not in a corner
- With one foot of space all around
- No obstacles nearby
Should Your Air Purifier be Off the Ground?
Good airflow is important, but keep in mind that indoor air moves both horizontally and vertically; in other words, from the floor to the ceiling. Because of this, placing an air purifier three to five feet off the ground works well because it will be able to capture both horizontal and vertical air movement. For example, the best results come when you place smaller units on a desk or table and when you mount larger units to the wall.
Since air purifiers work on wavelengths, it’s best not to place them too close to any other electronic item.
This is because air purifiers are vulnerable to interference and therefore, you should have around five feet of distance between the purifier and all other electronics.
Two electronic items placed less than five feet apart can actually interfere with each other and cause both of them to work a lot less efficiently. To eliminate the possibility of less-than-perfect results, just consider your air purifier an electronic device that should be kept far away from other electronic devices.
Will an Air Purifier Get Rid of Humidity?
You might like this article Air Purifiers with Dehumidifier – Our 5 Favorites.
If you live in an especially humid area, don’t assume that your air purifier will take care of the problem. Remember, air purifiers are for cleaning the air, not for drying it out.
This being said, companies now make air purifier and dehumidifier combo units, and they work very well.
Extra-humid rooms such as basements may need both an air purifier and a dehumidifier, so purchasing these combination units is the perfect solution. If you live in a dry area or one that isn’t particularly humid, you might as well save yourself some money and buy the air purifier only.
In Summary
Air purifiers need good airflow all around them in order to work properly, which is why keeping your purifier away from any other item is so important. Placing it close to an unopened window or door is perfect, as is placing it on a desk or table three to five feet from the ground.
You can also mount larger air purifiers on the wall, where they will have lots of airflow surrounding them at all times. Also feel free to move the purifier around occasionally if you like. This is the best way to determine which area and room will produce the best results.
Once you learn a few basics, it’s easy to decide where you should put your air purifier, but it’s good to know that these rules are simple and very effective.
