Our Top Whole House Air Purifier Picks
Table Of Content
Whole house air purifiers are used to sanitize the air and remove particles that can be harmful to your health. Some examples of the particulates include allergens, pet dander, bacteria, mold spores, smoke and dust. This article was written by Melanie Fincher, a commerce editor with three years of experience writing product reviews and lifestyle content. To compile this list, we tested 67 air purifiers in our Lab and evaluated them based on their setup, design, noise level, features, effectiveness, and overall value. We then brought the top performing air purifiers home for long-term testing and provided feedback as to how well they held up over time. Melanie was one of the long-term testers for this piece, and she now relies on her air purifier to remove cat hair and allergens from the air in her apartment.
Types of Whole House Air Filters
These include a pre-filter for larger particles, a HEPA filter for fine particles, and an activated carbon filter for bacteria. These three layers of filtration all work together efficiently to effectively clean the air within the coverage area. It should come as no surprise that this unit is CARB, ETL, and Energy Star certified. Furthermore, the Airmega 400S comes with Wi-Fi and the mobile app which offers a superior interface to control the device as well as monitor air quality. Maintenance and running costs for different types of air purifiers varies.
If you’re concerned about VOCs: Austin Air HealthMate HM400
Below is a table focusing on MERV ratings 1 through 16 that displays the percentage and size of particles that will pass through each filter value. Ultraviolet filters are usually built-in components that can be added to whole house electronic precipitators. These large filters need to be plumbed into the ductwork and therefore might cost more in the short term.
Coway Airmega AP-1512HH
These gadgets are connected to the HVAC system in your home to ensure that as the air in your home gets heated and cooled, it also gets purified to eliminate contaminants such as bacteria, allergens, odor, and viruses. A pre-filter works to capture larger particulate matter such as pet dander and dust. The second stage is a HEPA filter rated MERV 13 which is the same level of efficiency as the Aprilaire 2000 series reviewed above.
Air Duct Cleaning
At-home testing checks for general improvement of freshness, as well as overall usability. The Airmega's four-stage filtration system includes an activated-carbon layer that’s designed to capture odors, including those from a beloved — yet stinky — pet. Our testers also like the easy-to-clean pre-filter, which captures hair, fur and other large particulates before they reach the inner HEPA filters. Indicator lights give the heads up when filters need to be cleaned or replaced. Typically, you should replace filters (or clean those that can be vacuumed) every six to 12 months for pleated filters and every three months for activated carbon filters.
A whole house air purifier is installed on an HVAC system to clean the air throughout the entire house. It differs from a portable air purifier in the fact that purifies the air in every room of the home and not just one. Its operating costs are low, and its combination of HEPA filters and an activated carbon filter makes it perfect for removing dust and other pollutants. When I first started working with air purifiers, it became immediately evident that not all air purifiers are made equally. Here I've broken down the different types of filters and their best-use scenarios. While the manufacturer states that the filter traps pet hair, we did not find this to be true, as there was no pet hair in our filter after testing.
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It measures the presence of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter and then relays the data, along with ambient temperature and humidity levels, to a sleek app. “The interface on the app is extremely intuitive and should give users a very clear picture of their home’s indoor air quality,” says Greenwald. It can accomplish this amazing feat thanks to its triple filtration system. While many other units only have one or two different filter stages, this unit comes with three.
Features to consider while choosing a whole house air purifier
While didn't suck up any of the pet hair we'd strewn about, this didn't seem to impact its ability to clean the air and trap airborne particles. The replaceable HEPA filter has activated carbon in it, which helps to capture gasses and odors, and it's capable of trapping particles like pollen, dander, and dust as small as 0.3 microns. Its 360-degree filtration system allows it to pull in air from all sides at once, so it cycles through the air more quickly than other models. In our testing, we measured a substantial decrease in VOCs, particles, and smoke with our air quality monitors (and on both high and low settings). After running for just 10 minutes, the Levoit Core 400S Air Purifier not only detected poor air quality levels but also made the air even cleaner than it had been prior to the test.
A whole-house air purifier for furnacelongevity can help homeowners avoid these setbacks. By prolonging an HVAC system’s life, a whole-house air purifier helps homeowners avoid expensive repairs that can throw off their budget and lets them enjoy reliable and efficient heating and cooling for longer. By removing cooking odors, pet smells, tobacco smoke, and other unwanted scents, an air purifier helps create a more enjoyable and comfortable living space for homeowners and their families. While replacement filters contribute to ongoing maintenance expenses, they are a crucial investment for maintaining clean and healthy indoor air quality. Replacement filters are typically priced between $10 and $200 each, and they vary in cost depending on the system type and specific filter requirements. It’s important for homeowners to understand that filters need regular replacement to ensure optimal performance.
This can be a useful feature to have, particularly if you want to better understand your air and want to source where your allergies are coming from. It’s also nice to see the evidence that the air purifier is making a difference. We considered all kinds of factors as part of these in-house tests, from the length of the cord to the plug, to whether the model oscillates. The overall set up and the clarity of the manuals was taken into account as well. With all of this, we were able to create a scoring system to summarize the overall experience. Once all these scores were totted up, we got the average ratings that you see above.
Air purification systems for whole houses offer many benefits by creating a healthier and more comfortable living environment. Homeowners considering installing a whole-house air purifier can explore these benefits below. Due to their size and energy requirements, HEPA filters are not commonly found in standard home HVAC systems. Retrofitting an HVAC system to accommodate a HEPA filter often involves costly adjustments to the ductwork and vents to ensure proper airflow and system compatibility. Before proceeding with a HEPA filter installation, homeowners will want to consult an HVAC professional to assess the feasibility and costs of modifying their system.
But where it really stood out was in its dust collecting abilities—after three months of constant use, our filter had collected an impressive amount of dust. Our one complaint is that this air purifier doesn't come with a filter change indicator, though the brand recommends you replace the HEPA filter every three to six months. To determine its true effectiveness, we sprayed the room with incense and room deodorizer to see how well it would clean.
Before a whole-house air purifier is installed, an HVAC assessment is typically recommended. By identifying necessary repairs or improvements during the inspection, homeowners can avoid complications and costly repairs with their HVAC and air purifier down the road. An established brand is more likely to invest heavily in research and development, typically resulting in innovative and high-performing air purification systems that tend to come with a higher price tag. The following chart offers price ranges for some common whole-house air purification system brands, excluding installation costs. You should plan to change your air purifier's filter every 6 to 12 months, though this can depend on how much pollution is in your air and how often you run the machine. Many air purifiers have a filter change light to indicate when to replace the filter, eliminating any guesswork.
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