5 Differences Between Ionic and Hepa Air Purifier

Do you desire to know the difference between ionizer air purifier and HEPA air purifier? While both of them are good at getting rid of impurities from air, their operation is completely different. Depending on your needs or why you want to buy the best air purifier, that’s what will determine which of the two to settle for. Click here if you want to find out some typical models.

Before looking at the 5 differences between Ionic and HEPA air purifiers, let’s first look at each of the two individually. Doing so will give you a comprehensive overview of the strengths and weaknesses of each one of them.

HEPA Air Purifier

HEPA is an acronym that stands for High Efficiency Particulate Air. This technology in air purification was developed originally during the World War II to get rid of dust particles present in the air. Its main objective was to protect the respiratory systems of soldiers. Nowadays, the technology is handy when it comes to filtering household air. It boasts the capacity to trap up to 99.97% of airborne particles that might be as tiny as 0.3 microns in terms of size.

When you inhale air contaminants, the natural defense system of the body is more susceptible to tiny particles below 0.5 microns. That explains why HEPA air filters are highly recommended by both doctors and allergists due to their ability to get rid of most air contaminants straight down to microscopic levels.

The following are some examples of common air contaminants together with their size in microns:

• Pollen (5-100 microns)
• Bacteria (0.35-10 microns)
• Mold (2-20 microns)
• Dust Mite Debris (0.5-50 microns)
• Pet Dander (0.5-100 microns)

So what makes HEPA filters that effective? They’re efficient because they’re bigger than 0.3 micron. What is for sure is that these kinds of filters alone can’t capture cigarette smoke, fumes and chemicals since their microns are tinier than 0.3. For that reason, it’s prudent to buy HEPA air filters that include activated carbon filters that capture the allergens, which HEPA filters can’t.

Ionic Air Purifier

The ionic air purifiers are created around a negative ion generator. The generator dispatches a stream of negative ions, which attract positive airborne dust as well as allergen particles within the air. Consequently, the particles are too heavy to remain airborne as well as fall on to the floor. Since most room surfaces are normally positively charged, particles from ionic air tend to be attracted to the surfaces too. It simply means that the area around an ionic filter tends to get dark spots on close floors and walls. However, some ionizers feature special electrostatic precipitators that trap particles on metal plates. To remain efficient, you should clean the plates frequently.

What is for sure is the fact that ionizers are an affordable way of clearing second hand smoke. Nonetheless, if you’ve got a problem with pollen or dust, an ionizer air purifier might not be the ideal choice. This is because it doesn’t eliminate particles completely. The major health concern that’s related to the ionic air purifiers is the fact that they produce ozone as byproduct. When you inhale it directly to your lungs, it poses serious health risks. According to the EPA, ozone is a toxic gas that can cause lung damage as well as trigger asthma attacks. Furthermore, it can result to increased death risk. All these are grave factors, which you must take into consideration when looking for the best air purifier.

• Difference #1: Unlike the HEPA air filters, the ionic air purifiers gets rid of even the ultra-fine particles that are as tiny as 0.01 microns.  
• Difference #2: HEPA air filters don’t release contaminants back to the air. Ionic air filters on the other hand release the harmful ozone as a by-product.
• Difference #3: Ionic air filters are effective at sterilizing toxic fumes, smoke, viruses, and bacteria. HEPA air filters are poor at removing microorganisms.
• Difference #4: Ionic air purifiers tend to be extremely quiet since they don’t have motors and/or fans. This is not the case with HEPA air filters.
• Difference #5: HEPA air filters are highly effective at capturing odors, cigarette smoke, gases, and chemical fumes, which isn’t the case with ionic air purifiers that don’t remove odor.

Conclusion

After understanding the above two types of air filtration, it’s also highly important to know the kind of contaminants you’re trying to get rid of. By having such an idea, you’ll manage to select the best air filter to handle the job. For example, are you a cigarette smoker? If yes, then one HEPA filter won’t be sufficient. You need to buy a carbon activated filter, which tends to be more effective when it comes to getting rid of odors. Are you interested in getting rid of allergens like mold, pet dander, bacteria, and dust? If yes, then the most appropriate air filter is HEPA since it’s efficient at removing bigger particulates.

Hi I am Cindy Bolds, founder of LuxuryHomeStuff.com. I am a student of Business Studies final year. I love my home so that I create this website to discuss about luxury home stuff and how to improve our lifestyle with stuffs.