Finding A Quiet Air Purifier

So you've decided you need an air purifier, but you're concerned about the noise. You've been to a family members house and loved the effect of their purifier, but no doubt you'd go crazy having to listen to the constant hum. Aren't there any quiet air purifiers? Well, as a matter of fact, yes.

Just about the only totally silent air purifier system is a UV air purifier. They use both carbon and HEPA along the UV light to clean all toxins from your air. These systems work by killing germs as they pass through air ducts, where the system is installed. So you'll only have to put up with the sound of your air system to get the benefits of UV. And that's a sound you put up with on a daily basis anyway and probably don't even notice.

If you have severe allergies and noise is an issue, then your best bet is to use an air purifier that uses a HEPA filter, such as the Blueair air purifier. The Blueair air purifier a great purifier. Its noise levels register at just 32 dBa, which is comparable to a soft whisper when on low. When on high, this air purifier still only registers at 64 dBa, which is about as loud as a refrigerator.

The IQAir HealthPro air purifier, which has been found to be the best performing air purifier in research studies, registers at 44 dBa when on lower speeds. This is also about as loud as a refrigerator. When on high speed, it registers at 72 dBa, which is about as loud as a dishwasher. So at this level it definitely becomes noticeable.

Portable air purifiers using old-fashioned air filters are available at discount stores for about $70. These air filters register at 70 dBa when on, which is about the same as the IQ Air HealthPro when on its high speed. Yes they are relatively inexpensive, but you'll likely need one of these air purifiers for each room in order to get rid of dust, dander and common allergens.

Ionizing air purifiers typically do not have running motors. This make them virtually silent. They do their job by putting out negatively charged ions that bond to positively charged smoke and odor molecules. The combined weight of the particles makes them too heavy to stay suspended in the air. They then drop to the collection plate at the base of the unit.

There is some question whether these really make a long-term difference as they do not remove the particles from the room or secure them for removal by entrapment within a filter. Some (very few now) don't even have a collection plate. The particles simply fall to the floor where they need to be vacuumed or swept.

Low-ozone air purifiers clean up the air by oxidizing the pollutants. They are often combined with ionizing systems. Currently, the quietest ozone/ionizing air purifier available measure around 30 dBa on low and 51 dBa on high.

If these air purifiers are still too noisy for you, or if you're looking for something lower tech, there are other options available. Changing the air filters on your air conditioning and heating system once a month can reducing dust, dander and allergens by as much as 50%. The filters are silent, though you'll have to put up with the noise of your HVAC system.

Living plants work in complete silence. They naturally process the air removing nasty stuff nothing else can, like carbon monoxide, benzene (found in gasoline, oils, paints, rubber, etc.) and formaldehyde. Pothos and English Ivies are particularly good filter, inexpensive, low-light growing and thriving on neglect.