Have you ever tried looking for a specific item to buy but ended up being confused with all the terms you have never encountered before? It’s probably the same feeling you would get when purchasing an air purifier. With the wide range of options, all the air purifier jargon can be quite confusing for a first-time buyer.
To help you get a better understanding of some terms that could allow you to choose the most ideal air purifier option for you, here’s an overview of the common air purifier jargon.
AQI
Stands for Air Quality Index, AQI is a way to measure air pollution in an indoor area. It is commonly updated on an hourly basis to show the latest level of air pollution.
PM2.5
PM means Particulate Matter while 2.5 microns is the size of the particulate matter. PM2.5 are commonly harmful. Since they are too small, they are one of the primary air pollutants being tracked in order to measure the air pollution in an area. These fine particles that come from powerplants, motor vehicles, burning wood, and many more can enter deep into our lungs and into the bloodstream.
VOC
It’s the acronym for Volatile Organic Compounds. These are organic chemical compounds or gases that are high in vapor pressure that can vaporize and enter the atmosphere. They are commonly from various products such as paints. Some examples include ethylene glycol, methylene chloride, toluene, and many more that can create serious effects on our health.
CADR
Clean Air Delivery Rate (CADR) measures the performance of an air purifier as to how fast it can clean the indoor air and the amount of air delivered clean. The higher the CADR rate, the more air an air purifier can clean.
HEPA
HEPA or High-Efficiency Particulate Air is a type of air filter designed to remove microscopic particles in the air such as bacteria, pollen, viruses, PM2.5, allergens, and many more. It can capture 99.97% of air particles as small as 0.3 microns. It is an effective tool to control air quality including allergies and asthma. Because of its high efficiency, it is widely used even in critical areas such as hospitals, schools, manufacturing plants, workplaces, and many more.
MERV
One of the common air filter rating standards created by ASHRAE (American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers), MERV is an abbreviation for Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value. It helps you determine if a filter will work well according to your needs.
Ionizer
There are some air purifiers that use ionizer technology to make the air feels fresher. However, it does not remove air pollutants, which is why it is considered a poor technique for cleaning indoor air. Also, most of these devices are prone to emitting ozone which can trigger allergic reactions in some people.
ACH
The acronym for Air Changes per Hour, ACH is the number of times in an hour that the air inside an enclosed room will be cycled through the air purifier. It is important to know this when buying an air purifier as this will help you get the right-sized air purifier for your space. This information is readily available in the features of the device. It is calculated by getting the volume of the room and the capacity of the air purifier.
MIcron
It is a unit of length commonly used to describe the size of an air contaminant. It is super small that an inch is equivalent to 25,400 microns. To help you picture it better, a grain of salt is 60 microns. A naked eye can only see a particle that is about 25 microns in size.
IAQ
Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) refers to the quality of the air inside an enclosed room. It is particularly in relation to the health of everyone inside the room. It is the air being measured through Air Quality Index (AQI).
Key Takeaways
Buying an air purifier isn’t like purchasing a bag because it looks cute. You need to have the right knowledge to get the best option in the market. So make sure you are familiar with these terms before jumping into a decision.
In addition, take note to read the product description, check the warranty, and scan the item itself to make sure you’re bringing it home in good condition. It’s also always best to talk with a professional. At Buoyant, we know how confusing it is to take into mind this jargon, so let’s help you get yourself familiar with more information you need to know. Learn more air purifier jargon and how to choose the right air purifier for your room. Get in touch with us today.
