Into thin air: How to choose an effective home air purifier

As monitoring and controlling air quality indoors becomes essential in big cities, we look at handy ways to keep a healthy home. 
Panasonic Air Purifiers
Panasonic Air Purifiers

As concerns over rising pollution levels and the quality of air engulf citizens across the country, the indoor air in many cities is said to be three to five times more polluted than the outdoors, considering added pollutants of dust, fumes, allergens, incense, smoke and pet dander. Importantly, home air purifiers can aid comfortable sleep, prevent sinus and breathing problems, as they help remove dust and allergens from the air. Here are a few handy tips to ensure clean air in your homes: 

Monitor indoor air
Download a pollution mapping mobile app such as CleanSpace, Pollution, Air Quality Index BreezoMeter, Foobot or Air Mentor to monitor the air quality in your home. Keep windows and doors shut in the wee hours and early morning, as that’s when pollution is at its worst. 

Activated charcoal
A great indoor solution, as the odourless element is highly absorptive and works wonders to eliminate toxins from the air. 

Potted plants
Houseplants go a long way to clean air. They absorb particulates and process them into oxygen via photosynthesis. Consider chrysanthemum, spider plant, weeping fig and peace lily. Try and place one plant per 100 sq ft.

Essential oils
Essential oils of cinnamon, oregano, rosemary, thyme, grapefruit lemon, clove, and tea tree restrict the growth of viruses, fungi, bacteria and mold. Studies show that Thieves Oil has a 99.96% kill rate against airborne bacteria. It is an antiseptic blend of pure oils that helps get rid of germs. Also add them to soaps and detergents. 

Avoid trapped moisture
Use a kitchen chimney and exhaust. Be sure to change bed sheets, pillow covers and curtains regularly. High moisture leads to dust,  mites, mold and respiratory issues. Place clothes dryers outdoors, and fix leaky plumbing. Also, get electronic devices, especially air conditioners, serviced regularly, and use a dehumidifier.

Air purifiers
Consider the following aspects before investing in a new air purifier:
Size of room: For 200 sq ft, it is recommended that you buy a purifier for a room sized between 300-450 sq ft.
Choice of air filter & maintenance: There are two types of air filters – EPA Composite & Composite Air Filter. High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) is a primary choice, for mechanical segregation, and efficiency rates of up to 99.7% while Composite Air Filters consist of three technologies — Super alleru-buster, Green Tea Catechin and Anti-bacteria Enzyme, to protect against 17 kinds of virus, bacteria and allergens up to 99%.

Syed Moonis Alvi, General Manager, Water Purifier & Air Purifier, Panasonic India offers, “Quality of indoor air is all about health and comfort. Dust and other particles are everywhere around us. There is no way to prevent them from coming inside our homes, but there is a way of keeping our homes clean. Addressing the extent of air pollution in the country and the severity of augmenting levels of PM 2.5 air pollutants, our new range improve the indoor air-quality and provide a healthy and safe environment to breathe in.”

Performance: Clean Air Delivery Rate (CADR) depicts the level of clean air released by a purifier, so look for the highest value. Air Changes per Hour (ACH) is the number of times it cleans a room in an hour. A purifier with ACH of four times per hour means it cleans the air every 15 minutes.

Quick tips:
• Control smoking indoors. 
• Water plants regularly to get 
rid of dirt.
• Take off your shoes outside the home entrance, as they may carry dirt and harmful particles including fungal spores, lead dust, pollen, wood smoke, industrial toxins and mites.
• Let dry-cleaned items air outdoors before bringing them inside.
• Clean A/C to keep asthma 
triggers away.
• Get all drips and leaks fixed.
• Vacuum clean hard to reach corners.
• Groom your pets regularly.

Technology & price: Panasonic purifiers, featuring Econavi and Nanoe technologies, filter out harmful particles such as PM2.5. Price range: `11,995  to  `33,995.
For an option, Blueair purifiers from Sweden are now available in India, in a range of stylish designs. Details: blueair.com/in/

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