Top Quality Air Purifiers and Healthy Home Solutions that You Can Trust

As more and more states legalize recreational marijuana use, people across the country are looking for ways to minimize weed smoke odors. An easy way to do this is by using a good air purifier. Here's what you need to know about air purifiers for marijuana smoke and some of our top models for this purpose.  

Why Use an Air Purifier for Marijuana Smoke Odors?

  Although many states now allow marijuana use, the smell can still be a problem. Much like cigarette smoke, the odor from marijuana smoke can permeate carpets, furniture and even walls, eventually making it very difficult to remove. Heavy smoke can also get into items of clothing, meaning it can be difficult to get the smell off of yourself when you're ready to go out.   If you live with other people, it's also important to keep in mind that they may not want to be exposed to marijuana smoke. Smoke inhalation is aggravating to the respiratory system and can cause coughing or sneezing. For people with asthma or other chronic respiratory conditions, the smoke and odors produced by marijuana can even trigger respiratory attacks. So, if you live with anyone sensitive to smoke, it's important to use an air purification device to keep your own smoking activities from affecting them.  

What Kind of Air Purifier Do You Need?

  To get rid of smoke and odors from marijuana, it's generally a good idea to use a combination HEPA and carbon filtered air purifier. The HEPA filter will take care of the tiny particles that make up smoke, while the carbon filter will help to remove the odors associated with weed smoke. Together, these two filter types will give you the maximum protection against both marijuana smoke and most other types of airborne contaminants.  

Our Top Recommended Units

  The good news is that there are plenty of great air purifiers out there that will do a good job of removing marijuana smoke and odors. Below, you'll find eight units that we recommend for people using marijuana in their homes. For more great options, you can also check out the marijuana use product page on our website!  

Airpura UV600

One of the most comprehensive air purifiers on the market, the Airpura UV600 is a great choice for dealing with marijuana smoke. This unit covers up to 2,000 square feet and features HEPA, carbon and ultraviolet filtration. While the HEPA and carbon filters deal with smoke, odors, VOCs and particles, the UV lamp in this purifier will help to protect you from bacteria and viruses.   While the UV600 can help you deal with weed smoke, it's also a great unit for improving the overall air quality in your home. By removing everything from dust to viruses, the Airpura UV600 can help you live a healthier life and enjoy the benefits of cleaner home air.  

Field Controls TRIO

Like the UV600, the Field Controls TRIO is a broad spectrum air purifier equipped with HEPA, carbon and UV filtration. The TRIO is considered a medical-grade air purifier suitable for use in just about any situation, including for getting rid of marijuana smoke. This unit covers up to 1,000 square feet, making it a great solution if you have a smaller home or a mid-sized apartment. In addition, the TRIO features automatic VOC monitoring that will increase its fan speed whenever it detects harmful gases in the air.  

Amaircare 3000 VOC

Although it doesn't feature a UV germicidal lamp, the Amaircare 3000 VOC has the HEPA and carbon filtration you need to deal with the smoke and odor produced by burning marijuana. This unit can cover up to 1,800 square feet and features durable all-metal construction to ensure a long and useful lifespan. Other great features of the Amaircare 3000 include a helpful filter change reminder light, silent mode functionality and a high-efficiency fan.  

AllerAir AirMedic Pro 6 UV

Rated for up to 1,800 square feet, the AllerAir AirMedic Pro 6 UV offers HEPA, Carbon and UV filtration, as well as durable all-metal construction. This air purifier is a great option for large apartments and mid-sized homes. Thanks to its large carbon filter, this model will do an especially good job of filtering out the odors from marijuana smoke. If odor is your primary concern, this model or a similar one targeted at odors and VOCs will likely be a good choice for your needs.  

Austin Air Healthmate Plus

A leading model from Austin Air, the Healthmate Plus is an all-metal air purifier designed for spaces of up to 1,500 square feet. The Healthmate Plus features a 3-speed fan and a 360-degree air intake for maximum air flow. This model also comes with a 5-year manufacturer's warranty. While the Healthmate is usually used by people who suffer from asthma or allergies, it is also a great unit for dealing with smoke in residential settings.  

Blueair Pro L

The Blueair Pro L is a leading air purifier for marijuana smoke because of its high number of air changes per hour. While most air purifiers are rated for only 1-2 changes each hour, the Pro L can perform 5 in spaces of up to 780 square feet. With more air changes, the Pro L can remove more particles and odors than most competitive air purifiers.   In addition to its high air flow rate, the Blueair Pro L offers high energy efficiency, durable construction, a filter change indicator light, variable fan speeds and an optional air intelligence monitor for automatic setting changes. For maximum results, we recommend upgrading this unit with the optional SmokeStop and carbon filters to help remove the odors and gases produced by burning marijuana.  

IQAir GC MultiGas

As part of IQAir's air purifier lineup, the GC MultiGas features an enhanced HEPA filtration system known as HyperHEPA. This system improves capture of the tiniest airborne particles. In the GC MultiGas model, this technology is combined with a gas and VOC capturing system. Overall, this makes the GC MultiGas a great all-around air purifier for a wide range of applications, including removing marijuana smoke.  

Amaircare 2500 VOC

The smaller cousin of the Amaircare 3000, the 2500 model offers all of the same features in a more compact package. Covering up to 1,250 square feet, this air purifier is a great option for smaller spaces or for buyers who are on tight budgets. While it may not provide the same coverage as some of the larger units on this list, the Amaircare 2500 VOC will do a good job of removing smoke and odors in small areas. As long as you can confine your smoking to a single area of your home, you should be able to get away with a unit like the 2500 model.  

Tips for Using an Air Purifier for Marijuana Smoke

  In addition to selecting the right air purifier, there are also a few things you can do to make sure you minimize marijuana smoke and odors as much as possible. Here are a few tips that will help you keep the indoor effects of your smoking to a minimum (note: these tips can also help with cigarette smoke).  

Use a Designated Smoking Area

  One of the best things you can do to keep odors from building up in your home is to smoke only in one area. Find a place that you frequently choose to smoke and put your air purifier in that place so that it can take up smoke as quickly as possible. For some medical marijuana users, using the bedroom as a designated smoking area ends up being a sensible choice, since many people with anxiety disorder use medical cannabis to help relax themselves before going to sleep.  

Smoke Outside When Possible

  Just like cigarette smoke, marijuana smoke is far better released outdoors than indoors. If you can smoke outside when the weather permits, your air purifier will have less smoke to capture and have an easier time keeping odors under control. Stepping outside to smoke is also the surest way to make sure the smoke doesn't aggravate anyone else who lives with you.  

Avoid Smoking Too Much

  Needless to say, the amount of marijuana you smoke will also affect how hard your air purifier has to work to keep up with it. So, if you want to make sure your marijuana smoking doesn't wreak havoc with your indoor air quality, it can be helpful to avoid smoking too much. For medical smokers, this is usually as simple as figuring out what you need to have the desired medicinal effect and only smoking that much.  

Find a Low-odor Strain

  As anyone can tell you, cannabis strains have come a long way in recent years. While many strains have been bred to maximize THC or other compounds, some have been cultivated for producing fewer odors than their more pungent counterparts. If you can find a strain that doesn't give off as much odor when burned, you'll be one step ahead in the fight against weed odors taking over your home.   Using these tips and a good residential air purifier, you'll be able to keep your marijuana use from sharply decreasing your indoor air quality and filling your home with strong odors. While you will still smell the smoke while you're actually smoking, using the right air purifier will make sure that your entire home doesn't begin to smell like it at all times.   Still have questions about using air purifiers for marijuana smoke and the odors that come with it? We're here to help! Feel free to send us your questions, and we'll be happy to provide you with answers and personalized product recommendations based on your needs.        

With New Year's Eve just around the corner, it's time to start thinking about resolutions and ways to improve yourself and your life in the coming year. One of the best things you can do for yourself is to make healthier decisions. To help, we've put together a list of the 5 best healthy New Year's resolutions for 2020 and beyond.  

  1. Drink More Water

  One of the healthy resolutions that is the simplest to stick to is to drink more water in the coming year. Even though we all know that we need water to be healthy, many of us don't drink nearly as much as we should, leading to prolonged low-level dehydration. Far from the obvious signs of severe, acute dehydration, chronic dehydration usually results in more subtle symptoms such as frequent headaches, dry mouth, bad moods and general tiredness. Oddly, dehydration can also cause your body to retain water weight, making you look and feel heavier than you really are.   Fortunately, drinking too little water is also one of the easiest lifestyle problems to fix. To get started, simply begin drinking the recommended eight 8-ounce glasses of water each day. This should be enough to rehydrate you and get you feeling your best again.   Starting a regimen of drinking more water also gives you a chance to cut back on less healthy beverages like soda or alcoholic drinks. By switching these calorie-laden, potentially dehydrating drinks out for a glass of straight water, you can improve your hydration levels and your nutrition at the same time.  

2. Fix Your Vitamin D Deficiency

  From a young age, you're told how important vitamins and minerals are. Even if you eat a balanced diet, though, there's a good chance that you're deficient in the key nutrient vitamin D. According to a recent study, about 42 percent of American adults are vitamin D deficient, a statistic that's worrisome to say the least.   Vitamin D deficiency can result in a number of health issues. Two of the most notable symptoms are depression and fatigue, though this is far from the full picture. Over time, lack of vitamin D can result in everything from thinning hair to reduced bone density.   Vitamin D is synthesized in the human body when skin is exposed to the sun, so one of the best and easiest ways to increase your vitamin D levels is to spend more time outside in the sunlight. Needless to say, it's also important to protect yourself from the potentially harmful effects of excessive sun exposure, so be sure to use common sense on the amount of time you spend in direct sunlight and use a good sunscreen when necessary.   For additional vitamin D, you can turn to foods that are naturally rich in this essential nutrient. Fatty fish, such as salmon, sardines and cod, are great supplemental sources of vitamin D. It can also be found in eggs, milk, cheese, yogurt and most other dairy products.  

3. Walk an Extra Mile Every Day

  When it comes to healthy New Year's resolutions, few are as achievable yet effective as the simple act of walking an extra mile each day. Getting out and taking a mile-long walk day can improve your cardiovascular health, help you maintain a healthy weight and even help to keep your leg muscles strong and healthy.   Aside from the obvious benefits of incorporating more exercise, a mile walk is a great way to relax and de-stress at the end of the day. Before you know it, you'll find that your daily walk is something you look forward to, and sticking with your healthy resolution will become virtually effortless.  

4. Breathe Cleaner Air

  Like chronic dehydration, polluted air is a problem you might never notice but which can have profound effects on your health. Between pollution from cars, VOCs from building materials and natural contaminants like dust and pollen, most people are breathing low-quality air in their homes. If you're looking for a healthy New Year's resolution that is easy to achieve and can help you live a healthier life, cleaning up your home air may be a great choice for you.   To clean up your home air, the most effective method is to use a residential air purifier with both HEPA and carbon filters. The HEPA filter will remove particles, while the carbon filter takes out gases, odors and VOCs. Between the two systems, you'll be able to remove a wide range of common contaminants from your home air.   You may also find it helpful to measure the air quality in your home with an indoor air quality meter. These devices will let you see what your current air quality is and make it easier for you to track changes as you use your air purifier to improve it. An air quality meter takes the guesswork out of your resolution to clean up your home air.  

5. Eat Less Sugar

  While nutritional advice seems to change almost every day with new findings, one thing that remains true is that most people eat too much sugar. From sugary drinks to sweet snacks, processed sugars are everywhere. While there's nothing wrong with the occasional treat, eating too much sugar regularly can lead to skin outbreaks, inflammation and could even contribute to diabetes over time.   To lead a healthier life in 2020, one of the best things you can do is to cut back on processed sugar. Start by cutting back on soda and desserts, since these are two major sources of extra sugar. You should also start keeping an eye out for added sugars in processed foods that can add up throughout the day.  

Why Make a Healthy Resolution?

  While you could make a New Year's resolution about nearly anything, there are some obvious reasons to make a health-related one. Improving your health is one of the best ways to improve your overall quality of life. In fact, being healthier can easily support other goals, such as getting more work done or finding the energy to start new hobbies.   Improving your health is also a great idea for a New Year's resolution because it can usually be done with small actions and adjustments made each day. Rather than having to take one very large step, most health goals can easily be broken down into small, regular steps. This makes them perfect for yearlong resolutions.  

Tips for Sticking to Your Healthy New Year's Resolution

  Making a resolution is easy enough, but sticking with it is the hard part. To make sure your 2020 resolution isn't another one that you give up on after a few weeks, we've put together a few tips for sticking to it.  

1. Tell Someone Else

  One of the best ways to keep yourself accountable is to tell someone else about your healthy resolution. When another person knows what you're resolving to do, you'll find it less easy to let yourself lapse. This appeoach works especially well if someone you know is making a similar resolution, since you can help to keep each other accountable.  

2. Use a Calendar or Day Planner

  Another great way to make sure you stick to your new goal is to use a calendar or day planner. Each day, check off whether you've taken action on your resolution. This habit will not only make it easier to stay accountable but will also help you track your progress throughout the year.  

3. Have an Actionable Plan

  Before the new year begins, try to come up with a specific plan for your health New Year's resolution. Break down whatever you want to achieve into smaller steps. Ideally, these steps would be some small action you can take every day, though the exact form will depend on the resolution itself. Having this plan will help you define and achieve your goals more effectively.  

4. Turn Your Goal Into a Habit

  One of the best things you can do to make sure that you stick to your resolution for an entire year is to turn your goal into a habit. To do this, try to take the same action at the same time every day. If you resolved to walk a mile a day, for example, you could take your walk after dinner every night. After a few weeks, you'll find that the action simple becomes part of your daily routine, and you won't have to consciously remind yourself of it every day.  

Can You Make More Than One Healthy New Year's Resolution?

  If you want to change to a radically healthier lifestyle in the new year, you can try making multiple resolutions relating to your health. With more than one resolution, though, it becomes even more important to carefully track your progress and keep yourself accountable. Having multiple goals to juggle will make it easier to lose track of all of them, so you need to be very careful about how you stay on track.   A good way to approach multiple goals is to have one easier goal and one harder one. For example, resolving to improve your home air quality and get more vitamin D would be a good combination of healthy resolutions. Cleaning your home air isn't necessarily simple, but once you have the right air purifier, it's a largely passive process that doesn't require daily action on your part. Changing your diet to include more vitamin D, on the other hand, will require you to make daily nutritional choices that support your goal.   By combining an easier goal with a harder one, you can achieve multiple things without the risk of failing by putting too much on your own plate. This strategy works well for all New Year's resolutions, not just those related to health and wellness.   If you've decided that breathing cleaner air should be one of your healthy New Year's resolutions, US Air Purifiers is here to help! With a great selection of home air purifiers and indoor air quality meters, we can help you get the tools you need to breathe cleaner air every day of the year. To learn more about air purification options, check out our blog or reach out to us with your questions!        

One of the most common metrics by which air purifiers are measured is the clean air delivery rate, or CADR rating. Many first time buyers treat CADR as a proxy for air purifier quality. In this article, we'll explain what this measurement is, how it works and discuss some of the limitations of using it as your only standard when buying an air purifier.  

What Is the CADR Rating?

  Before we can look at the pros and cons of CADR, it's important to first understand what it is and how it's calculated. CADR metrics are given in three categories: dust, smoke and pollen. In each category, the CADR rating measures how many cubic feet of air a given air purifier effectively removes each type of particle from each minute. The highest possible rating scores are 450 for smoke and pollen, while 400 is the highest score for dust. The higher an air purifier scores in a given category, the more efficient it is at removing particles in that size range.  

How Is CADR Calculated?

  To calculate CADR, an air purifier is placed in a room measuring 1,008 cubic feet. The air purifier is then allowed to run for 25 minutes. After the 25 minute test, the levels of the three contaminants the test is designed for are measured against the pre-test levels. In this way, an objective measure of how well the purifier removes the different particle sizes can be calculated.  

Who Calculates CADR Ratings?

  CADR tests are conducted by the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM). To get a CADR for an air purifier, the manufacturer voluntarily submits it to the AHAM for testing. Because the AHAM uses the same test for every air purifier, CADR ratings are fairly consistent and represent a good measure of air purifier efficiency in the tested categories.  

Do All Air Purifiers Have a CADR Rating?

  While many air purifiers do carry a CADR measurement, the AHAM rating process is entirely voluntary. As a result, you may find some purifiers that have not been tested or assigned a rating. This doesn't necessarily mean that these units are sub-par air purifiers, but it does make it a bit more difficult to evaluate them.  

Benefits of CADR Measurements for Consumers

  Now that we've taken a look at how CADR ratings work, let's discuss how they benefit consumers. A CADR allows potential buyers to objectively compare air purifiers when making a purchasing decision. Unlike measurements such as air flow rate and overall capacity, the CADR provides a specific measurement of how well an air purifier does in filtering out particles of different sizes. The objective nature of a CADR rating makes it much easier to tell how well an air purifier will perform when compared with other units that have undergone the same testing.   CADR ratings are also useful because they show you how well an air purifier can remove several common contaminants. If your main aim in using an air purifier is to remove pollen from your home air, for example, you can select a unit that has a high pollen CADR rating but may perform less well when it comes to removing smoke. Thanks to the three-category nature of the test, consumers can select the air purifier that best suits their unique needs.   Finally, the CADR rating introduces a certain amount of transparency into the air purifier rating process. Because it is conducted by a neutral third party under pre-set conditions, the CADR test gives an unbiased measurement of air purifier performance. Other metrics, such as air flow, often represent the air purifier operating under ideal rather than real-world conditions. When you're looking at a CADR rating, you can at least know that it is generated using a standard test administered by a disinterested party.  

What Are the Drawbacks of CADR?

  For all of their advantages, CADR ratings don't tell you everything about an air purifier. One of the biggest CADR limitations is the fact that the test does not include gases, odors or VOCs. These non-particulate contaminants are very common in home air and can be targeted by air purifiers that use carbon filters. Many air purifiers that carry CADR ratings use HEPA as well as carbon filters. When these air purifiers are submitted to the CADR test, only one part of their filtering capabilities is actually being measured. So, if gaseous contaminants are part of your home air quality concerns, a CADR test should not be the only metric you use in picking out an air purifier.   Another drawback of the CADR test is that it only tests air purifiers on their highest settings. While this is an understandable standard for the test, it can inflate the unit's efficiency in a buyer's mind. If you are buying a bedroom air purifier, for example, it's fairly unlikely that you would run it on its highest setting while you're sleeping due to noise concerns. This being the case, the air purifier you buy would not be performing as efficiently as it was under the conditions of the CADR test. This fact is important to keep in mind when looking at the CADR ratings of air purifiers you're considering.   Finally, the CADR test only shows how an air purifier will work within a very limited period of time. While the 25-minute test allows the unit to cycle a significant amount of air through, it can't tell you how it will perform after weeks or months of continuous use. As HEPA filters absorb particles from the air, they naturally experience slight declines in efficiency. While this shouldn't be a serious problem if you're changing your filters on the manufacturer's recommended schedule, it is worth noting that the clean air delivery rate of a purifier with a brand-new filter operating for only 25 minutes will be higher than that of the same purifier with a filter that has been absorbing particles for several months.  

How Should You Use the CADR Rating?

  Once you understand the advantages and drawbacks of CADR ratings, you can make proper use of them when buying an air purifier. As a rule, CADR is a great thing to consider when looking at particle filtration. The rating will give you a fairly good idea of how a given air purifier will do when it comes to removing dust, smoke and pollen from your home air. If one or all of these contaminants is your main home air quality concern, you should definitely pay attention to the CADR ratings of the units you look at.   With that said, you shouldn't make your buying decision based solely on CADR. While it's a useful metric, the rating doesn't give you any information about gas filtering and doesn't represent every important aspect of an air purifier. As a result, the best way to approach CADR is as one component of your purchasing decision, rather than the only metric you look at.  

What Else Do You Need to Look at When Buying an Air Purifier?

  To get the best air purifier for your needs, you should consider several different factors. First and foremost among these is the kind of air purifier you need. As stated above, purifiers with HEPA filters target particles, while those with carbon filters target gases. If you want to filter out both classes of contaminants, you'll need an air purifier that combines these two filter types. Deciding what contaminants you're most concerned about and choosing your model accordingly is arguably the most important step in buying an air purifier.   You also need to think about the size of the space your purifier will be used in. As you can imagine, a unit capable of covering a mid-sized house must be able to cycle air much more quickly than a unit that covers a studio apartment. In addition to CADR, you should be looking at the CFM (cubic feet per minute) of air flow and the unit's square footage rating to determine what unit is best for your needs. Keep in mind that unless stated otherwise, most air purifiers' square footage ratings are calculated on the basis of one air change per hour in a space with 8-foot ceilings. To learn more about area ratings and how to adjust based on different ceiling heights, check out our blog post on air purifier capacity here.   Another important factor to consider is the physical size of the air purifier itself. Some buyers intend to use their units in areas where floor space may be limited. In these cases, either a small air purifier or a wall-mounted model are usually the best choices.   Likewise, it's important to consider the noise level you're comfortable with. Many air purifiers can operate very quietly on their lower fan settings. As stated above, though, lower fan speeds will reduce the functional clean air delivery rate. Try to find a unit that offers a good balance between your noise comfort level and efficient filtering. Ending up with a unit that's too noisy, even if it means better filtration, can be a serious annoyance and make you less likely to keep using an air purifier over time.   Finally, you should consider the additional features of each air purifier you're looking at. Some models, for example, offer a convenient filter change reminder light that will tell you when it's time for new filters. Others, like the Blueair Pro L, can automatically detect air quality levels and change their settings accordingly. Note that in the case of Blueair this is an optional rather than a standard feature.  

Monitoring Air Purifier Performance in Real Time

  As stated above, the CADR rating will give you a picture of how an air purifier performs only within a 25-minute window and using a brand-new filter. If you want to get a more complete picture of how your air purifier operates over the course of its lifetime, you can monitor its performance yourself using a home air quality meter. These simple, easy-to-use devices let you see the levels of different contaminants in your home so that you can take effective steps to remove them.   When used in conjunction with an air purifier, these monitoring systems become especially valuable tools. You can, for example, try running your air purifier on different fan speeds, then monitor the effects on your indoor air quality using the meter. Likewise, you can see how well your purifier performs as its filters age. With this kind of real-time monitoring, you can always know where your home air quality stands and test the effects of different approaches to improve it.   As you can see, an air purifiers CADR rating is a valuable metric in choosing the right unit for your home, but it shouldn't be the only thing you think about. Be sure to consider square footage, additional features, CFM ratings, filter types and other factors as well. Picking the right air purifier is often a bit of an involved process, but the results can be well worth the effort.   Still have questions about CADR ratings or the metrics you should use to select an air purifier? We're here to help! Feel free to send us your questions, and we'll be happy to provide you with the answers and information you need. If you're still not sure what air purifier is best for you, we'll also be happy to provide you with personalized product recommendations based on your needs to help you get the right air purifier the first time.

If you're using an air purifier in your home, it's easy to forget about it on a day-to-day basis. While air purifiers shouldn't need much maintenance, one task that's very important is changing their filters on a regular basis. Here's what you need to know about air purifier filter changes, when it's time for a new filter and how you can easily keep track of your filter change schedule with a little help from US Air Purifiers.  

  What Happens When a Filter Gets Too Dirty?

  As air purifier filters are used, they pick up contaminants from the air. The result is that they gradually become loaded with these contaminants, making it harder for them to filter effectively. The biggest problem caused by dirty filters is a reduced supply of clean air. When filters are clogged, less air will be able to pass through them. This means less clean air will come out. Once the filter becomes too dirty, the space your purifier can cover will gradually begin to shrink.   Dirty filters can also run up your energy bills. As your purifier has to work harder to pass air through, it will become less energy efficient. If you leave an old filter in too long, it can markedly increase your air purifier's energy consumption. Wait too long, and you'll be stuck with higher energy bills and lower air quality.   Finally, a filter that gets dirty enough could become a source of airborne contaminants itself. Toxins from bacteria and mold trapped in the filter could be distributed by the fan, allowing them to be breathed in. This usually only happens in extreme cases where filters are left in long after they should be changed, but it is something to keep in mind.  

  How Often Should You Change Your Air Purifier Filters?

  The question of how often to change air purifier filters comes up quite often, but it's a question without a single answer. Different air purifiers require filter changes on different schedules. Each air purifier comes with a recommendation from the manufacturer on how often its filters should be changed. This recommended schedule should be followed as closely as possible in order to ensure proper function.   It's also worth noting that many air purifiers have more than one filter. Each filter in your model will likely be on a different changing schedule, a fact which can sometimes make it difficult to keep up. For example, let's take the popular Amaircare 3000 VOC, which uses a pre-filter, a HEPA filter and a carbon canister. On this particular model, the pre-filter should be changed every 3-6 months, while the HEPA filter lasts 2-5 years and the carbon canister lasts 1 year.   With that said, it's absolutely essential to know the changing schedule for your specific model. By sticking to this schedule, you can ensure proper operation and keep your air as clean as possible.  

  How to Keep Track of Filter Changes

  There are several different ways to know it's time to change your filters. The simplest method is to buy an air purifier with a filter change indicator. This feature will tell you exactly when it's time for a filter change, preventing you from having to track the time since your last change on your own. Many leading air purifiers offer built-in filter reminders, including the Amaircare 3000, Blueair Pro L and the IQAir HealthPro.  

Can You Measure Air Purifier Filter Performance?

  Even though regular filter changes should keep your air purifier in peak working condition, many users still want to be able to measure performance independently. Fortunately, this can be done with the use of an indoor air quality meter. These meters will give you data about your home air, allowing you to see if your purifier is really doing its job. If you notice the air quality beginning to diminish, it may be a sign that you have a filter in need of a change.   Our most popular indoor air quality meter is the Foobot unit. This meter has a simple color-coded display that will give you a basic picture of the air quality in your home. Via a smartphone app, you can also get more in-depth data and recommendations for improving your overall air quality.  

Are There Ways to Extend Your Filter Life?

  Because replacement filters cost money, many people understandably want to find ways to keep using their old filters for longer periods of time. The one proven way to extend the life of a filter is to minimize the amount of contamination it has to deal with. By reducing dust in your home, for example, you can keep a HEPA filter cleaner for longer. Eliminating contaminants at their source also has the advantage of making your home healthier overall, so it's well worth doing in any event.   With that said, all air purifier filters will need replaced eventually. Waiting too long or trying to squeeze extra life out of an old filter may put your air quality at risk. When in doubt, it's better to change your filter than to put it off.  

What About Filterless Air Purifiers?

  In addition to the standard HEPA and carbon filtered models, there are some air purifiers that remove contaminants without the use of a filter. Filterless air purifiers typically use a thermal core to remove solid contaminants from the air. This system can be useful for bacteria, viruses, mold spores, dust, dander, pollen and other particulates, but it doesn't have any ability to filter VOCs, gases or odors. So, if you're looking for something that will focus on particulates only, a filter-free model may be a decent choice.  

Want to Make Air Purifier Maintenance Effortless? Use Our Filter Change Reminder Tool!

  As you can probably tell by now, there are few things more essential to keeping your air purifier running properly than changing its filters on the right schedule. The problem, though, is that many users don't keep careful track of filter changes or monitor their units to see when the filter change reminder light comes on. Fortunately, we offer a free, easy-to-use online tool that can make tracking your filter changes as easy as pressing a few buttons.   With our Filter Change Reminder tool, you can register your air purifier with us and receive an email notification when it's time for new filters. The tool uses the intervals suggested by manufacturers to keep track of your filter changes. When it's time for a new filter, our till will automatically notify you, making it easy to remember. Forget writing down your last filter date or tracking the time on a calendar, because we have you covered!   Even better, we've recently made some huge improvements to this tool. At one time, we only had the ability to register one air purifier per email address. Now, you can register several air purifiers and track each one individually. This means that all of your notifications can go to the same email address, making it much easier to keep track of them as they come in.   If you own an air purifier, proper filter maintenance is an essential part of keeping it working and keeping your air clean. By executing air purifier filter changes on the right schedule and monitoring your purifier's performance, you can make sure that you're always breathing only the cleanest air. Still have questions about how often to change filters or how to use our Filter Change Reminder tool? We're here to help! Just contact us with your questions, and we'll be happy to provide you with the information and new filters your air purifier needs.        

Clean air in the home is essential for maintaining good long-term health. Even if you think the air in your home is clean, there's a good chance that it's contaminated with dust, mold spores, VOCs and other impurities that work their way into your lungs on a daily basis. If you want to achieve better home air quality, you'll need to proactively take steps to remove these contaminants. Here are some of the best ways to clean the air in your house so that you can experience better health through improved air quality.  

Pay More Attention to Ventilation

  One of the simplest ways to improve your indoor air quality is to ventilate your house sensibly. Bringing in fresh air from outside can help flush out VOCs, mold spores and other contaminants that accumulate inside the home. One important component of this that is often overlooked is kitchen ventilation. Since cooking fumes can drastically reduce air quality until they are cleared, it's important to use a good fume hood, keep windows open for cross-ventilation or both.   While ventilation is important, you also need to use common sense. If you live in a heavily polluted city, for instance, opening windows may bring in more contaminants than it removes. The same is true at the peak of pollen season in spring and fall. Generally, it's a good idea to open windows in the evenings, when cooler temperatures will make both pollen and some forms of air pollution less of a problem.  

Keep More Live Plants

  In addition to making your home look better, houseplants can have a profound impact on its air quality. As plants take in air, they can remove chemical gases from it, leaving your home cleaner. Incredibly, the gases that houseplants can absorb include benzene, formaldehyde and even trichloroethylene (TCE).   As a result, one of the best ways to clean the air in your home is to keep more live plants around. It's important to understand, though, that different plants are best for removing different contaminants. To learn more, check out our popular blog post on the best air purifying plants you can keep in your home to achieve better air quality.  

Eliminate Contaminants at Their Source

  Many of the common contaminants in home air can be prevented from building up in the first place. Dust, for example, can be kept to a minimum with a regular and thorough cleaning regimen. Mold spores and toxins can be eliminated by finding and treating small mold infestations in your home before they turn into larger problems. Even pollen can be kept to a minimum by circulating the air in your house with a fan instead of opening the windows during allergy seasons.   With this said, there are some contaminants you simply won't be able to avoid. Formaldehyde is a good example, as many building materials are treated with this dangerous chemical. As a result, most homes have an ambient level of formaldehyde that is given off by insulation and other materials over time. Getting rid of formaldehyde at the source is much more difficult than dust, mold or pollen because its source is the very materials your home is constructed from.   In your efforts to clean the air in your home, targeting contaminants at their sources is a great way to supplement other approaches. By minimizing what ends up in the air, you'll make it easier to remove the contaminants that do. That said, it's unlikely to solve all of your air quality problems.  

Best Way to Clean the Air in Your House: Use a Home Air Purifier

  Though having more houseplants and targeting contaminants at the source can both help to improve your home air quality, the best way to clean your home air is by far to use an air purifier. Air purifiers are designed specifically to draw air in, remove impurities and cycle the clean air back into your home. By continually repeating this process, they can keep pollutants at bay and help you enjoy cleaner, healthier air.   The reason that using an air purifier is the best way to clean the air in your home is that the process is predictable and controllable. While houseplants certainly do remove some contaminants, they will do it at an unpredictable rate. With a good air purifier, you'll be able to pinpoint how large a space your machine will cover, what contaminants it will remove, how many air changes per hour it will execute and other important pieces of information. Using an air purifier, you can actively take control of your indoor air quality.  

Choosing the Right Air Purifier

  Air purifiers come with two major types of filters. The first, known as a HEPA filter, is used to target solid particles in the air. These include dust, dander, pollen and even mold spores. HEPA filters are made with large amounts of fine filter material stacked into several layers. As air is passed through these layers, the solids present in it are captured and retained inside the filter.   The second major type of air purifier filter is made of activated carbon. Carbon filters can be used to capture gases, including odors and VOCs like formaldehyde. In some cases, chemically impregnated carbon is used to target specific gases.   It should be noted that many leading air purifiers feature both of these types of filters. If you're looking for the best way to clean the air in your house, it's usually a good idea to buy an air purifier with both HEPA and carbon filtration. By using the two filter types in tandem, you'll be able to remove more common contaminants than either one could on its own.   Some air purifiers also feature a UV germicidal lamp meant to kill viruses and bacteria. When exposed to UV light, these biological contaminants are rendered neutral. Purifiers with this feature are especially helpful during cold and flu season and will help support your health year-round.   Beyond the filters themselves, many air purifiers offer user-friendly features meant to make them more convenient. Multiple fan settings, for example, will let you achieve a balance between cleaning the air in your home and maintaining a noise level you're comfortable with. Filter change reminder lights are another useful feature, as they will make tracking filter changes much easier.   To get the best air purifier for your needs, you'll also need to think about the size of the space it's being used in. Air purifiers have their capacity rated in square footage, typically calculated on the assumption that they'll be used in a space with a standard 8-foot ceiling. When choosing your purifier, be sure to select a unit with the capacity to clean your entire home or multiple air purifiers that can provide comprehensive coverage.   When choosing an air purifier, it's important to consider what type of contaminants you want to target, how large your space is and what additional features you may need. For some of our most popular units, check out our Best Sellers page to see the air purifiers that our existing customers buy most often.  

How Concerned Should You Be About Home Air Quality?

  One of the most common questions people have when they start looking into ways to clean home air is whether or not the everyday contaminants in their houses are causing any real problems. While it's impossible to say whether any one person is being affected by indoor air pollution, there is clear evidence that low air quality is a contributing factor to several chronic diseases, including both heart disease and diabetes. Air pollution is one of the most widespread problems facing the world today, and new evidence continues to emerge every year pointing to its detrimental effects.   Even if you live in an area where pollution isn't a huge concern, an air purifier can help you breathe more comfortably. Common contaminants like dust and pollen can irritate the respiratory system and cause coughing, sneezing and other annoying symptoms. If you suffer from allergies or regular sneezing, an air purifier may be able to provide you with some relief.   The people who should be most concerned about indoor air quality are those who have asthma, COPD and other chronic respiratory illnesses. If you or someone you know suffers from such an ailment, a high-quality air purifier can be an invaluable tool in preventing flare-ups. By keeping the air fresh and clean, air purifiers may be able to help make asthma attacks less frequent and less severe.   Ultimately, everyone should pay at least some attention to the quality of the air they're breathing every day. If you have asthma or live in a heavily polluted city, it's extremely important to take active steps to clean the air in your house. Even if you don't, though, cleaner air can help you lead a healthier and happier life by reducing allergies and reactions to dust on a daily basis.  

Measuring Indoor Air Quality

  If you're thinking about trying out different ways to clean the air in your house, you should be thinking about how you'll measure the results. The most precise way to see what contaminants are in your home air is by using an indoor air quality meter. Using a meter, you can get a good reading on your home's baseline air quality, then monitor it as you use an air purifier and other methods to improve it. These meters will also alert you to changes in your home's air quality, allowing you to identify new contaminants or troubleshoot problems with your air purifier before your air quality suffers too much.  

Bonus Tip: Use a Humidifier for Maximum Comfort

  Although contaminants are the bigger concern, dry air can also cause problems. If the air you're breathing is too dry, you may experience sore throats, headaches and nasal irritation. To deal with overly dry air in the home, it's a good idea to use a personal humidifier. By adding some humidity back to your home air in addition to cleaning it, you can enjoy maximum comfort and breathe better than ever.   Have questions about the best ways to clean the air in your house or how an air purifier can support your overall health? We're here to help! Feel free to send us your questions, and we'll be happy to provide you with answers, advice and personalized product recommendations based on your needs.