Air Purifiers in Cars: Why Do We Need Them?

You may have heard about the value of running an air purifier in your home, or seen one at work in a local business, but why would you need to run an air purifier in your car?

In reality, the cabin of a car, where drivers and passengers sit, can be pretty dirty in terms of air quality. There are a number of reasons for this, and certain kinds of contaminants that people who are concerned about their health and safety should know about. There’s the manufacturing process, and … well, let’s go over some of the issues that can confront drivers and their passengers on the road. In the end, an air purifier in this environment can be a positive addition.

Air Contamination in New Cars

Let’s talk about a car when it rolls off of the assembly line, and onto the dealer’s lot.

You know that “new car smell” that you often get a whiff of when you test drive a new vehicle?

When you smell this, you’re inhaling chemicals like formaldehyde.

Basically, the materials used for seating, dashboards, and other parts of the car, produce these chemicals in a process called off-gassing.

It continues for a long time, but it’s most intense right after the car is made. As the car gets older, the off-gassing decreases, but lasts for a long time. According to scientists those levels of chemicals just get lower, to where you don’t smell them as much. Practically speaking, after many months, most of the levels of these chemicals are relatively negligible, but the point is that this process lasts quite a while. 

Now, often, we frame the “new car smell,” as something positive, denoting our status as new car owners, and if it wasn’t for the health risks, that might be a better way to go. But in reality, chemicals like formaldehyde, benzene, etc. are harmful. Some are carcinogens. Some worsen breathing problems. So it’s important to know what that smell really means, whether it’s in a car, in your home, or anywhere else.

Air Pollution in Older Cars

If you’re buying a preowned vehicle and operating it long-term, you might not have as much of those chemicals that come with the vehicle initially from the factory.

What you often do have is other pollutants connected to the aging systems of the vehicle.

One is the exhaust system – where the fuel injector and other parts process combustion on the front end, and parts like the catalytic converter and oxygen sensors manage the exhaust on the back end.

That exhaust has to go somewhere – mainly, it goes into the air around the car, but it can also get into the intake, and end up in the cabin. That’s especially true if there’s a leak in the exhaust line, or rust on interior panels.

So any exhaust that ends up in the vehicle represents a form of air pollution that can be harmful. That includes exhaust from other cars that you might encounter, for instance, at stop lights. 

Also, as the vehicle ages, it will possibly be burning oil, which again, may result in smoke ending up in the cabin.

You may or may not smell either of these, as a driver or passenger, but in general, the levels can be significant.

Environmental Air Pollution in Cars

Think about this, too: along with any products of combustion, or chemical off-gassing, one can also experience allergens in the car. Maybe it’s pollen season, and the outdoor allergens have gotten into your vehicle through the windows. Maybe the car was used to transport an animal that someone is allergic to. This can also be a concern in terms of air contamination in what is a relatively small space. Any contaminant doesn’t have anywhere to dissipate.

Whether it’s pollen, pet dander, mold or anything else, you may find that your car is triggering your allergies.

Protecting Your Health

Can you use an air purifier in your car? Yes, you can. It’s generally going to be a smaller model, such as some of the personal wearable air purifiers like Respiray, or a machine that will fit in your automobile, conveniently. This is true of some of the Roomaid models that we sell, which can also connect to a car charger for power. 

Combustion Processes and Human Health

Again, the car engine is a form of combustion – it takes gasoline and burns it to run the vehicle. So there are going to be those kinds of exhaust particles that can cause or worsen respiratory issues like:

• COPD
• Asthma
• Chronic coughing

Just like the outdoors, you can measure the air pollution in a car with an air monitor and see what’s lurking in your vehicle’s interior.

Then you can look at available models that you can install on your vehicle to take care of some of this pollution.

USAirPurifiers is a family and veteran-owned U.S. business offering a wide range of high-quality air purifiers, scrubbers, filters, air monitors and humidifiers.  The Lulay Team knows that clean air isn’t one-size-fits-all, so we match the right solution to your needs and budget. Invest in your family’s health and breathe easier.  Your health is truly our top priority because everyone deserves to enjoy clean air everywhere!