So are ionic air purifiers better?
What Is an Ionic Air Purifier?
Ionic air purifiers are air cleaners that help your remove or reduce ultrafine contaminants from the surrounding air.
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Some ionic air purifiers also come with a positively charged collector to attract the negatively charged pollutants.
What Is a HEPA Air Purifier?
HEPA air purifiers are the most common consumer-grade air purifiers on the market.
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As mentioned previously, they may also feature an air ionizer.
Ionic vs. HEPA: Which Is Better at Cleaning the Air?
Both ionic and HEPA air purifiers clean the surrounding air but use different technologies.
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Ionizers also cannot remove gases and odors.
Unfortunately, like ionic air purifiers, HEPA filters can’t clean gases or odors.
But EPA notes that no controlled studies have confirmed this.
Plus, research conducted to look at various studies around air purifiers byHealth Canadahad asimilar conclusion.
That said, CARBmaintains a list of air cleanersthat have been tested to emit little or no ozone.
Their fan noise at higher prefs can also be disruptive.
In contrast, most ionic air purifiers work silently and have no filters to replace.
As a result, they are cheaper to operate.
What About Electrostatic Precipitators?
Electrostatic precipitators are filterless air cleaners that are also sometimes referred to as ionic air purifiers.
But they aren’t technically ionic air purifiers as they don’t release ions in the air.
Instead, they rely on electrical charges.
Electrostatic precipitators have two plates—one with a positive charge and the other with a negative charge.
These charged particles then pass over the positively charged plate (collector plate) and stick to it.
As a result, cleaner air exits the purifier, leaving behind contaminants attached to the collector plate.
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These purifiers don’t capture many particles and often let pollutants pass through them.
Additionally, they are only effective when the collector plate is clean.
As it gets dirty, the efficiency of the purifier drops.
Finally, electrostatic precipitators are known for highpower usage.
Which Is Right for You?
Both ionic air purifiers and standard air purifiers with HEPA filters have advantages and disadvantages.
But the benefits of HEPA purifiers greatly outweigh their drawbacks.
Unfortunately, you’re able to’t necessarily say the same thing about ionic air purifiers.
Also, many of the supposed health benefits associated with ionic air purifiershaven’t been widely tested.
That way, you get the best of both worlds.
