Tips for Choosing the Right Air Purifier Size

You are not the only one who is not sure about how to pick the correct air purifier. The range of air purifying devices is mind-boggling and confusing. They come in all shapes, sizes, and capabilities. Modern air purifiers come with a variety of filters, remote controls, digital panels, Wi-Fi operation, and more.

Let us consider some of the factors before buying an air purifier.

Things to Consider While Choosing the Right Air Purifier Size

Air Purifier Size:

Every purifier has a different CADR value and covers the area according to its size. An air purifier size is measured in square feet. For instance, under the product specification, if it’s written “area covered 200 square feet” then it means that the air purifier is suitable for room size less than or equivalent to 200 square feet. It is recommended to buy a higher capacity air purifier than the room size.

For an air purifier CADR (Clean air delivery rate) rating determines its strength. It is a numerical value to show you exactly how much of the specific particles to be removed from the air. Different sizes of air purifiers have different CADR values. The table below will explain various air purifier sizes, area covered and suggested CADR value.

RoomArea coveredSuggested CADR value
Bedroom (150-250 sq. ft)Area covering 300 square feet at least100 – 150
Living room (250-400 sq.ft)Area covering  500 square feet at least150 – 300
Whole house (400 – 900 sq. ft)Area covering 1000 square feet at least300 – 400

The table is clearly explaining what size of air purifier is required for your bedroom/living room/the whole house. For bedroom of size up to 250 sq.ft consider air purifier area covering 300 sq.ft with a CADR value of 100-150. Similarly, the air purifier covering 500 sq. Ft, along with the CADR value of 150-300, is suitable for the living room. The air purifier for the whole house should have the area covered at least 1000 sq. Ft with a 300-400 CADR value.

Position:

We recommend that you place your air purifier in your bedroom since that’s where you spend most of your time. Portable air purifiers are designed to purify the air of only one room. As another option, you can try buying air purifiers for the entire house if that’s what you seek.

Other Factors You May Want to Consider

Allergies:

If you have allergies and looking for an air purifier to help manage the symptoms, you should consider an air purifier’s air change per hour (ACH) rate. Try buying an air purifier designed for allergy relief. They have multiple allergen filters, including HEPA filters.

Asthma:

If you have Asthma or become nauseous by odor, then you should consider an asthma air purifier. Air purifiers that can clean the air in a space at least 4 times per hour are best for asthma-sufferers.

Smoke:

Whether it’s a fireplace or wood-burning stove, the smoke comes flowing into the living space. The fumes could cause unpleasant odors in the environment. This is why smoke air purifiers are specifically designed to remove smoke in such situations.

Chemical Sensitivities:

Some people are extremely sensitive to chemicals and chemical pollutants. If you are one of them, you might consider an air purifier for multi chemical sensitivities (MCS). These models do the odor and chemical filtration in a more advanced way.

Noise:

The noise of an air purifier is an essential factor when it comes to choosing the right air purifier. If the air purifier you are using has a coverage area of 300 square feet and is been placed in a room of the same size, then it will need to run on the medium fan setting to do the job, which makes a lot of noise. Anything higher than the lowest fan setting is inappropriate for the bedroom and will wake you up during night time.

Maintenance:

If you are using an air purifier with filters, then you should be able to replace the filters after a certain period. An air purifier has more than one filter; depending on them, you might need to change them at different times.

Conclusion

You might say that there is nothing complicated about determining the size. All the manufacturers put an approximate coverage area in the air purifier’s description. However, what you are reading on the label is not always totally true. Some manufacturers use a few tricks to make you believe that the unit can clean a bigger room than it actually can.

That is why we mentioned these tips which will help you make an informed decision regarding what size air purifier you need for your room/house.

Megha Kothari
 

Megha leads the content strategy and oversees an amazing team of writers, editors, and designers, all having one goal in mind – to create brilliant content that helps people make the right purchase investment. When she is not working, you can find her enjoying making delicious food and planning her next travel.

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