Myths and facts about air purifiers
Many people are worried about getting an air purifier at home because they do not understand these devices and see some risk in them. We’ll take a look on the most common myths going around.
An air purifier creates a sterile environment in the apartment, which weakens immunity.
An air purifier does not have the ability to create a sterile environment. The air in the apartment will still be natural and the purifier only gets rid of harmful components. The immune system will not be under stress at home, thanks to which it will be able to rest and gain strength. As a result, the body will be able to defend itself more effectively against viruses and bacteria outdoors.
This means that an air purifier does not weaken the immune system but actually strengthens it.
It is even recommended to have the window open with the air purifier switched on.
Why use an air purifier at home when you still encounter polluted air outside?
Although you do encounter polluted air (on the street, at work, etc.) for most of the day, using a purifier at home still makes sense. People do spend a lot of time at home (all night, part of the day and weekends). Even this time can significantly help to improve their health.
Purifiers not only rid the air of harmful viruses, bacteria and fungi, but also, thanks to the ionizer, increase the concentration of negative ions, which are beneficial to health. They reduce the degree of fatigue, improve concentration and improve physical and mental well-being.
It is better for allergy sufferers to get used to allergens.
Unfortunately, the body cannot get used to allergies. When an allergy sufferer is constantly struggling with allergens, the body becomes unnecessarily exhausted. Therefore, it is better for allergy sufferers to encounter allergens as little as possible in everyday life.
Ionizer purifiers produce harmful ozone.
This is not true. Ionizer air purifiers, based on the production of negative ions, produce only a negligible amount of ozone. Ozone production in purifiers must comply with the rules of the ČSN EN 60335-2-65 ED.2 (361045), standard, which stipulates a maximum permissible amount of ozone of 0.05 ppm.
The air purifiers thus produce a similar amount of ozone, similar to what would get into your body during a normal walk through the forest.
The production of ozone by purifiers will not endanger even those who are sensitive to it (allergy sufferers and asthmatics). The World Health Organization states that these people experience difficulty breathing when the concentration of ozone in the air exceeds the limit of 160 µg/m3. Household purifiers do not exceed the limit of 100 µg/m3.
It is better to let children grow up in a natural environment without air purifiers.
The problem is that the normal environment of city apartments and houses is not natural. Harmful substances from passing cars or factories penetrate into the apartment from the outside. In villages, the problem is solid fuel stoves, which release harmful substances into the air.
Even inside, harmful substances can be released from formaldehyde paint on furniture, electrical appliances, fluorescent lamps, plastic objects, printers and copiers.
Conversely, an air purifier can create a natural environment, similar to that in a forest or near bodies of water (sea, lakes, waterfalls).
