Indoor air pollution is more significant than people used to think, at least prior to COVID-19. The air is packed with contaminants, including but not limited to dust, dirt, mold, odor, smoke, VOCs, bacteria, viruses, and so much more.
Not only are people suddenly obsessed with air purifiers, but they're also wondering whether they can leave them running all the time to get the best results. If you're curious about the answer, continue reading.
The Short Answer
Yes. Leaving your air purifier on all the time helps not only cleans the air of contaminants and significantly improves its quality but also maintains its new clean status all the time.
The reason someone wouldn't run the device all day long is for fear of energy costs adding up, but you can counteract this problem by getting an energy-efficient air purifier. Finally, stay away from ozone-producing air purifiers, especially if you want to leave them on all day.
What Are the Best Types of Air Purifiers for All-Day Use?
There are a ton of air cleaners out there with different kinds of air filters. If you want to leave the purifier running all day, it's best to get one that has no harmful side effects to watch out for. Here are the safest types of air purifiers.
1. HEPA
HEPA is the most popular type of air filter on the planet, and it's definitely worth the hype. Standing for "high-efficiency particulate air filter", this type of filter enables the purifier to trap 99.97% of dust mites, pet dander, pollen, mold, and any 0.3-micron airborne particles.
The reason why this type of purifier is so popular is that it works for all general air purification purposes. Most people deal with all kinds of dust, pet dander, and mold.
So, when there's a device that can get rid of them efficiently, there's no reason not to have it running all day. In fact, we encourage doing so to get the most out of your HEPA purifier. Just remember to brace yourself for frequent filter replacements.
Also, we recommend that you get models that are Energy-star certified to cut on energy costs, as they are 25% more energy-efficient than their counterparts.
2. Activated Carbon
What a HEPA filter can't do, an activated carbon one can, and vice versa. These filters work through a process called adsorption, not absorption. The large surface of extremely porous material attracts vapor contaminants, such as volatile organic compounds, odors, smoke, and fumes, from the air and makes them stick to it, thus ridding the air from them.
Like HEPA filters, there's no danger from running a device with activated carbon all day and night, as carbon is inert and safe. If you're dealing with odors and gaseous pollutants, you're guaranteed to wake up to a fresher, odor-free home.
What Type of Air Purifiers Are Not Good for 24-hour Use?
Any air purifier can be left running all day and night, as long as it's safe. While all types of purifiers work towards the same goal, which is to clean the air from contaminants, some use methods that have serious side effects, like ozone.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, ozone causes coughing, shortness of breath, chest pain, throat irritation, lung damage, asthma, and other respiratory problems. So, even if these air purifiers do improve the air quality, they put the user's health at risk.
There are safer, more effective air filters to spend your money on. For now, let's discuss the types of devices that you should never leave running all day.
Ozone
While we'd wish that the ozone in its name refers to what it removes, it's actually what this type of device generates and spreads in your air. The idea of an ozone air purifier is that the ozone that it pushes around in the air reacts with all kinds of pollutants and breaks them down, which is a huge claim in itself.
However, these reactions aren't safe for you or your environment, as ozone reacts with household cleaners, rubber, electrical wire coatings, fabrics, artwork, and more. Consequently, ozone generators are banned in California.
There has been a lot of doubt about whether it's even effective in doing the job that it claims to do, as the ozone needs to be dangerously high in concentration to remove airborne chemicals, according to CARB. So, it's safe to say that this device isn't safe enough to leave running all the time.
Ionizers
Ionic purifiers work by spreading electrically charged ions that attach themselves to airborne particles, then cause them to stick to surfaces, meaning that they don't even get rid of contaminants; they just make them easier for you to wipe away.
These devices always leave behind a by-product that we should never welcome into our homes: ozone. While the level of ozone that ionizers release is less than ozone generators, it's still harmful enough to have it around all day.
The ionic air purifier's popularity stems from the fact that it's filterless, so users won't have to bother with filter changes every few months. However, this convenience still comes with a heavy price.
UV
UV air purifiers are gaining popularity nowadays, thanks to their sterilizing abilities. These filters utilize UV-C light to combat bacteria, germs, and viruses by damaging their DNA, rendering them inactive.
While that sounds good in theory, microorganisms have to be exposed to UV light for a long time to achieve the desired result. What usually happens is that they're only exposed to it briefly, which doesn't do the trick. Like ozone purifiers, they have to be dangerously intense to do the job.
More importantly, UV-C light breaks oxygen molecules apart and combines them with others, transforming oxygen into ozone. Thus, we don't recommend leaving a UV purifier running all day.
FAQs
Can I Leave My Air Purifier on All Night?
Definitely, leaving the air cleaner on at night is not only possible but also recommended. If you're dealing with odors or suffering from allergies or respiratory problems, the device will clean the air for you, leading to better sleep. When your sleep quality improves, and you wake up to a cleaner home, what reason is there not to leave it running?
Will an Air Purifier Use a Lot of Electricity If I Leave It on All Day?
Energy costs can add up when dealing with electric appliances. However, there are ways to have the purifier running all day while not paying much extra. First, get an energy-efficient model that performs the same as others while consuming less energy. Energy-star models are the best at energy efficiency. Also, run the device at the lowest setting when the air feels cleaner to save on energy bills.
Should I Open My Windows with My Air Purifier on?
No. The point of an air purifier is to improve indoor air quality. So, it performs best when only dealing with indoor air. When you introduce outdoor air and its myriad of pollutants to the mix, you're unnecessarily overworking the air purifier. To save energy, open windows when the air purifier is off or for a short period of time.
Should I Leave My Air Purifier on When I'm Not Home?
While it may sound excessive at first, leaving it on when you're not home ensures that the air stays clean. Otherwise, you may come home to polluted air and need to turn it on anyways. Make sure you only do this with Energy-star models so that the energy bills don't get out of control.
Final Words
Hopefully, our article on whether to leave the air purifier running all the time is helpful. The truth is, you definitely can leave it running, and we recommend it, but you need to check a few things first.
It needs to be an effective, safe type of purifier, such as HEPA and carbon. Also, it should be energy efficient to prevent any increase in energy costs.
