Air Cleaners

Best ways to reduce pollutants in order of effectiveness

1. Source Control: remove the source and control the emissions.
2. Ventilation: bring outside air indoors.
3. Air Cleaning: use in conjunction with source control and ventilation.

Types of Air Cleaners

1. Mechanical Filtration: similar to the typical furnace filter. It can be installed in central heating and air-conditioning system ducts or in portable devices with fans.
   • Types of filters
     • High Efficiency Particulate Air Filters (HEPA)
     • Flat and Panel Filters
2. Electrostatic Precipitators/Electronic Air Cleaners: traps charged particles using an electrical field. It can be installed in central heating and air-conditioning systems or in portable units. This type of air cleaner may produce ozone.
3. Ion Generators: removes particles by using static charges. This type of air cleaner only comes in portable units and may produce ozone.
4. Hybrid Devices: two or more of the particle devices combined (i.e. mechanical filters combined with an electrostatic precipitator).

Recommendation

Available Literature on Air Cleaners

• United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) indoor air publications -
  Residential Air-Cleaning Devices: A Summary of Available Information, USEPA, February 1990, EPA 400/1-90-002.
  Call or Write:
  Environmental Protection Agency Region 10
  Public Information Center SO-143
  1200 Sixth Avenue
  Seattle, WA 98101-9797
  (206) 553-4973

• For current Consumer Reports articles see your local library or bookstore.