We’ll say it up front – air purifiers don’t have the capability of removing moisture from the air. While enhancing your indoor air quality, air purifiers don’t remove moisture from the air. What is their lane? A premium air purifier–think Alen–filters out particles such as dust, pollen, and pet dander, and when equipped with an activated carbon filter, harmful pollutants like smoke and gaseous contaminants. Alen home air purifiers draw air through filters, trapping contaminants, and releasing clean air back into the room. As for moisture levels, the good news is that maintaining desired indoor humidity levels while using an air purifier is easily achieved.
Why Your Home Feels Dry When Using an Air Purifier
Well, you might have thought the air was dryer while using an air purifier. While designed to enhance indoor air quality, air purifiers can sometimes create a perception of dry air. The perception of dryness likely comes from the continuous cycling of air that is part of the process of air movement and filtration. While air purifiers do not remove moisture from the air, the movement of air can increase evaporation from surfaces in a room–including your skin and mucous membranes. This increased evaporation can make the air feel drier than it is.
Some air purifiers, such as Alen, use HEPA (High-Efficiency Particulate Air) filters that are highly effective at trapping fine particles. If you have a sense of dryness, you can use a humidifier in conjunction with your air purifier, especially during the winter months when indoor air tends to be drier. This combination can help maintain a comfortable humidity level while ensuring the air remains clean and free of pollutants. Nice!
What is the Difference Between an Air Purifier, Humidifier and Dehumidifier
It can be confusing–hang tight, we’ll spell it all out: An air purifier removes airborne contaminants to improve air quality; a humidifier adds moisture to the air to reduce dryness; and a dehumidifier extracts excess moisture to reduce humidity levels. We’ll examine each device to see how it maintains optimal indoor air conditions.
Air Purifier
Let’s start with air purifiers, which are designed to remove airborne contaminants from indoor environments and improve air quality. Their filters trap pollutants such as dust, pollen, pet dander, and smoke particles. High-quality air purifiers, like those from Alen, often use HEPA filters, which can capture up to 99.9% of particles as small as 0.1 micron. Some Alen models also incorporate activated carbon filters to capture odors and chemical vapors. By continuously cycling and purifying the air, these devices help reduce allergens and irritants, making indoor air healthier to breathe. If you’re looking to improve the air quality in your home you can trust the efficiency and reliability of Alen air purifiers.
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Humidifier
Now let’s discuss humidifiers, which add moisture to the air and are used especially in dry indoor environments. They work by releasing water vapor or steam into the air, increasing humidity levels to alleviate dryness. The added humidity can help prevent issues such as dry skin, irritated nasal passages, and static electricity. Humidifiers come in various types, including evaporative, ultrasonic, and steam vaporizers. They maintain a comfortable humidity level, usually between 30-50%, and may be especially beneficial during winter months, in dry climates, or if you have a cold and require more moisture to help your breath. Using a humidifier in your home can complement the air-purifying efforts of devices like Alen air purifiers, ensuring clean and humidified air.
Dehumidifier
Alternatively, dehumidifiers operate by extracting excess moisture from the air, which is necessary for preventing mold growth and reducing humidity levels in damp areas of your home. They work by drawing in humid air, cooling it to condense the moisture into water, which is then collected in a reservoir or drained away. The dry air is then reheated and released back into the room. These devices help lower humidity levels–ideally between the 30-50% range–and help prevent the growth of mold, mildew, and dust mites that thrive in moist environments. A dehumidifier can be particularly beneficial in basements, bathrooms, and other areas prone to dampness. While dehumidifiers help prevent new mold growth by reducing humidity, they do not eliminate mold spores like air purifiers do.
Tips for Maintaining Indoor Humidity with an Air Purifier
Good news! Maintaining proper indoor humidity levels while using an air purifier is easily achieved, ensuring enhanced air quality and comfort at the same time. Here are our top three tips on using an air purifier for indoor humidity control:
1. Combine with a Humidifier
Using a humidifier together with an air purifier can be especially beneficial during dry seasons or in naturally dry climates. To achieve optimal air quality, try placing the humidifier and air purifier in the same room but at opposite ends. This setup allows for the even distribution of clean, humidified air. Also, be sure to adjust the humidifier’s settings to maintain a humidity level between 30-50% so that the air remains comfortable without becoming excessively damp–a perfect balance! If you're interested in learning more about what makes air purifiers and humidifers different check out our latest article.
2. Regular Maintenance of Air Purifier Filters
We recommend you regularly clean and replace your air purifier filters to prevent the device from overworking, which can indirectly affect room humidity. For instance, a clogged filter forces the air purifier to work harder, potentially leading to decreased air circulation and a perception of drier air. Depending upon the model and filter type, Alen’s filter replacement guidelines call for replacement every 6 -12 months.
3. Air Purifier Placement
Proper placement of your air purifier is important for effective air circulation. Place the air purifier in a central location where air can circulate freely throughout the room. Ensure there is ample space around the device, typically at least a few feet from walls or furniture, to allow unobstructed and continuous airflow. Proper placement helps you maintain balanced humidity levels while ensuring the air purifier effectively cleans the air in your home.
Air Purifiers to Improve Air Quality
Air purifiers are designed to significantly enhance indoor air quality by removing airborne contaminants. Alen air purifiers are equipped with advanced HEPA filters, which can easily capture pollutants such as dust, pollen, pet dander, and smoke. When combined with Alen’s VOC/Smoke filters that have more activated carbon, you can specifically target gaseous contaminants and smoke in your home. Using an Alen air purifier can create a healthier, cleaner living environment, reducing allergens and irritants so you can breathe clean air. Be the hero of your home, and find the perfect Alen model for your home!
