Does An Air Purifier Make Indoor Air Dry?
The pollutants present in the air from cooking and smoking to chemicals and traffic are constantly increasing. Hence, it is vital to ensure the air in your home is clean if you want to protect the health of the entire family.
The causes of our planet’s pollution are endless. For this reason, most homeowners are taking significant steps to ensure the air in their home is healthy and safe by using air purifiers.
There is no doubt that an air purifier offers plenty of benefits to your health. However, one of the most common questions on people’s minds is whether an air purifier dries out the air or not.
This article answers that question. Additionally, we’ll provide you with essential information about air purifiers to help you better understand how these devices work.
Will An Air Purifier Dry Out Or Take The Moisture Out Of The Air?
The short answer to this is no. Unlike dehumidifiers, an air purifier does not take out the moisture from the air. This device works by trapping dust, mold, mites, pet dander, and other air pollutant particles.
It draws in the air in your home, filters and eliminates every harmful particle present, and disperses it with the help of ionizers or a fan. Moreover, it will not alter the air’s humidity level at all. Watch this impressive video to learn more about the airflow technology of air purifiers.
For the air to dry out, a device would need to get rid of the air’s moisture. It does this by driving the air within the unit. Then, it will transfer it into a rotator or a cold evaporator coil, causing the air to cool beneath its dew point before dispersing it back into the environment.
Most air purifiers available on the market will not reduce the moisture from the air. Nevertheless, there are those with a dehumidifier or humidifier feature that can impact its humidity level. Still, the majority of air purifiers you can find will not include this feature since their main purpose is to clean and improve indoor air.
If you’re using a dehumidifier in a room for longer periods, it may cause the air in your home’s atmosphere to dry out. As a result, you may experience several health concerns like the drying of your throat, nose, and skin. That’s why air quality monitoring and opting for a unit that can detect humidity level is essential.
An air conditioner is another device that can dry out the air and remove its moisture. Keep in mind that cold indoor air means low humidity level. The reason for this is because cold air can’t retain moisture.
Still, using an air purifier does not mean that the humidity level in your home is going to be stable. Humidity can change depending on the weather and environment.
Understanding Humidity Level
It is vital to understand what humidity is since it is the concentration of water vapor within the air. Therefore, it will have an impact not only on the climate and weather but indoor atmospheres as well.
Having too high or too low humidity can be hazardous to you and your family. In fact, you may experience major health problems due to a combination of high humidity and high temperature.
The ideal humidity good for your health is 40-50%. On the other hand, a humidity level above 60% will not only harm indoor air but also put your health at risk. If the humidity is 100%, it means the air is very moist. Meanwhile, the air is quite dry if it’s 0%.
To check the humidity level of your home, make sure to purchase an indoor humidity monitor or hygrometer.
Do I Really Need An Air Purifier?
Although an air purifier will not solve all the health problems you have, it will surely keep the air in your home cleaner. With that in mind, here are some of the reasons why you need an air purifier:
- You have asthma, allergy, or respiratory problem
Air purifiers with a HEPA filter can help reduce some symptoms related to breathing problems, asthma, and allergies, such as coughing and wheezing.
These devices are designed to capture as much as 99.7% of tiny particles for up to 0.3 micrometers. Moreover, they can also catch dust, pet dander, pollen, and other common irritants.
- You own pets
The fur of your pets may cause some allergy problems to you or your family. Likewise, even if your dog does not shed, it will release dander and skin in the air. Plus, the coat of your pet tends to gather dust and pollen.
An air purifier with pre-filters can take care of these before getting into the HEPA filter. Also, units with charcoal or carbon filters trap odors, which can help decrease pet smells in your home.
- There’s a smoker in your family
Cigarette smoking and secondhand smoke have negative effects on the overall health of everyone. Opening your windows will not protect you from these. However, combining ventilation with filtration that can catch fine particles can help provide comfort.
- Your home is located on a busy street
An air purifier can catch dust and other airborne particles that make their way inside your home from vehicles passing by.
Closing your windows all the time can help keep some of the dirt away, but some will still get in the cracks. Running your machine can filter these, helping you breathe better.
You don’t have to worry about an air purifier drying out the air in your home or reducing its moisture since it will not affect the humidity level. What the device will do is improve air quality by reducing airborne allergens no matter the amount of moisture in the air.
If you still have additional questions, this community wisdom may be able to help you further.