Between an air purifier and an air ioniser, which one should you count on for cleansing the air in your home? Fortunately, you can now bridge the gap between the two by getting a HEPA-certified ionizer air purifier. Ionizers (also sometimes known as Ionisers) or negative ion generators.

 

The COVID-19 pandemic made us more aware of the environmental pollutants constantly floating around in the air that we breathe. Now more than ever, homeowners have made it a priority to cleanse their homes of harmful particulate matter like dust, mould spores, pet dander, smoke, and airborne chemicals.

 

After all, according to the EPA, indoor air is far more polluted than outdoor air.

 

Since we spend more time indoors, it makes all sense to be mindful of the air that we breathe in our homes. An air ioniser and air purifier are two available air purification options that have shown immense benefits since their options.

 

So what is the difference between an air ionizer and an air purifier?

How air ionizer works?

An air ioniser works by a process called ionization. We can get a glimpse of how ionization works by understanding what an ion is.

 

Simply put, an ion is a molecule that carries an electrical charge. If an ion is negatively charged, it is referred to as an anion, while a positively charged ion is called a cation. Anions and cations are attracted to each other like the opposite sides of a magnet.

 

 

It is this electrostatic attraction that creates the basis of how an air ioniser works.

 

Air ionisers draw their inspiration from nature, which self-purifies through the process of electrostatic attraction. Naturally, the air molecules in the atmosphere are negatively charged, while air pollutants are positively charged. Air pollutants clamp onto the negative molecules, become heavier, and fall to the ground or surfaces.

 

This is how outdoor air maintains its freshness, and it is why we feel rejuvenated when spending a weekend in the mountains after enduring weeks in the cities breathing in polluted air.

 

The air outside is constantly negatively charged when;

● Natural scenery like waterfalls and rain releases negative ions when the water droplets hit surfaces.

● Friction between wind and surfaces like trees creates negative ions that are released into the air

● Organic radioactivity in soil produces energy that carries plenty of negative ions

 

There are many more sources of negative ions in the atmosphere, but if you want to picture air ionisation in play, think of lightning and thunderstorms, or the Aurora borealis or Northern Lights.

 

 

An air ioniser does the same in your home. It is a negative ion generator that releases negatively charged molecules in the air, causing positively charged pollutants to stick to the negative molecules and float to the ground below.

 

An air ioniser is effective in cleansing the air of the smallest particles that pollute clean air. These particles are usually between 0.01 and 0.1 microns, and they include smog, tobacco, and smoke. Also, an air ioniser releases ozone gas, which is effective in killing pathogens like mould, fungi, and bacteria.

 

 

Do air ionizers really work?

Air ionisers are effective in dealing with unseen air pollutants in your home. It charges the air in the room, causing pollutants to stick to walls, tabletops, floors, or draperies. Some air ionizers will attract pollutants into the appliance for effective air purification.

What is the benefit of air ionizer?

A negative ion generator, or air ioniser, is a game changer when it comes to cleansing the air in your home. Here are the proven benefits of using an air ioniser to improve indoor air quality.

● Efficiently eliminate bacteria, viruses, and allergens from the air.

● Air purifiers are great for allergy sufferers, especially those with seasonal allergies like hay fever.

● Asthma sufferers may also benefit from the clean air quality achieved by an air ioniser.

● Improves sleep as the air quality in your room improves.

Are air ionizer safe?

Even with all the aforementioned benefits, there is still some level of concern about the frequent use of air ionisers in our homes. An air ioniser not only releases negative ions into the environment but also produces ozone gas, which poses some health risks.

 

Here are the air ionizer dangers of breathing ozone gas:

● Inhaling high amounts of ozone gas can cause headaches

● Some people will experience a dry throat and an incessant cough

● Ozone gas may also cause breathing difficulties or shortness of breath

● Prolonged exposure to ozone gas may cause your chest to feel heavy

● High levels of ozone gas may aggravate asthmatic symptoms

● Long-term exposure can cause lung damage

However, there is a workaround for using an air ioniser in your home without the worry of inhaling toxic gases. An air purifier does not emit ozone gas! Read below for more details!

How does an Air Purifier work?

An air purifier does the same job as an air ioniser but uses a different approach. Rather than ionising the air around it, an air purifier uses a spinning fan and a filtration system to cleanse the air of impurities. Air purifiers do a far greater job than an air ioniser, but you have to pick the right one.

 

Air purifiers come in all shapes and sizes. They are defined based on the technology they use, which may be something like EPA, HEPA, “HEPA-like”, “True-HEPA” and “medical grade HEPA-13”. Your attention should be on air purifiers that are certified as medical grade because they are fitted with a genuine HEPA filter.

 

Note that only a “medical grade HEPA” or H13 filter is capable of removing up to 99.95% of airborne impurities, both large and small particles. An air ioniser struggles in this department because it is only effective in removing the smallest air particles. It will not be as effective in removing big particles that are 0.3 microns or more, and most asthma-triggering pollutants fall into this category.

 

 

Modern H13 air purifiers feature a four-filtration system for the most efficient air purification—up to 99.97%.

1. The first pre-filter takes away all the big particles that a normal air ioniser wouldn't be able to remove. This includes pollutants like dust, dust mites, human hair, dead skin cells, and pet dander.

 

2. Air then moves through the medical grade HEPA filter, where small and unseen air particles like tobacco smoke, paint pigments, carbon dust, bacteria, or asbestos are removed. A HEPA filter is also effective in filtering out pollutants such as paint pigments, insecticides, virus carriers, and all types of bacteria, including anthrax.

 

3. The third important step in air purification is removing odours and any noxious gases lingering in your home. A carbon filter with activated carbon helps neutralise noxious gases, odours, and any impurities from pollutants like tobacco and chemicals.

 

4. The fourth filtration system bridges the gap between air ioniser and air purifiers. An Ionizer booster that functions exactly like an air ioniser. This filter releases negative ions that clamp onto any remaining impurities before releasing fresh air back into the environment.

Which is better: an air ioniser or an air purifier?

Can you use an air ioniser with an air purifier? The answer is yes. With technological advancement, we can now have an ioniser air purifier that includes an ion booster filter for the cleanest air quality in your home.

 

1. Air purifier struggles with large particles

There is nothing wrong with choosing an air ioniser to purify the air in your home. Some come with an ionizer fan that will draw impurities away from the room, making it easier to clean up when no pollutants settle on surfaces. However, an air ioniser has its limitations when it comes to filtering out the big-sized pollutants that negatively affect our health. This includes particles like dander, dust, and pollen.

 

2. Air ionizer cannot remove odour

Also, an air ioniser is ineffective in dealing with bad odour, noxious gases, and volatile organic compounds or chemicals released by paints, adhesives, and cleaning supplies. It is only a temporary solution for air purification, but it will not deal extensively with all the sources of indoor pollution in your home.

 

3. Air purifier does not emit ozone gas

You also have to be wary of ozone gas that is emitted when the negative ions from a negative ion generator charge particles in the air. Although ozone gas destroys viruses and other disease-causing microorganisms, it also poses a threat to human health.

 

When inhaled, ozone can cause throat irritation, coughing, chest pain, and shortness of breath. Prolonged exposure will trigger lung inflammation, undermine lung function, and worsen asthma. An air ioniser may not be a viable solution when indoor air quality is vital to protecting allergy sufferers.

 

4. Air purifier removes all pollutants

An ioniser air purifier is the safest way to eliminate indoor pollutants of all sizes. Indoor air pollution comes from various sources;

● Dust

● Cement

● Paint

● Furniture

● Heating and cooking appliances

● Asbestos

● Mould spores

● Pollen

 

 

5. Air purifier is more efficient

A medical grade H13 air purifier has an efficient four-filtration system to combat all sorts of pollutants in your home. Even the smallest air purifier that is HEPA certified has an inbuilt ionizer fan combo to eliminate any remaining pollutants in the air being purified. The result is enjoying the freshest indoor air that is free of allergy-triggering or disease-causing airborne pollutants.

 

6. Air purifier is cheaper

It can be costly to run an ionizer because it does not completely eliminate airborne pollutants. Even for the particles that fall to the ground, some may be blown back into the environment if not cleaned. Using an ionizer air purifier combines the best of both worlds (ioniser and air purifier), which will greatly reduce the cost of purifying air in your home.

 

FAQs

What does an ionizer do to the air?

An ionizer charges air particles, causing them to have a negative charge. Pollutants like smoke, smog, and tobacco, which are positively charged, are attracted to the negative ions, become heavy, and fall to the ground, in the process of purifying the air.

Is air ionizer good or bad?

Air ionizers are great for home air purification, but they have a few disadvantages. One, an air ioniser may not be as effective in filtering out large particles of pollutants in the air. Two, a negative ion generator produces ozone gas which may irritate the respiratory system, especially for people with asthmatic symptoms.

Are air ionizers worth it?

Air ionisers are excellent in improving indoor air quality by eliminating small air particles that contaminate the air you breathe. They include bacteria, viruses, mould, smoke, and smog. For better results, consider getting a HEPA ionizer air purifier, which also removes the large particles in the air with 99.97% air cleansing efficiency.

What are the side effects of ionizer?

Air ionizers produce traces of ozone gas, which may irritate the lungs when inhaled. When ozone gas increases to harmful levels, it may trigger chest pain, throat irritation, coughing, and difficulty breathing. Ozone gas can worsen asthmatic symptoms too.