Nowadays, it is indispensable to keep your indoor environment clean. You might think you have healthy indoor air quality, but actually it is not. The unclean HVAC system, dust particles, pollutants, and contaminants from your electronic appliances and outside has an adverse effect on your indoor air quality.
If you want to improve indoor air quality, air ionizers are the best choice. These products are an engineering marvel that is highly effective in reducing and eliminating common allergens and pollutants like dust particles and pollen. Given the recent situation, these best air ionizers have become the hottest selling products in the market.
You can find a wide array of product choices which often makes it difficult to make the right decision. Some air ionizers come with conventional HEPA filters while others work using just the physical air filtration system. Using air ionizers in your home can give you a similar level of negative ions inside as the fresh outside air has. This makes them a popular option for treating a variety of allergies and seasonal health conditions.
At Home Ionizer, we have an in-depth understanding of the problems you face related to finding the best home air ionizers as well as maintaining your indoor air quality. We strive hard to bring to you the authentic and latest information about how you can choose the right air ionizers for your home and improve your indoor air quality. Here is a comprehensive guide about the best air ionizers and how you can choose the right one according to your preferences and requirements.
What is an Ionizer?
Air ionizers also referred to as ion generators or iconic filters, are the well-known air filters that are used in air purifiers. These filters emit negative ions into the air which connects to positive ions like dust and pollen to eliminate them and improve air quality. The charged clouds of negative ions attract the particles in the air which then fall into the nearby charged collector plate or gather in the mechanical filter. This is a very powerful device which is capable of reducing the size of 99.8% airborne particles to as tiny as .01 microns.
How Do Air Ionizers Work?
Unlike the regular air purifiers that use fans for pulling the polluted air within a filter, these negative air ionizers only release negative ions clouds which cause electric charging of the air molecules. These molecular particles called ions attach themselves to the oxygen present in the air and develop a negative charge.
After becoming a negatively charged ion, these molecules attach to the pet dander, pollen, dust particles, and odor and create a cluster. This cluster is then pulled into the air filter. You can then easily remove the air filter and clean or replace it as per requirement.
Can Air Ionizers Be Harmful?
Air Ionizers work on the mechanism of generating negative ions. Studies have shown that exposure to the negative ion has a positive impact on human life. There is no harm done to the human body from these negative ions. However, Ozone Generators promoted as Air Ionizers are harmful. They operate differently than normal Air Ionizers. These Ozone Generators, much like their name, work by generating ozone into the air of our houses. Ozone is a natural phenomenon that can counteract these pollutants. This concentration of Ozone, if exceeded, is very harmful.
It can harm people, surroundings, plants, etc. Moreover, some ionizers also use Ozone (O3) into the atmosphere to counteract the pollutants.
So, before considering Air Ionizer make sure to check the ozone level they generate.
What Type of Air Ionization Technologies are Available in the Market?
Although all ionizers release negative ions into the air, all ionizers do not have the same technology. Here is some common type of air ionization technologies which include but not limited to the following:
UV Stick Lights
These types of ionizers cannot be classified as iconic units because they don’t emit ions. These devices throw UV rays on the surface of contaminants which cause damage to their DNA. As a result, they stop production and die quickly.
Electrostatic Precipitators
These ionization units have corona discharge through which they emit ions into the air. The fluid ionization within it causes this electrical discharge. The released negative ions then stick to the airborne particles which are then collected in an oppositely charged plate of the ionizer.
Ion Generators
These are more versatile devices that are available as stand-alone ionizers. Some ion generators may also have build-in regular air purifier features. The ions in these units are produced through corona discharge or UV light and in most of these units collecting plate is not present. When the charged particles of pollutants become too heavy, they fall off on the ground, bed, carpets, walls, and other things. And you often need to do the cleaning to remove them from your space.
Ozone Generators
You may already have heard about ozone which is a protective layer around the earth. It means that ozone ions occur naturally in our surroundings. Even the modest levels of ozone help in the effective neutralization of odors. The ozone generator units that emit a combination of low ozone ions concentration and others into the air are effective for regular cleaning of household air. Using a higher concentration of ozone ions is effective for removing strong odors like smoke or remediation clean-up.
Needle Point Ionizers
When the electric voltage is passed through the brushed metal needles, it produces a high concentration of active negative ions. These travel through the indoor air to attract pollutant particles in the air which gain weight and settle down on surfaces like floor, furnishings, etc. While needlepoint ionizers are highly effective for removing smoke without affecting airflow, the ions they generate have a brief life span. They cannot circulate and purify your entire home or purify walls, floors, and other surfaces.
Bipolar Ionization
This is the most advanced ionization technology that uses a combination of both positive and negative ions which attract contaminants with opposite charges. This builds-up heavy clumps of pollutants that fall down, purifying the air. These devices are effective for deactivating single-celled and carbon-based microbes like viruses, bacteria, and fungi.
To know more about ionization, you can read our blog post about what is ionization and how it works.
The 11 Best Air Ionizers Buying Guide
By now you have understood air ionizers, how they work, their types, and benefits. Now you might have made your purchase decision. To help you in selecting the best negative ionizers, we have compiled a list of 10 most popular ionizer units outlining their features, pros, and cons.
Why Choose Air Ionizers over Air Purifiers?
There are several benefits of choosing negative air ionizers over conventional air purifiers. However, the major difference is in the way they remove airborne particles from your environment.
The HEPA air purifier is designed to pull the air into its unit. It then circulates that air through a premium quality filter that captures pollutants. Once it circulates and cleans the air, the air purifier throws back the filtered air back into the indoor environment. The captured pollutant particles stay strapped within the filter securely until the time comes to change it.
Air ionizer, on the other hand, does not have filters for trapping the airborne impurities. It releases electrically charged ions into the air. These ions attach to the airborne particles and weigh them down and then attract them to the charged plate where they fall or they fall on the floor or walls. The homeowner can either clean them from the walls and floors or replace or wipe clean the collection plate. This device requires regular cleaning to prevent the emission of particles back into the air.
Enhanced Physiological Well-Being
People who suffer from seasonal allergies, hay fever, asthma, etc. can harness the benefits of these environment cleaning devices. The studies show that negative ions have remarkable physiological effects including a decrease in blood pressure, rate of respiration, increased well-being and resistance to infectious diseases, reduction in skin temperature, and many more.
Improved Indoor Air Quality
The new generation of ion generators has a significant impact on indoor air quality. It not only cleans indoor air but also sanitizes it. Studies suggest that harmful pollutants in the air such as germs, bacteria, molds, volatile chemical compounds, etc. are effectively reduced with the use of the best air ionizers.
Reduce Stress and Boost Immune System
A literature review of various studies conducted in 2018 found that negative ions have many positive effects on human health and psychological well-being. There can be a variety of different reasons why these problems arise like air-condition side effects. Studies showed that these ions help in reducing stress, boosting the immune system, helps in the regulation of sleep patterns, enhance metabolism, and inhibit harmful bacterial growth.
Are Air Ionizers Really Effective?
The type of air ionizer you are using determines its effectiveness. The ionizer units with collections plates are much more effective as compared to the ones that do not have these plates. It is because the plates allow these units to gather pollutants and prevent them from going back into the air. While those without collecting plates leave the pollutants back into the air.
If you have an air ionizer without collecting plates, the effectiveness of the unit depends on you. If you rarely clean the area and spaces in which you are using ionizer, you won’t feel much difference in the air quality. To know more about air quality and it’s factors you can read our blog.
Most of the negative air ionizers cover an area of up to 600sq.ft however there are some best air ionizers available in the market which covers areas as large as 2000sq.ft.
Air Ionizer Benefits
It has been scientifically proven that the air inside our house is more polluted than the outside. We cannot exercise any control over the outdoors but we can do something about our indoors to make sure we breathe the purified air.
An air ionizer is used to purify the air so that you don’t breathe in a polluted environment.
There are many benefits of using air ionizers in your homes, offices, and indoors. This has been proven that air ionizers remove many contaminants such as pollen, dust, bacteria, smoke, allergens, molds, and odors from the air. Air ionizers can help elevate your mood and keep your energy levels high. Moreover, they can improve sleep patterns as well.
Studies show that negative ions are good for the mental and physical health of humans.
That is why places a person feels much comfortable, fresh, and peaceful near negative ion-abundant areas like a forest, near the ocean, or a waterfall.
There are many physiological benefits of air ionizers as well. In 2013 review of scientific literature on negative ionization, it was observed that exposure to negative ions reduces symptoms of depression and less exposure to negative ions result in positive seasonal depression
Moreover, in a recent study of 2018, it was observed that these ions have many effects on human health. Evidence showed that negative ions could help;
- Regulate Sleep Patterns
- Elevate Mood
- Reduce Stress
- Boost Immune System
- Strengthen Bones
- Increase in Metabolism
What You Should Consider While Buying the Air Ionizer
Before you but the ionization device, there are several factors you must take into account. Knowing these factors helps you make the right choice of air ionizer according to your preferences and needs.
- The main air pollutants that you want to eliminate from your indoor air.
- Size of the room.
- Convenience of use (automatic or manual/ noise/ lighting/ alerts).
- Cost of purchase and maintenance.
- Type of technology and design.
What is Our Selection Criteria for Best Air Ionizers?
We have done thorough market research to find the top ionizers available just for you. Our experts review dozens of products and shortlist the ones that are best-selling and have features valuable to you. We have also considered the factors you take into consideration while buying the ionizer unit. The selected products have over 100 positive reviews and feedback from the customers who have actually used them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do Air Ionizers Work?
Yes, these ionizers work by generating negative ions into the air, which combine with positive ions of the pollutants and dust. This results in an increase in the weight of dust and pollutants which fall down to the ground.
What is an Air Ionizer?
Air Ionizer is a device that uses an electrostatic charge to clean the air and purify it by sending out negative ions into the atmosphere. Freshes the atmosphere in the room as all the airborne dust, and particles are removed.
What are Air Ionizer benefits?
Air Ionizer has many benefits.
- Reduce dust and allergy
- Reduce tension and stress level
- Elevate mood
- Reduce respiratory diseases
- Reduce asthma triggers
What Does An Air Ionizer Do?
Air Ionizer is a device that purifies the air and removes the contaminants from it. It works by using the chemical properties of ions; it sends out a negatively charged ion into the room to counteract the positively charged contaminants from the room.
What Are the Benefits of Ionized Air?
Exposure to positive and negative ions can have a good or bad impact on human health depending upon the concentration levels of these ions. These negative ions in the air contribute to human health as they
Purify the blood, Improve the nervous system; leading to deep sleep at night, etc.
While positive ions carry many bacteria including asthma triggers and respiratory issues as well.
Are Air Ionizers Worth It?
Yes, these ionizers will provide a comforting zone to relax and spend a good time for you and your family. They will purify the air and save you from many diseases and problems.
Is Ionized Air Bad for You?
There is no simple answer to this. If a person is exposed to positively ionized air, it can be very harmful to mental and physical health. Contrary to it, if a person is exposed to negative ions, it can be helpful and has many beneficial effects from it like good mood, less risk level, good peace of mind, etc.
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