You may wonder if your air purifier is even working as the particles it removes are microscopic, and you probably don’t see any difference in the purifier. Just how do you know your air purifier is working correctly?
We’ll give you some tips to make sure your unit is working its best so you can experience the full benefits of an air purifier. You’ll need to physically inspect your purifier for signs that it is either malfunctioning or clogged. Let’s find out how.
4 Ways to Check If Your Air Purifier Is Working
When your air purifier doesn’t show signs that it’s blocked or malfunctioning, you likely have a fully functioning air purifier, but here are the 4 ways to check that it’s indeed doing its job.
Check for Air Circulation
Perhaps the simplest method to ensure proper operation is to check for airflow. Note: many air purifiers automatically adjust their fans based on the level of contaminants detected in the air.
When the indoor air is clean, the purifier may blow almost no air at all—this is done to make them more energy-efficient. You may have to manually change the fan setting for your purifier if it adjusts airflow automatically.
We use the low setting to check ours. You should be able to feel a light breeze coming from the vents if the purifier is working correctly.
Your fan should also operate quietly. If there is obstruction from contaminant buildup, your purifier may operate louder than usual. It is hard to tell early on, but over time you’ll know if your air purifier is working differently just by how it sounds.
Your air purifier also will never be completely silent. If it’s on, you will hear the fan. If the gentle whirr of the fan blade isn’t present when manually adjusting the speed, your purifier’s fan may have failed. Contact the manufacturer for support.
Monitor the Filter Service Indicator
All air purifiers have filter service indicators of some kind, either on the device, within its app, or both. Word of caution: these lights usually come on automatically at preset intervals, and not for a malfunction with the purifier. Just because the light is on it doesn’t necessarily mean the filter needs replacing, or that the air purifier is no longer working.
When the filter service indicator comes on, take a moment to manually inspect the filters, and take any necessary steps to correct issues before booking a professional service.
Manually Check the Filter
One of the easiest ways to tell if an air purifier is working is by manually checking the filter. Your HEPA filter and pre-filter will show signs of age and wear.
You can tell if an air purifier is functioning if you can see dust, hair, and debris in the filter, but make sure there’s not enough to clog it up. If your HEPA filter is too dirty, it may be time to replace it.
Please note: You can clean the pre-filter inside an air purifier. However, do not try to clean a HEPA filter as the fine dust or bacteria trapped inside may be released back into the air if you attempt to clean it.
While the interval for replacement will vary based on the environment where the purifier is used and how often it’s operated, you’ll need new filters every six months or so. A slightly dirty filter is okay and perfectly healthy. However, a heavily soiled filter drastically decreases your purifier’s capability to clean the air.
Remove and replace these filters when they are no longer functional. After doing so, check for proper air circulation to ensure you have installed the filters correctly. If you feel no air circulation, ensure that you completely removed any extra protective covering or plastic from your new filters. (Hey, it happens.)
Extra tip: While replacing a filter is the best time to check and clean your dust sensor. Since this is a fragile and vital part of your air purifier, refer to your instructions for safe methods to do so. The cleaning process varies from purifier to purifier, including what cleaning agents are safe to use.
How to Tell If an Air Purifier Is Working with an Indoor Air Quality Monitor
Most air purifiers have a built-in air quality monitor/indicator, which helps optimize the airflow of the purifier to clean the air efficiently. But it doesn’t give you an exact reading of your air quality, so it won’t help you measure the performance of your unit.
The best way to test if your air purifier is working is to run tests with an independent indoor air quality monitor. These devices will provide real-time analysis of the air quality in your home so you can measure precisely how well your air purifier is performing.
Final Thoughts
If you still think your air purifier is not working correctly, the problem might be the size of your model. Ensure when you purchase yours that it is rated to cover an area larger than the room or space where you plan to use it.
An air purifier will remove VOCs, dust mites, and other allergens and improve the air quality in your home. However, they aren’t maintenance-free—you’ll need to develop a regular maintenance schedule to ensure proper operation.
If you’re still having problems after these steps, and especially if the lack of filtration happens early on, contact the manufacturer for support or return it to the store where you bought it. Top air purifiers come with warranties, but these are often only for a year—so time is of the essence if you have a faulty unit.
Do you have other tips for ensuring your air purifier is operating optimally? Share it with us in the comments.
What checklist can I follow to ensure my air purifier works optimally and effectively cleans my home’s air?
There are a few things you can check on:
1. Remove all packaging before use.
2. Check filters are correctly installed.
3. Ensure sufficient room around the purifier to allow air filtration.
4. Run an air purifier 24 hours per day.
5. Close windows to reduce outside contaminant load.
6. Diarize that you should clean prefilter every 3-4 weeks.
7. Order a replacement filter before the purifier needs it.
Where in my room should my air purifier be placed?
Place an air purifier near the floor as particles will naturally settle downward, which is where the most polluted air is found. Placing an air purifier on a bookshelf or cabinet will reduce its efficiency.
Why don’t they make air purifiers more powerful so it can effectively purify the air?
If you want a powerful air purifier, you’d have to invest in an integrated HVAC unit, which will be very costly. Manufacturers design air purifiers that offer a balance between functionality, noise levels, and energy efficiency. Since your air purifier needs to run 24 hours a day, it shouldn’t be noisy or require a lot of energy to run.