Source guide: choosing an air cleaner or filter based on authoritative indoor-air guidance

5 minute read

An extractive household guide based on “Air Cleaners and Air Filters in the Home | US EPA.”

Materials

• Portable air cleaners, also known as air purifiers or air sanitizers, are designed to filter the air in a single room or area.
• Central furnace or HVAC filters are designed to filter air throughout a home.
• The short consumer guide covers portable air cleaners and furnace or HVAC filters used in a home.
• It includes tips for selecting a portable air cleaner, furnace filter, or HVAC filter.

Steps

1. The most effective ways to improve your indoor air are to reduce or remove the sources of pollutants and to ventilate with clean outdoor air.
2. In addition, research shows that filtration can be an effective supplement to source control and ventilation.
3. Using a portable air cleaner and/or upgrading the air filter in your furnace or central heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system can help to improve indoor air quality.
4. Portable air cleaners and HVAC filters can reduce indoor air pollution; however, they cannot remove all pollutants from the air.
5. The longer technical guide focuses on air cleaners for residential use; it does not address air cleaners used in large or commercial structures such as office buildings, schools, large apartment buildings, or public buildings.

Safety and boundaries

Sources

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