Best air purifier for vocs and formaldehyde
Since we spend a big part of our lives at home, it is important to ensure that we have the best indoor air quality possible. Because of this and the negative health effects caused by VOCs and formaldehyde, we bring to you the best air purifier for VOCs and formaldehyde.
Knowledge of what VOCs are, their sources and how they can affect you and your family is important. Because when armed with this knowledge, you can protect yourself better and further appreciate the role played by air purifiers in our homes.
To choose the best air purifier for vocs and formaldehyde, you must consider the following;
- The air purifier must have a carbon filter because without one, the purifier won’t be able to remove any VOCs or formaldehyde.
- The room coverage is also important. Since VOCs and formaldehyde are literally everywhere in our homes, it is important to choose an air purifier that can purify as much space as possible in one go.
- Also, selecting an air purifier with an indoor air quality sensor and auto mode is an added plus. It will be able to react in real-time to any airborne pollutants released into the air.
Table of contents
5 best air purifier for vocs and formaldehyde
1. Hathaspace HEPA Air purifier
First on our list of best air purifier for vocs and formaldehyde is the hathaspace HEPA air purifier. It is a 5 in 1 air purifier that will remove up to 99% of all airborne particles floating around in the air.
The hathapsace has 4 stages of purification that make it the perfect weapon to fight most household allergens. So within a short time, you will be relieved of most sneezing, coughing and any teary or itchy eyes. This is due to its large coverage.
This air purifier has been particularly designed with a honeycomb activated-carbon filter that will absorb most VOC including those emitted by paint and other common household products. The carbon filter will also do well against odors and smoke. The honeycomb design makes it extra efficient in capturing and absorbing any roaming VOCS.
It also comes equipped with an anion ionizer to fight against odors and eliminate any lingering odors.
Furthermore, the Hathaspace air purifier has an auto mode feature which means the purifier will automatically adjust its fan speeds in real time when it detects pollutants in the air. This neat auto mode feature is supported by an air quality sensor that does the actual air quality monitoring.
It also features a digital display which shows the air quality level in real-time so you can always monitor the air quality level in your home.
Why we like this air purifier?
- Has Auto mode feature
- Honeycomb activated-carbon filter
- Can cover rooms measuring 700 square feet in area
- Has an air quality display
- Anion ionizer to fight against odors. You have the option of turning this feature off.
Pros
- Easy to move around
- Nicely Quiet
- You can turn off lights at Night time
- Has a remote control
- Medical grade H13 HEPA filter
Cons
- Air quality does not have a numerical value.
2. Winix 5500-2 Air Purifier
Another amazing entrant to this list of best air purifier for vocs and formaldehyde is the winix 5500-2.
The winix 5500-2 also features a 4 stage filtration system that includes a true HEPA filter and a carbon filter as part of the 4 stage filtration.
The carbon filter is an advanced odor control filter made from activated carbon granulars making it fully suited to capture and absorb any VOCs or formaldehyde found in the air.
The carbon filter is washable and is further supported by Winix’s plasmawave technology that breakdowns chemical vapors found in the air. This technology thus neutralizes the chemical vapors like VOCs and formaldehyde making the air cleaner and safer.
Why we like this air purifier?
- Washable Advanced Odor Control Carbon filter
- Has an auto mode
- Has air quality indicator
- Plasmawave technology for breaking down chemical vapors. You can turn this feature off if you do not want to use it.
Pros
- Has sleep mode
- 4 stage filtration
- Has a remote control
- Has a Filter replacement indicator
Cons
- Only covers 360 sq feet of room space
3. Blueair Blue pure 211+ Auto
Coming in third on this list of best air purifier for vocs and formaldehyde is the Blueair blue pure 211+ Auto.
The blue pure 211+ Auto is a 3 stage air purifier designed for rooms of up to 550 sq. feet in size. The blueair 211+ Auto has a particle sensor that detects particles in the air and automatically adjusts the fan speeds depending on how bad the situation is.
It further has an activated carbon layer that will reliably deal with any VOCs, formaldehyde or bad odors within the air. The blueair also has HEPASilent technology which means it uses less energy and makes minimum noise.
To top it all off, the blueair comes fitted with a Washable fabric pre-filter. The purifier also has a 360 degree air intake which means you can place it anywhere in a room without losing performance.
Why we like this air purifier?
- Has Auto mode
- Fit for 550 square foot room
- LED Air quality Indicator
- Has an activated carbon layer
Pros
- Quiet Operation
- Washable fabric pre-filter
- 360° air intake
- Filter Replacement Indicator
Cons
- When pre-filter gets dirty, the air purifier does not look nice since its situated on the outer surface of the purifier
- Only has a 3 stage filtration
4. GermGuardian Air Purifier
The GermGuardian air purifier is another 5-in-1 air purifier on this list. Part of the 5-in-1 purification is an electrostatic hepa media air filter that eliminates harmful germs, dust and all allergens that measure 0.3 microns in size.
Because some bacteria and mold spores can get stuck on the filters surface and cause you harm, the filter is coated with an antimicrobial agent that inhibits their growth.
The GermGuardian also has an activated charcoal filter that absorbs VOCs and formaldehyde being released into the air. This carbon filter is further supported by UV-c light that works with Titanium Dioxide to react with and reduce volatile organic compounds in the air.
Why we like this air purifier?
- Activated charcoal filter
- UV-C light works with titanium dioxide to act against VOCs. The UV-C light can be switched on or off using a button on the control panel.
Pros
- Has UV-C light
- Has Filter change indicator
- Ultra-quiet low speed
Cons
- Can only cover rooms of up to 153 sq. feet
- No auto mode
5. MSA3 Air Purifier
The MSA3 air purifier is the final entrant to this list of best air purifier for vocs and formaldehyde. It is a sturdy air purifier capable of covering 840 sq ft in under an hour.
It also boasts of a 3 stage filtration system that includes;
- A Pre-Filter to capture large particles like Hair
- True hepa filter to capture much smaller particles
- And finally an Activated Carbon Filter to neutralizes odors and VOCs
You can now consider paint odor or any VOC related odor or irritations a thing of the past. Its carbon filter will absorb and capture any lingering formaldehyde or VOCs in the air.
The True HEPA is an electrostatic melt-blown filter and can filter up to 99.97% of very tiny particles. Therefore guaranteeing that you can rest easy and free of any symptoms that arise from bad quality air.
The MSA3 has a nice design and is easy to use. This is along with the several features it has like a timer, turbo mode and filter life display.
Why we like this air purifier?
- Can clean rooms up to a size of 840 ft² in one hour
- Activated Carbon Filter
Pros
- Has a filter life display
- Sleep mode
- Has a Child lock
- It has a Filter Replacement Reminder
- Contains a Light Switch
- Quiet operation
Cons
- Only has 3-stage filtration
- No auto mode
- No air quality indicator
What are vocs?
VOCs in full are Volatile Organic Compounds. VOCs are gaseous substances that are emitted into the air by different household products. Even actions like burning gas also release VOCs into the air. Most indoor air contains more VOCs than outdoor air. This is especially during certain activities such as when painting and the effects can last for several hours.
Well known volatile organic compounds include chemicals like benzene and formaldehyde.
What is formaldehyde? Is formaldehyde a volatile organic compound?
Formaldehyde is an example of a Volatile Organic Compound and is a colorless gas. Formaldehyde is commonly found in building materials like glue and plywood. It is also present in many day to day items like perfume, hair spray, paints and when you burn gas or tobacco.
Formaldehyde is used in many manufacturing processes like in the production of solvents, adhesives and bonding agents. This is why it is found in many day to day products that we commonly use.
How harmful are VOCs?
A lot of studies suggest that when asthmatic people or those that are sensitive to chemicals are exposed to VOCs their symptoms worsen. This is also true for young children and the elderly.
This can be very discomforting especially if you cannot do much about it.
Generally speaking, VOCs have been known to cause the following effects when inhaled;
- eye, nose and throat irritation
- nosebleeds
- shortness of breath
- headaches
- fatigue
- nausea
- dizziness
- allergic skin reaction
and many other health effects not mentioned here
Breathing in larger amounts of VOCs coupled with long term exposure can lead to catastrophic side effects like;-
- irritation of the lungs
- Liver damage
- Kidney damage
- Damage to the central nervous system
What are the most common sources of VOCs?
Common sources of VOCs include every day consumer products, building and cooking materials as listed below;
- Paint and paint strippers
- Adhesives
- Flooring, vanishes and finishes
- Carpets
- Hair Spray
- Disinfectants
- Air fresheners
- Deodorants
- Glues
- Plywood
- Tobacco Smoke
- Gasoline
- Wood burning stoves
- Pesticide
- Car exhaust fumes
How do you get rid of vocs from your house? | how to get rid of vocs and formaldehyde
Well, the most sure fire method is to reduce how often you are exposed to these VOCs and formaldehyde. This includes avoiding products that may contain high concentrations of VOCs. You can also achieve this by using products that are marked as having 'NO' or ‘LOW’ VOC or formaldehyde concentrations.
Others strategies to get rid of VOCs and formaldehyde include;
- Using an air purifier that does not emit ozone to purify the air
- Do not allow tobacco smoke in or around your home because it contains VOCs.
- Limit your use of products that emit scent like deodorizers, candles etc.
- Improve the ventilation at home, including leaving windows open for longer periods of time especially when using products that emit VOCs. This help to reduce the concentration of VOCs
- Only buy an amount of paint that you are sure you will use up so that you do not have to store any of it. Because if you store the paint it can leak and gradually emit VOCs into the air.
- Using integrated pest management techniques can reduce your dependence on pesticides that contain VOCs.
- You should air out new carpets and building materials by leaving them outside for a while. This strategy allows air to pass through them and release the VOCs before bringing them into your home.
- You should also place photocopiers, printers in rooms that are well ventilated so as to limit the amount of VOCs that can fill up the room
- Consider buying materials that have been allowed to off-gas in storage
- Since chemicals are more likely to off-gas when temperature and humidity is high, you should keep room temperature and humidity as low as possible to prevent this. You can achieve this through dehumidification and air conditioning.
- Do renovations when the house is empty and will not be occupied for a reasonable amount of time
- Consider using formaldehyde made from phenol if possible.
- Avoid as much as possible burning things inside the house. You should always ensure areas where any burning might occur is well-ventilated
Do air purifiers get rid of VOCs and formaldehyde?
Yes, air purifiers do get rid of vocs and formaldehyde. But you should not that not all air purifiers can do this. The air purifiers that can get rid of vocs and formaldehyde must contain an activated carbon filter.
The activated carbon filter is composed of charcoal and some manufacturers add coconut pellets as well. In addition to that, it is porous and can adsorb or trap these volatile organic compounds within the carbon. Therefore, the more carbon present within the air purifier, the better.
Which air purifier removes vocs?
Air purifiers with carbon filters remove vocs and formaldehyde from the air at home. Air purifiers having accessories like true HEPA filters and pre-filters further supports the purification of air.
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