Portable Household Air Filter

[sean0118]

Does anyone use a portable air filter in their house?

We have a concrete processing plant near us and now WestConnex construction...  so quite dusty...   

I would like to get a small one with an electrostatic precipitator. I think Dave did a video on one he had? Can't find his video now though.


There's a lot of dodgy ones out there, I'd like to get one that actually works. 

[NiHaoMike]

Just get some washable filters that fit a box fan. Cheap but effective.

[Halcyon]

I don't but I've thought about getting one. Not because I live in a particularly dirty/dusty area, but because I have dark wooden floors and am forever vacuuming (well the Roomba does the vacuuming, but I have to clean the damn thing out). It's amazing how much dust and crap settles on surfaces even after a few days.

The ducted air conditioning helps by sucking up quite a bit of airborne particles which get trapped in the return air filter.

I'm just wondering if any kind of small electrical appliance like a fan with HEPA filter, ioniser (see Clive Mitchell's video below) or water-based "air cleaners" are a pointless waste of money fighting a losing battle?

[Ampera]

How portable are you talking about? My ass is portable!

I have a small box air filter with ionizer that I keep running largely as a white noise machine and air circulator, as my room tends to have very stagnant air. No clue what model it was, but I got it from Walmart, so I'm sure you could manage a similar feat. There's also tower sized air filters, and filters of all sorts of different sizes, and qualities. As for portable, it relies on how small is portable to you. Does it mean moving it into another room or into a closet for stowage, or does it mean attempting to play a game of tennis with it?

[sean0118]

Thanks for the replies everyone.

I'm just wondering if any kind of small electrical appliance like a fan with HEPA filter, ioniser (see Clive Mitchell's video below) or water-based "air cleaners" are a pointless waste of money fighting a losing battle?

Oh, probably is for an entire house, but I just want on for my room while I'm asleep with the door closed. So moderately small volume. 

How portable are you talking about? My ass is portable!

I don't really mind. More concerned with performance, price and electricity usage. 

Does anyone else remember Dave having one in a video? 

[Halcyon]

I just want on for my room while I'm asleep with the door closed. So moderately small volume. 

In that case, I think a small unit with a proper HEPA filter will suffice. Most have a low/quiet mode which shouldn't disrupt your sleep but still keep air circulating.

That being said, they will only help with airborne particles. Anything that has already settled on a surface is unlikely to budge. You either want to keep the room sealed and/or keep up the maintenance (vaccuming, wiping surfaces with damp cloths, etc...)

[rcarlton]

I have both the Coway AP-1512HH Mighty Air Purifier and Winix 5500-2 PlasmaWave Air Purifier. Somewhat pricey, less than $200 each. Replacement filters are about $40 each. They do work. They are quiet.

[sean0118]

I have both the Coway AP-1512HH Mighty Air Purifier and Winix 5500-2 PlasmaWave Air Purifier. Somewhat pricey, less than $200 each. Replacement filters are about $40 each. They do work. They are quiet.

Thanks 

Interesting, looks like they both have particle sensors so they can adjust fan speeds depending on pollution level.

How often do you replace the filters?

[sean0118]

So the two rcarlton has aren't available in Australia, but the 'Philips Series 1000 Air Purifier' is and looks to have very similar specs. Maybe there's an OEM manufacturer and other companies re-badge them?

The good news is that David Jones has the Philips discounted to $230 AUD, that's $70AUD cheaper than anywhere else I can find. Might go and try and buy one today. 

[apis]

Get one with filters, not the ionising/electrostatic ones, they generate ozone. You need to replace filters so check filter prices before you buy. (Coway seems to get lots of recommendations, finally ordered a Coway Storm AP–1516D myself. Coway says a filter pack last a year, no idea if that is accurate.)

https://youtu.be/ZQ--scjcAZ4?t=666

[sean0118]

Get one with filters, not the ionising/electrostatic ones, they generate ozone. You need to replace filters so check filter prices before you buy.

Thanks, those are good points to consider.

I ended up buying the Philip because it was discounted so much. It looks like Coway might be available in Australia after all, but not at the big department stores etc.

The Philips has been running flat out with the red 'very unhealthy' indicator on since I bought it.   

[sean0118]

Ah I knew it, Dave's air filter has appeared in a new video. It does exist. 

https://youtu.be/yw6mf2sWk2k?t=970

[rhb]

FWIW when pollen is beating me up I use a high end pleated filter taped on to a window box fan set to run at low speed.  Actually several of them.  If you have forced air HVAC, replace all your registers with filter registers, both return and supply. 

I plan to build or buy  a Cottrell precipitator or two to fit box fans to provide good filtering as I'm getting ready to install an 8 zone mini split system.  I bought a couple of $140 HEPA units.  I was quite underwhelmed.

When I was living in New Orleans in 1984 I had a really bad pollen problem.  I had scavenged a couple of cases of new 4" HVAC filters from a dumpster.  So I cut one up and place pieces of filter over all the supply registers and the return.  When I woke up in the morning all symptoms had abated.  I walked down the street to get a hamburger, and by the time I returned to my apartment an hour later I was wiped out.  It took about 3 hours for me to recover.