Many people don’t realize the difference between air purifiers vs air scrubbers. This blog post will help you understand how they are different and their benefits for your home or office environment.
Air purifiers and air scrubbers are two different types of devices designed to remove contaminants from the air. Air purifiers are mainly used to remove allergens, mold spores, bacteria, and viruses in the home.
On the other hand, an air scrubber is a device that smells bad VOCs such as formaldehyde (a common chemical found in new furniture) with ozone gas, so they don’t hang around long enough to cause harm.
These units can also reduce pet dander and other airborne particles like smoke or dust. Which one should you use? The answer depends on your needs!
In this blog post, we will explore air scrubber vs air purifier so that you know which one is best for your home or office.
Air Scrubber vs Air Purifier: Difference You Need to Know
Air purifiers and air scrubbers are two devices that clean the indoor environment. They both remove contaminants from the air, such as pollen, dust, smoke particles, mold spores, etc. There is a difference between these technologies because of their mechanism to filter out pollutants in different ways:
Air purifiers use filters like HEPA or activated carbon which can trap small-sized molecules while allowing fresh airflow through them so they don’t need to be replaced very often, unlike some traditional high-efficiency particle arrestor units used for large commercial applications where replacement filters would get clogged quickly with accumulated dirt over time; whereas – Scrubber systems usually work by passing the dirty gas stream through water spray chambers filled up with chemicals called sorbents whereby chemical.
Comparison Chart
This table will summarize what you have learned to this point about each type of device, including comparisons between them.
| Characteristic | Air Scrubber | Air purifier |
| Application | Use wet or dry scrubbing to clean the air. | Use a HEPA or ionization filter to clean the air. |
| Profits | Beneficial for commercial use, because it improves air quality for workers. | Beneficial for in-home use, because it helps with allergies and asthma. |
| Eliminate or reduce | Chemicals, gases, toxic particles. | Allergens, dust, mold spores, smoke. |
| Expected use | Commercial (temporary). | Domestic (every day). |
What is an Air Scrubber Used For?
An air scrubber is a device that also works to clean the air in a house. If required, it is used for commercial applications and can also function as a whole-home air purifier.
These units remove toxic chemicals, gases, and particles from the air resulting from domestic projects or indoor activities.
Home remodelers, contractors, and cleaning companies are all eager to use ozone generators because they make homes safer for work.
These devices can cover more than a hundred square meters, making them more cost-effective than air purifiers.
They use two methods to clean the air: dry and wet. When they run dry, they capture pollutants using dry filters that clean the air. When they work wet, they suck the air through a damp pad or filter that traps pollutants.
A common element in air scrubbers is activated carbon filters, which are meant to remove odors. Some also contain ultraviolet light that can kill germs and bacteria on surfaces within the room.
A standard air scrubber is portable and used in commercial settings because of its simplicity and easy-to-use design. HVAC systems are often installed in homes and buildings. However, there is a unit that you can install yourself called the mini-split system.
Once installed, all the air from the duct passes through the air scrubber and is cleaned. This creates an air-purifying system for the whole house. Portable air scrubbers cost anywhere from $500 to $1,500 or more.
However, one can be rented for the duration of a household project which also needs it. A cheaper alternative would be installing an air scrubber in your HVAC system, which can range somewhere between $1,000 and 3,000 or more depending on the size you need!
Advantages of having an Air Scrubber
If you live near a busy street or industrial area, air scrubbers are great for improving indoor air quality. The gases from cars and dusty outdoor environments will be removed to prevent them from worrying about them anymore in their homes.
Air scrubbers can work just like vacuum cleaners and suck up the dust in the air. They have an electrostatic charge that attracts lint and dirt, and it sucks it up.
If you suffer from allergies, an air scrubber can help make your symptoms worse. This machine sucks allergens out of the air before they have a chance to irritate them.
Air Scrubbers are the most effective in removing tough-to-clean particles and germs that can accumulate in your HVAC system, with the least amount of maintenance. An air scrubber will work as a filter by attracting what it needs and then disinfecting it safely while also releasing an odorless vapour with micro-pores into the air.
You don’t need to replace filters as you do for other HVAC systems, which saves you significantly on labour costs because there is no need for people to clean coils or touch dirty parts of furnaces.
Air scrubbers are safe for household pets as well because they use HEPA filtration to remove allergens, pet dander, dust mites & faeces.
In conclusion, an air scrubber:
- Is a portable electronic device.
- Large areas can be cleaned with a single unit.
- It can also be integrated with an HVAC system.
- Don’t make ozone
- Eliminates air pollutants and chemical gasses.
- It Comes in different types.
Air Purifier: What Does It Do?
For example, a small air purifier only covers 10 square meters of space, while a more extensive unit covers 65 square meters or more.
The most popular ones come equipped with a HEPA filtration system that traps up to 99.97% of airborne pollutants, particles down to 0.0003 millimetres.
Air purifiers also use ionization to eliminate dangerous particles from the air instead of using a physical filter.
Also, there are units to which you can add an activated carbon filter — to eliminate odors — and ultraviolet (UV) light — to kill germs.
Air purifiers are used indoors to filter the air, removing dust, allergens, smoke, and odors from a person’s breathing space. These devices are a long-term solution to keeping the air in a home clean and fresh when pollution levels are low.
The price range of these units is between $50 to $10,00 or more; it depends on how powerful they are and the levels of air filtration they use. However, you can find a good air purifier for around $500.
You can find our best air purifier under $200 here. Or take a look at our list of budget air purifiers to find an affordable portable unit for less than 50$. For home or office use, check out the best choice on Amazon that costs over 300$!
What are the benefits of an air purifier?
We summarize here the highlights to consider purchasing an air purifier:
- It is positive for allergic and asthmatic people because we will eliminate particles in the air known as allergens, which trigger these health problems in these people.
- They can remove harmful particles from smoke from different sources, such as that derived from smoking.
- Elimination, in most cases, of dust particles, viruses, and bacteria, reaching levels as low as 0.3 micrometres.
- It eliminates odors, improves air quality, and benefits breathing. A healthier environment will be good for our health and make that stay a more comfortable and pleasant place to be.
Air Scrubber or Air Purifier: Which One Do You Need?
When it comes to air scrubbers and air purifiers, several factors may influence your decision depending on what you want the device.
Choosing an Air Scrubber
A portable air Scrubber works best as a temporary solution to clean the air in a home with many pollutants.
These devices purify the air quickly, keeping it fresh while working indoors. Between an Air Purifier and an HVAC system, combining with an HVAC is better for indoor purification and cooling.
If you can afford to install it into your system ($1,000-$3,000), then all your homes will be kept cool as possible.
Choosing an air purifier
Air purifiers are devices you can use at home to improve the quality of air in your house. They’re very cheap and easy to maintain, so they should be considered a top priority when it comes to improving indoor air! These machines work 24 hours a day, keeping your home cleaner & healthier.
Air purifiers remove allergens like dust, pet dander (aka dog hair or cat fur), odors from pets/food sources & bacteria–which is great news if you want to take care of your health :). If someone in your house has Asthma, this device will help them breathe easily because it removes many particles that trigger an attack.
An air purifier can cost anywhere between $50 to $1000. This price depends on the power of the unit and how much filtration it uses. For example, portable home units often cost around $200 while whole-house systems attach themselves to your furnace for about $500 more bucks.
FAQ:
So you just finished reading the article and have a lot of questions. Let’s take care of that right away!
1. Are air scrubbers effective?
Sure they are! A residential air cleaner is designed to capture and filter airborne contaminants in the home.
A range of pollutants, including dust, pollens, pet dander, mold spores, and plant matter, can quickly settle in a dusty environment like an unfinished basement or construction site.
Studies also show that indoor chemical fumes from consumer products — such as paint, varnish, pesticides, or car exhaust — may cause more than 90 per cent of total damage to health caused by breathing polluted air indoors. Scrubbers are also effective for specific applications.
For example, surgical masks with face protection should be used in areas where infection control is critical (like medical facilities). Hospitals use scrubbers and local exhaust ventilation to maintain safe levels of airborne particles generated
2. Do air scrubbers reduce dust?
Yes, air scrubbers can help reduce dust in the air. Air scrubbers work by using high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters to remove a wide range of airborne particles, including dust, pollen, and other allergens. As air is drawn into the scrubber, the filters trap the particles, preventing them from circulating in the air. Some air scrubbers also use activated carbon filters or ultraviolet light to further purify the air. By removing dust and other particles from the air, air scrubbers can improve indoor air quality and reduce allergy and asthma symptoms.
3. Are air scrubbers better than air purifiers?
Air scrubbers and air purifiers are both effective at improving indoor air quality, but they work differently and have different applications.
Air purifiers use filters to capture and remove airborne particles, such as dust, pollen, and pet dander, as well as some gases and odors. They are most effective at removing particulate matter and can help alleviate symptoms of allergies and asthma. However, they may not be as effective at removing volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and other gaseous pollutants.
Air scrubbers, on the other hand, use a process called adsorption to capture and remove gases and odors from the air. They are particularly useful for removing VOCs and other chemical pollutants, such as those emitted during home renovations or after a fire. Air scrubbers are typically used in commercial and industrial settings, but they can also be used in homes in certain situations.
Ultimately, whether an air purifier or an air scrubber is better for your needs will depend on the specific indoor air quality issues you are dealing with. In general, air purifiers are more versatile and can be used in a wider range of settings, while air scrubbers are more specialized and are typically used in situations where there are specific chemical pollutants that need to be addressed.
4. Are air purifiers a waste of money?
A good way to answer this question is to point out that it depends on someone. Does one have a smoker in their house? Does one suffer from an allergy? or, Does one live in a large city?
But as with any expense, it’s worth considering what you’re getting for your money…air purifiers remove particles and odor from the air you breathe (which can potentially lead to health problems), and they are energy efficient. Some even offer such features as ionization or UV light cleaning.
Air purifiers can be useful for improving indoor air quality, especially for people who suffer from allergies or have respiratory problems. However, whether or not they are worth the cost depends on various factors such as the severity of the air quality issue, the size of the room, and the type of air purifier. In some cases, improving ventilation or removing the source of pollutants may be more effective than relying on an air purifier alone. It is also important to note that not all air purifiers are created equal, and some may be more effective than others at removing specific pollutants. Therefore, it is recommended to do some research and choose an air purifier that suits your needs and budget.
Conclusion
Air purifiers and air scrubbers both have their pros and cons. The most important thing is to find the one that will work best for you based on your needs, budget, home size, health concerns or allergies, etc.
The debate may arise between an air scrubber vs an air purifier, but it assists the peak choice. We may amass huge benefits that are hard to beat.
We hope this article helped make a decision between these two options easier! Are you looking for the right products? We have experts on hand to answer all of your questions!
