When it comes to air purifiers, the placement of the unit is just as important as the filter itself. To ensure maximum efficiency, it is recommended to raise your air purifier no more than 5 feet above the ground. This can be done by placing it on a piece of furniture, such as a dresser, or by mounting it on the wall. The more efficient a filter is, the greater the density of its material.
Filters with a MERV rating of 8 to 13 are usually high-end filters for domestic use or high-quality commercial filters. A higher rating means that the filter can trap smaller air particles, but these filters offer the highest level of filtration and are generally not needed in most homes and businesses. To determine where pollutants are abundant, an air quality specialist often uses an air quality monitor. The best place to place an air purifier is somewhere in the respiratory area, as the closer the unit is to your head, the shorter the distance clean air will have to travel before it reaches you.
In the bedroom, this usually means placing the air purifier on a nightstand or small table near the bed. For smaller air purifiers, such as Levoit and Coway units, they can be easily placed on a desk or table. Dyson air purifiers come with a “format” in their specifications; they can be “floor”, “desk” or “tower” units. It is also suggested that windows and doors in the room be closed so that the air purifier would be more effective and would not purify the outside air.
If you place an air purifier away from the floor (3 to 5 feet is perfect), it will not only capture the horizontal movement of indoor air, but it will also expose the air purifier to vertical air movement. Having a HEPA filter in an upstairs purifier could have a positive impact on upstairs air quality compared to an air purifier without HEPA. Placing an air purifier near a window, near a door, and especially on walls where air circulates makes a lot of sense.
