Most people buy an air purifier to clean up their indoor air and reduce allergy, asthma, or other respiratory symptoms. However, if you don't change the filters regularly, your air purifier / air cleaner can actually make your allergies / asthma worse. Ever notice that your allergies / asthma improved when you first purchased your air purifier, and now your symptoms seem to be 'back' or even worse? It's probably the filters.
Why? Well, to start, when a HEPA air filter becomes clogged, air flow through a HEPA filter is greatly reduced, creating backflow or 'leakage' of polluted air at the seals and other openings. And your symptoms get worse because air is being blown around / stirred up now with allergens and asthma triggers, particles that would normally not be floating around as much or as high, such as up near the nose and mouth. And this problem is especially true with electrostatic air purifiers that are 'filterless' or contain a 'permanent filter'. When the electrostatic rod becomes dirty, it attracts much less dirt/dust. And if the rod isn't trapping the particles, all the fan is doing is simply blowing around / stirring up polluted air so you can breathe more of it. With clogged HEPA air filters or dirty electrostatic rods, it would be better to turn the unit off until you can clean it or replace the HEPA filter.
A similar thing happens with activated carbon air filters that have become saturated or 'filled up' with chemical compounds, vapors, odor compounds, etc. An air purifier with VOC's, chemical vapor saturated activated carbon is now just pushing that polluted air through with nothing to remove the offending chemicals/compounds. This polluted air is being blown around for increased inhalation where less may have been inhaled if the polluted air wasn't being constantly collected and blown around.
And yes, you can vacuum your HEPA filter to get some of the particles out, but it's not going to extend the life of the filter very much, as most of the more dangerous micro-particles are trapped deep within the HEPA air filter's fibers and not accessible by normal vacuuming, leaving the filter still mostly clogged. Washing a HEPA filter doesn't work, either, as getting this HEPA material wet often distorts/blocks the 'air channels' and you end up with a HEPA filter that is just about as dirty, but with less air flow, and more back flow / leakage. What you CAN do to help extend the life of your HEPA filter is to change the pre-filters, if the air purifier has a pre-filter. The pre-filter is often vacuumable and helps keep the HEPA filter from getting clogged as fast.
Some activated carbon or charcoal air filters are indeed, washable, allowing you to free up the carbon to absorb more chemicals / compounds. Some tips: 1) make sure the activated carbon or charcoal filter is actually a washable carbon filter, 2) make sure you allow the carbon filter to dry completely, and 3) make sure the carbon is evenly redistributed, not clumped together.
The real solution here is to change the air purifier's filters on a regular basis, as indicated by the manufacturer. Most of your best air purifier filters will last 2-5 years depending on how 'dirty' the air is. You made a decision to breathe clean air in your home or office and bought an air purifier, so replace those used up air filters-because your health and how you feel every day is important, it's worth it.
For more information on HEPA air filters, activated carbon/charcoal air filters, pre-filters, please see the author box below.
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