SHOULD WE USE THE AIR PURIFIER IN THE AIR CONDITIONER ROOM?

There are many opinions that using an air purifier in a closed room with the air conditioner on will help the air in the room still have a certain freshness and purity. So even without exchanging air with the outside environment, you will still be confident that the air you are breathing is clean enough. But is that really true? Does using an air purifier and air conditioner at the same time effectively improve the air flow in the room? Are there any downsides to using this? Hopefully the following article will help you get more effective use and bring your family fresher air every day.

First, let’s clearly distinguish the features of these two machines

1. What is the difference between an air purifier and an air conditioner?

Although air purifiers and air conditioners have some similar components, such as fans, filters, and vents, their core uses and functions are different. Air conditioners are designed to cool the air and help you maintain a certain temperature in your home. Air purifiers are made to improve indoor air quality, they don’t control the temperature in your home.

Unlike air conditioners, air purifiers are designed to operate 24 hours a day. That allows the machine to continuously reverse the airflow in the room, removing pollutants as the air passes through the machine’s filter. Depending on the type of filter in your air purifier, it can be effective against particulate matter, gaseous pollutants, or both.

Like some HVAC¹ systems, air purifiers can also use HEPA filters to keep particulate contamination in the air. More specifically, the HEPA filter of the air purifier has the function of removing dust particles and pollutants in the air with a size as small as 0.3 micrometers (about 0.0025 the diameter of a human hair). Filtration capacity can reach 99.97. However, with gaseous pollutants, HEPA filters are not the optimal solution. At this point, carbon filters – another technology that can deal with gaseous pollutants, most commonly VOC². But to the contrary, carbon filters are not the solution to particulate pollution.

Therefore, the combination of both filtration methods in a Coway air purifier can effectively filter both particulate matter and gaseous pollutants. The GreenHEPA^TM filter is improved from the HEPA ones, with technology using a special antiviral formula (with Silver sodium hydrogen zinc phosphate and thiabendazole) that is not harmful to the human body but still protects the filter from the growth of bacteria and mold, prolong the usage period of the filter. The product’s dual protection has been clinically tested in the laboratory: retains 99.9% and neutralizes harmful molecules in the air. External testing has verified its ability to neutralize Human Coronavirus (HCoV-OC43) in 2 hours. This optimal filter line is currently being equipped with Coway Vina’s AP-1512HH Mighty, AP-0509DH Aires 5, AP-1019C(P) Cartridge (P) air purifier products. (Link to each product)

2. So should we use the air purifier at the same time as the air conditioner?

2 types of machines with different functions, different effects seem like a perfect combination to each other. However, there are still incontrovertible facts to keep in mind when using two types of machines at the same time.

The cost of electricity is an important factor to consider. Because the 2 devices have their own functions, using 2 types of machines at the same time to keep the indoor air both cool and fresh will cost you a decent amount of electricity for sure. In addition to the technical and structural aspects, the usage habits are also the reason why the air conditioner consumes more power. Reasons such as unreasonable installation location, poor insulation in the room, not regularly cleaning the machine, leaving the door open, and the air conditioner not suitable for the usage area also result in increase in electricity bills. In addition to the air conditioner, the air purifier is small, but if it is not cleaned and replaced with filters periodically, or the filter capacity is not suitable for the room area, it will also consume more electricity. However, now, the power saving feature has been equipped by Coway for most of its air purifiers, with the application of outstanding AI technology. Refer here

Noise from both devices is also a concern for users. Air conditioners for some reason (time of use, errors due to installation, maintenance status, …) can sometimes cause annoying sounds, the same goes for air purifiers. Imagine that on hot nights, it is impossible not to turn on the air conditioner, but it is the air conditioner that is the “culprit” making you unable to sleep. Or when coming home after a hard working day, you are disturbed by the noise from the air purifier in the bedroom. Ensure proper and sufficient machinery maintenance to make it run more smoothly, and choosing a quality product right from the start will save you money in the long run. Check out Coway Vina’s quiet, low-noise air purifiers here

Using air conditioners and even air purifiers is only effective in enclosed spaces. However, keeping the door closed for a long time will increase the amount of carbon in the room. While air purifiers do not have the function of removing CO2 and releasing oxygen. So remember to open the door for a while each day so that the air in the room is circulated, which also helps earn better air filtration efficiency to your room.

Obviously, using an air conditioner and an air purifier at the same time is a way for your family to have a cleaner, healthier space. But getting the best results depends on how you choose, use, and take care of your device. Refer to the aspects you need to consider when choosing to buy an air purifier here (link to the article Experience when buying an air purifier), to be satisfied with your choice.

¹ An HVAC control system is a system that controls the temperature, humidity, and air quality in an indoor or vehicle space. Providing an acceptable level of indoor air quality and thermal comfort is required for an HVAC system.² VOC is an acronym for “Volatile Organic Compound” which is a common name for volatile organic compounds. Some are known to be harmless to health, others are toxic to humans, if exposed to much will cause problems related to breathing, or eyes, nose, throat. Learn more about the harmful effects of VOCs here (link to article What is VOC?)