Why I Don't Bother Using Air Purifiers in Sydney

rumblytangara on 21/03/2024 - 12:05
Last edited 21/03/2024 - 12:23 by 1 other user

Only 10 countries and territories had “healthy” air quality: Finland, Estonia, Puerto Rico, Australia, New Zealand, Bermuda, Grenada, Iceland, Mauritius and French Polynesia.

Yes yes, I know "but allergies!" "but dust!!!"

Personally, I have not noticed any difference with pollen allergies because I like to keep some windows open- once you open up the home to airflow, purifiers cannot keep up with incoming air. If I relied on AC for cooling, kept all doors and windows closed and ran lots of purifiers quite fast, and regularly used a filtered vacuum cleaner like an OCD mofo, I'd probably reduce interior pollen counts. But I walk outside too, so my immune system will get hit with a sledgehammer every time I step out the door even if my home was hermetically sealed. So allergies- maybe, YMMV.

Dust- purifiers are not designed for house dust, they don't have high enough airflow.

I still have 4 purifiers and 2 particle counters brought over from a move so I'm well acquainted with measuring and controlling interior air quality. I've turned one purifier on a handful of times last year for nearby backburns, just because it's already sitting out in the living room.

Edit: Hm, I too bad threads cannot get voted on. I was hoping to see how many people would downvote this.

Edit edit: Ooh, a poll!

Poll Options

  • 9
    I agree
  • 14
    Ur an idiot and don't know what u r talkin' aboot
  • 62
    bro is obsessed with AIR
Health & Beauty Air Purifier

Comments

  • Fredfloresjr on 21/03/2024 - 12:13
    +9

    bro is obsessed with AIR

    https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/770978

    • rumblytangara on 21/03/2024 - 12:14
      +1

      Yes.

    • altomic on 21/03/2024 - 12:24
      +3

      my favourite french band

  • djones145 on 21/03/2024 - 12:15

    cool

    • Switchblade88 on 21/03/2024 - 12:40
      +1

      Unless it's summer, when it's warm

  • Godric on 21/03/2024 - 12:18
    +5

    Replace air purifiers with KFC Scented Candles

    • rumblytangara on 21/03/2024 - 12:18
      +10

      Candles are a source of particulate air pollution. Just replace with a bucket of KFC.

      • Godric on 21/03/2024 - 12:20
        +3

        Just replace with a bucket of KFC.

        Oh wow, a feast for all senses, great idea

    • Jimothy Wongingtons on 21/03/2024 - 12:22
      +5

      They got chupa chup air fresheners at Woolies now

  • Switchblade88 on 21/03/2024 - 12:42
    +1

    All these posts just seem to be full of hot air

  • pjetson on 21/03/2024 - 12:42
    +7

    So, is the point here that the OP has bought four air purifiers and two particle counters, but doesn't need them?

  • joka on 21/03/2024 - 12:51
    +3

    But what is the question?

  • outlander on 21/03/2024 - 13:27

    You're more or less right. For whole room/house purification they don't do a lot.

    I like the idea of directed air purification though. Like if you always sit in the same spot, on the couch or infront of a computer, having a smaller air purifier blowing air in your direction could help minimize the inhaled particles.

  • shaybisc on 21/03/2024 - 13:49

    Are air purifiers an Asian thing?

    • rumblytangara on 21/03/2024 - 14:45

      Since moving back here, looks like they have become an oz thing too.

    • CheapandUsed on 21/03/2024 - 18:15

      In Sydney at least the 2019 bushfires were a catalyst for people to give them a try.

      That smoke was just everywhere for weeks on end.

      • resisting the urge on 21/03/2024 - 19:16

        Those living near some bush are getting used to it every year, where they have local Councils and RFS's implementing 'Management Plans' that dictate burning the bush. Carcinogous smoke is a part of life for weeks on end in some places (since the '21 bushfires). Air filters are great as this can choke some for days/weeks on end.

        Having locals, gardeners, labourers care for it seems permanently out of the question.

  • Ozbar Gain on 21/03/2024 - 14:08
    +2

    Have you tried getting an air fryer?

  • iforgotmysocks on 21/03/2024 - 14:12
    +2

    I use an air purifier to remove the negative vibes and filter out the salt

  • JimmyF on 21/03/2024 - 14:20
    +4

    Yes yes, I know "but allergies!" "but dust!!!"

    Allergies, dust, smoke during bush fire seasons etc.

    Just because you don't have any issues with these things, doesn't mean others don't.

    So not sure why you feel the need to rant about this every 6 months or so. Don't want one? Don't buy one. Oh you own 4 already? Sell them….

    • rumblytangara on 21/03/2024 - 14:51
      +1

      So not sure why you feel the need to rant about this every 6 months or so.

      Because I have a shit memory and forgot about that first thread. Seeing new threads about deals for purifiers or filters makes me wonder again every time.

  • ozbaragan on 21/03/2024 - 15:19

    it is useful if you leave near where there is a lot of Hazard reduction burning. I remember years back when Sydney had really bad bush fire and we can smell the haze everywhere, the sky was even orange.

    • rumblytangara on 21/03/2024 - 15:40

      I remember years back when Sydney had really bad bush fire and we can smell the haze everywhere, the sky was even orange.

      That's the only reason I decided to ship mine back to Oz- had an entire shipping container to fill, and there there were a couple of years where NSW bushfires were making international news.

      Turns out I should have shipped more dehumidifiers instead of giving them away. Sydney is a lot wetter than I remember it to be.

  • freefall101 on 21/03/2024 - 17:10
    +6

    Seems an odd hill to die on, but you do you, airbro.

  • GordonD on 21/03/2024 - 18:38
    -3

    The state government here bought millions of dollars worth of air purifiers for schools during the COVID panic. They admit now that they achieved nothing. Except making the suppliers of them rich at the expense of taxpayers. Of course no public servants will be punished for wasting our money.

    • Daabido on 21/03/2024 - 20:31

      I'm pretty sure Queensland did the same, but I have never seen one in action.

      • pjetson on 23/03/2024 - 12:27

        I've seen them in schools (and lots of other government-funded places) here in Victoria.

    • fredblogs on 21/03/2024 - 20:54

      probably because no one turned them on

    • JimmyF on 22/03/2024 - 10:07

      Cleaner air for your children can never be a bad thing!

      • lew380 on 22/03/2024 - 15:58
        +1

        Get out of the cities would be best for your children, rather than trying to scrub the air.

        • JimmyF on 22/03/2024 - 16:13

          Not an option for most people….

          But GASP country air is full of dust and pollen.

          • lew380 on 25/03/2024 - 18:06

            @JimmyF: Dust is not a problem, maybe on large farming communities during harvesting season. Pollen might be bad for some people, but that's a niche thing, not really related to air quality for the majority. And both of these pale in comparison to diesel and petrol fumes.

          • TransWarrior on 27/03/2024 - 10:20

            @JimmyF: Agreed! Alot of people like myself suffer from sevear hayfever so rural living is not really an option.

  • ihbh on 21/03/2024 - 18:44

    We have a few air purifiers that only come out during hazard reduction burning and bush fire smoke. We live in the leafy North Shore so surrounded by trees and … lots of hazard reduction burns, especially once we move into full blown El Nino.

  • jolee3 on 21/03/2024 - 21:04
    +1

    They are excellent for removing cooking smells from open plan areas.

  • saltypete on 22/03/2024 - 07:55
    +1

    We live in Adelaide CBD and bought the big Xiaomi one as we are concerned about fine particulates. Obviously can’t tell if it manages this effectively, but it has reduced the Spring hay fever problem. And any smoke it pretty well goes berserk and clears the air in no time. 👍
    It gives zero improvement to the coarse dust though - regular vacuuming is the thing for that.

    • JimmyF on 22/03/2024 - 10:09

      Obviously can’t tell if it manages this effectively

      🤔 but

      it has reduced the Spring hay fever problem. And any smoke it pretty well goes berserk and clears the air in no time. 👍

      Sounds like it is doing its job.

      • saltypete on 23/03/2024 - 08:40
        +1

        Not really. Pollen is the source of hay fever and these particles are fairly large (typically 10-1000 microns)- it does seem to be effective.
        Fine particles from combustion that cause a range of chronic problems and death are in the 5 micron range or lower and there is no medically established safe level. It’s really impossible to tell unless expensive testing and analyses are done. You buy a decent machine and hope.
        The issue will likely be a thing of the past (like lead) once our transport system is largely electrified.

  • Waltervp on 22/03/2024 - 09:15

    I use a dyson air filter in my bedroom and the app interface tels you the particle pollution, temperature and humidity in the room. I do an hour of nebulising for my shitty lungs morning and night and you can clearly see the particle level go high up in the red. I think it works well in the room, even though the window is normally open.
    [February average graph].(https://files.ozbargain.com.au/upload/165797/111316/screensh…)

  • Thinkscape on 22/03/2024 - 09:16

    TL;DR
    https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/feb/24/car-p…
    https://www.unsw.edu.au/newsroom/news/2023/09/3-200-deaths-a…
    https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/mar/15/air-p…

    Local effects - depends where you live.
    In Sydney metro the air quality is putrid, primarily from transport and because of lack of emission standards.
    A lot of residential next to 4-6 lane roads. Lived in one of those for a while, window sill is coal-black from heavy particulates (diesel soot) after a month. The lighter PMs fly around and you inhale them, getting into your blood stream. For unknown reasons there's also heaps of children playgrounds here built right next to those roads and highways. There are no anti-idling laws (like in other developed countries) so 3-tonne soccer-mum wankpanzers are smoking carelessly into small children faces during daycare/school pickups etc.
    For objective measurements I use PM1-10 digital meter (doesn't cover toxic gasses from exhaust but is a good proxy). And then there's the "bushfire mitigation strategies", so planned burns, that blanket massive populated areas with carcinogenic smoke - I've measured up to 450ppm pm2 right outside my window. The state public info about the effects of that is being downplayed, but if you ask any doctor or health researcher you'd want to be surrounded by air purification and good quality respirators during those periods.

    This has been researched over and over in the last 20 years, not getting any better due to lack of government's interest in public health.
    If you have children you want to look into that more, because transport air pollution is primary cause of asthma and other birth and developmental defects.

  • ForkSnorter on 22/03/2024 - 09:21
    -3

    You're absolutely right. You would only need an air purifier if you live on or near an extremely busy road/highway, or if there are fires burning nearby. Having said that, quite a few people do live on busy roads, and would be getting a lot of microparticles blowing into their house.

    The bonus of your attitude is that air purifiers can (and do) introduce toxic substances into the air. Scientific testing has demonstrated this. I don't have the link with me, unfortunately, but you could google it.

    I temporarily trialed air purifiers (2 different brands), and had to stop using them because I was getting an extremely sore throat whenever I used them. I get the same sore throat when I spend a long time cooking with gas in a confined space or driving on the highway with the window open for hours or spraying toxic weedkillers/bug killers in the garden. This consistent correlation with exposure to toxic substances suggests to me that the activated carbon filters in air purifiers likely introduce some slightly toxic substances into the air, since my experience is also consistent with the results of scientific testing.

    I think people using air purifiers should weight up the benefits of removing small particles from the air against the possibility of introducing toxic substances into the air.

    • JimmyF on 22/03/2024 - 10:12
      +1

      I think people using air purifiers should weight up the benefits of removing small particles from the air against the possibility of introducing toxic substances into the air.

      LOL Unlike your gas stove that is BURNING GAS, these units are not spewing toxic into the air like you state.

      • ForkSnorter on 22/03/2024 - 10:54
        +2

        https://news.mit.edu/2021/study-finds-indoor-air-cleaners-fa…

        https://phys.org/news/2021-03-uncovers-safety-air-purifiers.…

        https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.est.1c02582

        Keep in mind, not a lot of research has been conducted on this, so we are inadvertently being involved in a massive social experiment.

        There was another study that found activated carbon filters can introduce toxic substances into the air, but I can't find it at the moment.

        • JimmyF on 22/03/2024 - 12:52

          Those studies talk about VOC, Volatiles are in everything 'new', aka that new car smell is really just the plastics and stuff giving off gas!

          Paint your house and it releases VOC, buy a new rug for the floor and it has VOC. Pretty much what humans link 'new smell' to is VOC!

          So sure opening a new filter and running it will release VOC, but how about they retest them after a week and see.

          • ForkSnorter on 23/03/2024 - 11:36

            @JimmyF: Probably by the time the filter stops releasing VOCs, it will be time to replace the filter. Once the filters are full (4-12 months), they start releasing nasty substances back in the air, even while they're purifying.

            I was still getting a sore throat after 2 months of using my air purifier. Every time I used it.

            • JimmyF on 24/03/2024 - 12:51

              @ForkSnorter:

              I was still getting a sore throat after 2 months of using my air purifier. Every time I used it.

              Seems odd. Filters are in everything, even most cars have a cabin filter.

              Probably by the time the filter stops releasing VOCs

              VOCs are different to dust/smoke/pollen that they are filtering out.

              As I said, EVERYTHING in your home gives off VOCs.

            • fredblogs on 25/03/2024 - 13:59

              @ForkSnorter: Which brands/models? Are you sure it's not due to ionization?

              • ForkSnorter on 26/03/2024 - 09:08

                @fredblogs: Xiaomi and Samsung. Could have been due to ionisation. But I'm thinking probably not. I don't think the Samsung created any ozone. It was just air and a filter. The Xiaomi had an ionisation mode, but I didn't turn it on. It might have been just VOCs, or maybe there is some other substance on the filter that gets into the air. I only used the Xiaomi one 2 or 3 times. But I used the Samsung about 20 times over 2 months. Then sold it.

        • fredblogs on 26/03/2024 - 19:01

          Ok these studies are about chemical methods. What you want is carbon filters and not UV light, ionization, plasma tech:

          "some products also offer chemical methods of destroying VOCs, such photocatalytic oxidation or ionization using ultraviolet light, plasma technology, or carbon-titanium-dioxide filters. Oxidation of VOCs is what leads to a lot of important pollutants…"

          “air cleaning using activated carbon filters, a tried-and-true technology that doesn't rely on chemical reactions, is still the way to go.”

          The Samsung purifiers use a carbon filter, not chemical methods, so these studies don't explain your symptoms.

  • Odin on 22/03/2024 - 10:33

    Australia cannot built a sealed house. So it seems pretty pointless to have an air purifier if the air is constantly being cycled with the outdoors.

    In the USA they do a test called a blower door test. They hook up a fan to your front door, seal it, and measure the pressure achieved. It shows how air tight your house is.

    Can you imagine that test in Australia? Our houses wouldn't hold a ounce of pressure. It's blow out through all the gaps, defunct vents, holes, openings, poorly fit doors, and unsealed joins.

    If you wanted to air purify your house, you need something like this:

    https://www.zehnderamerica.com/hrv-versus-erv-how-do-i-choos….

    But you'd need a well sealed house to begin with.

  • WT on 22/03/2024 - 10:50

    we have a room that doesnt get a lot of air flow, purifier lives in that room and gets turned on when its musty, a few hours and its all good

  • LFO on 22/03/2024 - 11:07
    -1

    Only 10 countries and territories had “healthy” air quality: … Iceland … (edition.cnn.com)

    ICELAND ???
    Hilarious !!! With a volcano spewing toxic gases, sure thing !!

    Fake news are back!

  • Speckled Jim on 22/03/2024 - 12:07

    Sounds like someone need to filter their OzBargain feeds.

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