The combination appliance purifies and humidifies the air at the same time. A home air washer removes dust, pollen, pet hair and fluff, soot and smoke. Large suspensions larger than 10 microns are removed faster, small ones up to 2.5 microns take time to remove. Manufacturers produce many models, so attention is paid to the correct selection of characteristics.
Description, principle of operation and purpose
The sink is a combination of a humidifier and an air purifier, which is why the dimensions of the unit are 2 times larger than the dimensions of the first device. The device does not spray particles of moisture or steam. The sink sucks in the flow, humidifies it (moistens it), filters it and gives it out ready-made.
Winning characteristics:
- filters out about 99% of dust and organic impurities;
- evenly humidifies the air space of the room;
- the smallest particles of moisture do not settle on objects and surfaces and do not form mold;
- low energy consumption.
The downside is that the device slowly humidifies the air, reacts sensitively to openings and drafts, and has a high cost due to its combined functionality.
Varieties according to the principle of action:
- Electrostatic models pull previously charged particles into plates of opposite potential. They are characterized by low productivity and create ozone levels harmful to humans in the atmosphere. Requires regular cleaning of the plates, otherwise efficiency decreases.
- Photocatalytic devices use membranes containing titanium oxide. The streams pass through the filter, are irradiated with UV rays, while toxic impurities are oxidized and decomposed.
- Ionic air purifiers reproduce ions with negative potential. Harmful substances often have a positive charge and form small-sized clusters with anions. The particles become heavier and are attracted to the floor, walls and surfaces of objects, from where they are removed during wet cleaning.
- Filtering varieties use flow through filters. Cleaning barriers are made using the HEPA technology, sometimes carbon filters are used, which require regular replacement.
- Inertial washers use the inertness of dust particles in their work. The drawn in flow changes direction abruptly, and the impurities continue to move by inertia and are captured by the filter.
In inertial models, air can spin up, while particles are carried to the walls, and the flow is directed in the center. There are combined types that have filters inside after inertial washing.
Device selection rules
When buying, the maximum air exchange is taken into account. An efficient device passes the volume of room air 2-3 times per hour. The cubic capacity of the room is taken, multiplied by 3 and compared with the technical parameters from the passport.
There are water filters, ozonizing filters, carbon filters, HEPA filters, electrostatic filters and others. Each of them has advantages and disadvantages. There are types that need to be cleaned, other options require replacement. High-quality sinks are equipped with several varieties.
The installation may provide additional functions:
- display for reading performance indicators;
- indicators, backlights;
- timers;
- flavoring devices.
The ease of maintenance plays a role, since some models take time. Pay attention to the frequency of water change, membrane flushing. The possibility of changing the filter unit and the cost of this operation matter.
Work area
The characteristics indicate the square of the treated room. Most often, the sink is placed in the bedroom, because the quality of the night's rest determines the daytime well-being and work efficiency. The unit cannot always purify the atmosphere of several rooms.
If you put the device in the corridor, the microclimate of distant rooms will remain unclean. What matters is the location of the walls and the width of the doorways through which the washed streams will flow. It is better to keep the doors open, but this is not always possible, therefore the device is designed to work in the same room.
There are several dimensions of sinks on sale:
- Desktop or portable devices for a small room. They can be moved around and taken with you to the office. Such models, due to the small water intake, require frequent fluid addition.
- Indoor varieties work with an area of one room or purify the air in adjoining rooms, with a total square of no more than 110 m².
- Powerful devices. The systems will cope with several separate spaces with a total area of 150 - 250 m² if the adjacent doors are opened. They are distinguished by their high cost and consumption of a large amount of electricity.
Users are using a portable installation, which seems to be advantageous and convenient. But the principle of operation of the device assumes a slow change in the humidity indicators of the room due to the natural evaporation of clean air molecules in the surface of the sink. The process is measured, you can have time to transfer the installation to another room when a high-quality microclimate has not yet been created.
Technologies used
Inside the sink there is a fan and plate drums moistened with liquid from a reservoir. Particulate impurities fall down, while air molecules are saturated with moisture. The clean masses enter through the outlet into the space of the room. The priority of the task is user-defined. If an increase in moisture content is required, models with an evaporation rate of 500 ml / h are recommended.
Ionizing rods in the design of the installation are made of silver with antiseptic additives. Metal ions are distinguished by their disinfecting properties. Such an element is found in water, emits particles and cleans the liquid without the use of chemicals. The term of operation of the rod varies within one year, during this period the evaporated moisture is disinfected.
There are sinks that are focused on removing dust, allergens, this is facilitated by the ionization function. It is important that the production of charged particles in the installation has a separate regulation, since the sink itself runs non-stop. Charged atoms raise immunity well, have a beneficial effect on the respiratory system.
Performance
The indicator determines the volume of water in grams that passes into the air per hour of work. The capacity of the water tank is also important, especially for productive installations. The approximate volume of the tank should be 5–7 liters, if the capacity is 300–500 grams per hour. In the air washer, only the fan makes noise, but it is weak and does not make loud noises. Most of the models are quiet and can be used in the nursery.
A traditional humidifier scatters water, large droplets are more often concentrated in the installation area. Near the device, the humidity can be 60%, and in the far corner it can show 30%.The sink draws in air from the entire space, so the hygrometer will show the same readings at different points in the room. Sometimes small particles hover in space and are drawn into fabric upholstery, furniture, taking away moisture from the air, doing it evenly.
Air flow from outside influences performance. If there are cracks in the windows, moisture and cleaning will be slower due to the resistance of the fresh masses.
Working hours
There are two modes of operation: hydrofiltration and water bath. In the first order, the sink works due to the rotation of the rod in the center of the water tank. The rotating element lifts droplets that come into contact with the feed stream and clean it. The technology belongs to the noisy varieties, some people find it difficult to fall asleep.
The principle of the water bath uses the twisting of a relief disc. Moisture traps on the surface and creates a water coating. The wheels are blown by the turbine and the droplets evaporate. Such sinks are characterized by an almost silent operation. Simple models operate in one mode at maximum power.
Expensive installations allow you to choose the principle of humidification and cleaning. As a result, the user sets the fast, intensive, slow or economy mode. The ability to choose the order of functionality is welcome, but the lack of it also does not affect the quality of work too much. The washer and humidifier are manually operated or electronically coordinated using a remote control.
Additional features
Some devices have a compartment inside for inserting an aroma component. The air is humidified, ionized, washed and gets a pleasant smell. Not every device provides such a function; structural parts may suffer from contact with aromatic oil. The aromatization regulation is in the sink's passport.
A hygrostat and hygrometer are rarely built in. The first device is designed to coordinate the humidity parameters that are set in the device so that the apartment does not become damp. With the constant opening of windows, doors and the movement of residents around the house, this almost cannot happen. The hygrometer measures the water vapor content in the air. Additional functionalities include the ability to work with the use of a screen where the operating parameters are shown. The timer allows you to delay the start of the wash or set the switch-off time.
Filtration technology called HEPA comes from the field of atomic research and involves a method of highly efficient retention of contaminants. The membranes are made of corrugated material with a special fiber weave. Large particles of dirt due to inertness are retained in the folds, and small particles settle on the threads of the fabric. The technology has several levels of filtration.
Scope of application of the air washer
The unit is installed where there is dry air, for example, in rooms with central heating, large radiator surfaces or in places where an electric fireplace is used. It is worth choosing a sink with good performance, so that there is a large evaporation area, and in the passport there was a performance of 200 - 500 ml per hour of operation.
The sink is used in rooms where there is a lot of dust, animal hair, and there are indoor plants that emit pollen. In such cases, an apparatus with pre-ionization of air is purchased for the rapid deposition of contaminants.
Cleaning sinks solve the problem of unpleasant odors from organic matter, cigarette smoke and chemicals. Any type of sink will help, almost all aromas are absorbed naturally when passing through the unit.
Recommendations for use and maintenance
The place of installation is chosen where the person spends more time. Modern devices are notable for their beautiful appearance and fit into different interiors.The units need cleaning and adding water, but the glowing indicators signal such a need, so you cannot skip the procedure.
Processing order:
- during cleaning, the container for the liquid and the compartment for filling the fragrance are washed;
- turbine blades are wiped every few months;
- the sponge in the device is washed with a detergent, rinsed thoroughly;
- disks are dismantled, disassembled and washed with soap;
- the drum can be washed in the dishwasher, because all surfaces are difficult to reach and the part cannot be disassembled.
Cleaning is carried out periodically using professional products from the manufacturer or citric acid is used. Neglect of the procedure leads to calcification of surfaces and failure.
Rating of the best air washes
German air purifier-humidifier Venta LW 25 serves 20 - 40 m². The device is equipped with filters that can be cleaned and do not require the purchase of new elements. The tank has a volume of 7 liters, there is a compartment for aromatic capsules, antibacterial protection. The device is characterized by reliability and safety, without water it automatically turns off.
Compact unitWinta AWI-40 from the Korean brand Winia - a universal and proven model that is not inferior to European manufacturers in quality, but costs half the price. Cleans the atmosphere of 40 m², equipped with a touch screen for control. There is an automatic humidity regulator, the unit operates in 5 modes, including night. The ionizing filter must be replaced if it gets dirty.
Simple unit Boneko W2055DR consumes 20 watts per hour without replacing consumables. There is an LCD screen for monitoring the operating parameters. Antibacterial protection is represented by a silver rod, which changes once a year, aromatization is provided, the humidity level is monitored by a sensor. The tank has a capacity of 7 liters, the sink serves 50 m².
Yitachi EP-A 7000 falls into the rating of home air washes. Designed and manufactured in Japan. The device takes 50 W per hour, serves 50 m², has a capacity of 670 ml per hour. There are several levels of cleaning, an anti-allergenic HEPA membrane is used. Filters have a service life of 3 to 8 years.
Model Panasonik F-VXL 40 also assembled in Japan, serves a 30 m² room. The device is fully automated. Sensors monitor the quality of the microclimate and turn on the installation in case of non-compliance. Composite HEPA cleaning traps the smallest impurities, a special barrier suppresses 17 types of allergens. It is possible to regulate the work in manual mode.
