Do air purifiers use a lot of energy? Everything You Need to Know About

Do air purifiers use a lot of energy? How much electricity do they use? It can be difficult to think about how much an air purifier will cost because it depends upon your specific needs and usage patterns. Air purifiers without an ionizer typically use about 1-2 watts per hour.

Based on 10 hours of operation each day, that comes out to about 100-200 kWh a month or 3-6 kWh a day or 0.3 cents per kWh – less than what many households pay for their energy bill these days!

Suppose you have any questions about the energy consumption of air purifiers like do air purifiers use a lot of electricity or want to know more about which types of air purifiers use less electricity. In that case, this article has the answers you need!

Do air purifiers use a lot of energy?

Air purifier machines are energy-efficient but not necessarily eco-friendly. Manufacturers use components like motors and fans that consume electricity, which impacts their overall energy efficiency rating. Air purifiers without an ionizer typically use about 1-2 watts per hour. Based on 10 hours of operation each day, that comes out to about 100-200 kWh a month or 3-6 kWh a day or 0.3 cents per kWh – less than what many households pay for their energy bill these days! There are cheaper models, too, so make sure you shop for the best one for your needs.

If you don’t know what kind of air purifier is right for you, consult with your doctor or respiratory therapist before making any purchases. They’ll be able to help you decide if it’s worth spending a little more money to get a machine that will work better for your needs.

Air purifier wattage

While air purifiers come in different shapes and sizes, most of them require some amount of electricity to operate. Knowing how much electricity your air purifier uses will give you a better idea of how expensive it will be to work.

The following are the typical wattages for the various types of air purifiers: 

•  Desktop units typically use less than 100 watts 
•  Floor models typically use less than 250 watts 
•  Tower units typically use up to 400 watts 

Considering so many other things consume a lot more electricity (i.e., running water for cleaning dishes, hair dryers, TVs), an air purifier’s consumption is usually very minimal.

How to calculate an air purifier electricity cost

How many watts does your air purifier use? It can be difficult to think about how much an air purifier will cost because it depends upon your specific needs and usage patterns. However, by using the guidelines below, you should be able to figure out the approximate costs for two basic types of filters–one without an ionizer and one with an ionizer. 

Air purifier electricity cost without ionizer 

Air purifiers without an ionizer typically use about 1-2 watts per hour. Based on 10 hours of operation each day, that comes out to about 100-200 kWh a month or 3-6 kWh a day or 0.3 cents per kWh – less than what many households pay for their energy bill these days!

W x 12 (hours) / 1000 (kilowatts) x 30 (days) x 0.15 (rates) = Cost per month

For yearly energy costs, multiply the months by 12.

Cost per month x 12 = Cost per year

Power consumption in standby mode

Air purifiers are relatively low-power devices. A standalone air purifier will consume around 100 watts in standby mode. This is equal to a standard light bulb running at 10 watts. The exception is if the air purifier has a built-in humidifier, increasing the power consumption by roughly 30%. The more filters an air purifier has, the higher it will be on standby mode, but running continuously, the device will still be low-power and not use much electricity.

On average, air purifiers consume .00056 kWh of electricity per hour in standby mode, with .00020 kWh being the most common. That equates to just over a penny’s worth of electricity every year! If you have an air purifier with a humidifier, you can expect it to use about twice as much electricity as one without one.

Air purifier CADR

CADR stands for Clean Air Delivery Rate. It’s the amount of air an air purifier can clean in a given period, typically one hour. This measure indicates how well the air purifier can remove contaminants from the air. A machine with a CADR rating of 400 will release more pollutants from the perspective of one with a CADR rating of 300.

Higher CADR ratings mean it will be better at removing specific types of particles and allergens, such as smoke and pollen.

The CADR per watt (CADR/W) rate helps identify the most energy-efficient air purifier.

The higher the CADR/W rate, the more energy efficient the air purifier is

How to choose an energy saver air purifier?

The electricity saved using an energy saver air purifier could be used to power a living room light for over 500 hours. Let’s look at how much electric energy each type of air purifier needs to do its job. In general, air purifiers are not thought of as power-hungry appliances. However, they still use some electricity, which we’ll focus on here. And while they don’t use very much electricity (estimates say under $5 per year),  it does add up if you have several air purifiers running all the time. That’s why it’s essential to choose wisely when purchasing an appliance and ensure it will meet your needs without draining your wallet or the environment.

Below, we’ve broken down how much electricity various air purifiers consume so you can find one that suits your home. In general,energy-efficient models use less electricity than standard models because they have more efficient motors and no fan cooling system to draw in new fresh air from outside. They also include pre-filters, so you won’t need to replace filters often, which means lower maintenance costs overall. 

Standard models may offer higher airflow rates but require a filter change every three months for maximum performance, so consider the tradeoff before making a purchase decision: Higher initial costs with lower operating costs versus lower initial costs with higher operating costs!

You can also check out our other related article Blueair 211 vs 411- Which Air Purifier is Right for You?

What is an air purifier?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VidZMqmTgJQ

An air purifier removes impurities and dust from the air and recirculates the filtered air. They are helpful for allergy sufferers, those with chemical sensitivities, or asthma. A HEPA filter is what all air purifiers use, and its job is to capture particles. The purifier captures particles of 0.3-microns or larger (depending on the design). This means it will charge 99% of particles, including pollen, dust mites, pet dander, smoke, and smog, as well as larger debris like hair and lint fibers. It also has UV light which kills viruses and bacteria. 

A HEPA filter can capture about half the particles in an indoor environment, but this depends on how often you run your purifier, how dirty your house is, how much traffic there is near your home, etc. All air purifier s filters need to be replaced periodically, depending on usage. The more you run it and replace the filters, the better off you’ll be

What Can I Do To Reduce The Energy Usage of My Air Purifier?

1: For starters, be aware of the importance of HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) systems. Ensure it’s installed correctly so the air from your air purifier doesn’t become trapped in a corner and recirculate.

2: Second, think about adjusting the settings of your air purifier. For example, you may want to turn it off at night if you sleep with your fan on for more cold or warm air to circulate in your house.

3: And finally, understand what kind of filters are being used. Suppose you use higher MERV-rated filters with activated carbon (like we do). In that case, they might not require as much electricity usage as other filters that don’t include an activated carbon filter system. 

4: Clean the pre-filter regularly

5:  Use the Auto Mode, and clean the sensor

Tips To Save Money On Electricity When Using An Air Purifier

1: Air purifiers use, on average, 20 watts of power when turned on. To save energy, try setting your air purifier’s timer to turn it off after two hours. -It can be helpful to turn your air purifier off while you’re away at work or out of the house for long periods of time, especially in cold months.

2: If you have central heating and air conditioning, consider using a programmable thermostat that will automatically switch from heat to cooling, depending on the temperature outside. Not only does this help conserve energy, but it also saves you money by only turning the heating system on when it’s needed in cold months.

3: Remember that an air purifier should never be used as a replacement for your furnace if you are living in cold weather.

4: Finally, remember to change the filter regularly!

FAQs

Here are the answer to your questions.

Can an air purifier be used as a fan?

Air purifiers can help to improve air quality in any room, which means they can sometimes function as a fan. But an air purifier is not an ideal substitute for a traditional household or living room fan because it doesn’t cool the air like a typical fan would. However, some people find it helpful to circulate the room’s atmosphere so that the good (less polluted) particles are mixed with all the wrong (more polluted) particles more evenly. This way, you’re inhaling less of one type of pollution but more of a different kind of pollution.

Do I need an air purifier if I have an air conditioner?

Though air purifiers work differently from air conditioners, they both use electricity. The primary difference is that air conditioners must be on all the time to keep your home cool and comfortable- this means it will consume a much more significant amount of electricity than an air purifier. On the other hand, an air purifier does not have to run continuously to be effective. For example, you may turn off your AC when you leave for work in the morning or when you go out for the evening and then turn it back on when you get home later in the day or at night.

Do air filters use a lot of electricity in the stand-by mod?

Most, but not all, air purifiers consume energy in standby mode. Why? One reason may be that there is no appreciable pressure difference across the surfaces of an air purifier’s electrostatic filter when it is running versus when it is in standby mode. 

This reduced pressure difference results in a decreased airflow through the filter, meaning fewer particles are removed from the air. As such, you may want to turn off your air purifier if you plan on being away for extended periods (days or weeks), as even though it isn’t currently removing pollutants from the room’s atmosphere, that doesn’t mean it will be okay if left on indefinitely with nothing going through its filter.

Conclusion

Some factors that affect the electricity an air purifier uses include the model, the age of your filter, the mode you’re in, and filter quality. Generally, an air purifier will use between 300-500 watts regularly. When the filter needs replacing or is dirty, the wattage can increase. While the wattage does depend on which air purifier you have and your circumstances, it’s generally not as much electricity usage as you might expect from such a device. One example is the Winix U200A ($269) which only consumes about 350 watts when its filters are new. 

The downside to this low power usage is that most models don’t offer a programmable timer for turning off automatically when you’re away for long periods. If this matters to you, consider an air purifier with higher wattage like the IQAir HealthPro Plus at 780w – 1120w, depending on the mode (around 500 hours before needing replacement). The higher power consumption means more expensive electricity bills if left running 24/7 and more features like Wi-Fi connectivity and automatic shut-off timers while away.