Air Purifier vs. Air Conditioner: Are They the Same?

We all have air conditioners in our homes for one reason or another. This is because the weather conditions demand the need for an air conditioner, or some might consider an air conditioner as a way to get cleaner and fresher air to breathe in. Air purifier vs. air conditioner has been a common conversation for years, but why do people compare the two things?

Do air purifiers and air conditioners work the same way? Can a home air purifier do the job well for an air conditioner? Large room air purifiers are common for places with high pollutants and seasonal allergies. That being said, people also opt for an air conditioner to serve the same purpose. This article will cover all you need to know about air conditioner vs. air purifier and decide the best option for you.

Air Conditioner and Purifier: What is the Best for You?

It is important to realize how each machinery works before we fall into the race of what you need for your home or even a safe office space amongst the two options mentioned above. An air conditioner pulls in the hot air from your room, cools it down, and throws it out. It circulates the air and drops the temperature, so you feel that cool fresh air. Many people confuse the air coming from the air conditioner as pure and clean when it has just been cooled down.

On the other hand, an air purifier grabs the air from the room, cycles it, passes it through multiple filters and channels, neutralizes and ionizes it to provide fresh, clean air. Moreover, the air filters in an air purifier are made to grab tiny dust and dirt particles that are not visible to the naked eye. The air coming out of an air purifier hence might not feel cool or even any different.

Air purifiers work in two different ways and also have different types of filters. The most common approaches with an air purifier are ionization (active air purifiers) or filtration (passive air purifiers). Both types of air purifiers are efficient, but passive air purifiers are preferable since they gather both small and larger particles such as dust mites, allergies, and air pollutants from the air and remove them permanently through the air purifier's filters.

Difference Between Air Purifier and Air Conditioner

An air purifier vs. an air conditioner differs in that air purifiers remove particles while air conditioners chill the air. Air conditioners aren't designed to purify the air, and air purifiers aren't designed to cool the air. In the home, an air purifier and an air conditioner serve different purposes.

But some air conditioners might promise to provide clean and fresher air to breathe since they contain some air filters that might clean up the air. Here are some common criteria to judge the two mentioned products, air purifiers, and air filters, and how they differ.

Application

Let’s find out the application of air purifier vs. air conditioner. Air purifier, as the name suggests, has the job of purifying the air and improving indoor air quality. It eliminates the dust, dirt, airborne contaminants, smoke, and other allergens from the environment. This is achieved by different types of filters you can find in an air purifier.

On the other hand, an air conditioner can take in the air, cool it down, and reduce the humidity levels. A common myth associated with air purifiers is that they dry out the air, but the truth is an air conditioner is made to reduce the humidity level in the air, so you feel fresh and clean air coming right to you.

Benefits

Air purifiers are mainly used to help fight poor air quality, indoor pollution, seasonal allergies, and other pollutants that irritate the eyes and respiratory tract. People who have breathing issues and respond to seasonal pollen changes must have a small room air purifier to keep them safe. They also help in providing safe and sound sleep.

Moreover, with work from home, air purifiers also qualify as office comfort items as they bring some calmness and freshness into the air.

On the other hand, air conditioners offer a low to zero level of air purification but create a suitable and relaxing indoor environment. This is because air conditioners lower the humidity levels so people who suffer from respiratory problems can feel a sense of peace. Air conditioners also improve sleep quality by regulating the temperature to a safe and sound level.

Helps with

Air purifiers help with removing all sorts of tiny to large dust particles. As a result, you can catch dust, allergens, mold, germs, bacteria, pet fur, pollens, and viruses and eliminate smoke from home.

Air conditioners just lower and moderate the temperature and humidity levels.

Uses of Air Purifiers

Air purifiers can help refresh stale air, lowering the risk of health problems caused by indoor pollution, which can cause respiratory infections, neurological difficulties, and exacerbating asthma symptoms. Air purifiers of high quality remove a variety of indoor air pollutants, keeping us healthy.

Removing these contaminants can result in various short- and long-term health benefits, including improved sleep quality and longer life expectancy. Air purifiers have been used in crowded spaces like a busy office setting, where there needs to be proper fresh air to breathe, bedrooms, where people need to sleep.

They are also used for people who have asthma - as pollutants are the main factors leading to worsen asthma. Air purifiers are also ideal for homes with pets where the pet dander and fur can get into the respiratory tract and cause irritation to the user.

Uses of Air Conditioners

Air conditioners have a wide range of applications in various households. They can reduce the suffocation level by controlling the humidity levels in the room. Air conditioning also reduces the risk of dehydration. As the lowered temperature ensures less sweating, thus people are less likely to lose body fluids. Air conditioning can also provide a relaxed environment when performing strenuous tasks such as exercise.

In simpler words, the air conditioner reduces the temperature and humidity of the air inside the room. In contrast, the air purifier is designed to remove dust and impurities from the air and cannot do so.

Air purifiers and air conditioners are both complicated systems, but if you know what each one does, you'll be able to get the right one for your needs without having to second-guess yourself.