Secrets of an air washer

Every home has its own unique atmosphere – and not just figuratively. To make it more pleasant and cleaner helps clinical technique. The range of indoor air conditioners is growing each year, and sometimes it’s hard to choose the one that best fits your home.

DOES THE AIR NEED TO BE CLEANED??

Dust and uncomfortable levels of humidity are two of the biggest indoor air problems. The sources of dust are numerous: we spread it on our shoes and clothes, it blows in through the windows from the street, it comes from tiny particles of paper on books and wallpaper, lint in closets, soot on the stove, food particles, tiny sawdust on untreated wood and MDF surfaces, and fluff on the carpet and floor linen.

And all sorts of household and computer equipment also play their part, attracting particles of dust like a magnet as they work. Dust settled on the furniture and floor is easy to remove, it is much harder to get rid of the finer volatile dust. And yet it does not contain innocuous components: plant pollen and house mite are allergens, tobacco smoke has a whole range of harmful resins, and from polluted streets, sulfur compounds and heavy metals enter the house. Continuous inhalation of this “cocktail” weakens the immune system, we are more likely to fall victim to seasonal epidemics or a constant, seemingly pointless runny nose and cough.

Humidity level, t. e. The water molecules in the air also affect our health. The optimal level is 40% to 60%. Dry air makes you more tired, and air humidity under 30% dehydrates the body, dries out the nose and mouth, and causes all kinds of respiratory problems, not to mention simple irritation. Moreover, in dry air, airborne dust becomes electrified. Many signs point to inadequate humidity. For instance, the leaves of houseplants dry out around the edges despite watering in good time, the buds fall off before they can bloom, the wooden furniture and doors dry out and creak, and you yourself experience dry mouth and nose, and eye irritation. Most of the year, however, the air humidity in the apartment stays around 30%, or even lower except in the bathroom, which is usually too humid . In winter heaters dry out the air and in summer air conditioners do, and in many cities the street air is quite dry because of the lack of green areas.

So how do you fight dust and dryness?? Routine wet cleaning, even when done thoroughly, only partly solves the problem. Ancient methods like diluting some houseplants, spraying from a sprayer or an open can with water are ineffective. Much more effective are devices that clean and humidify the air: vacuum cleaners with water filter, air purifiers, humidifiers and air washers.

appliances that only clean or humidify the air can only do a fraction of the job of improving the air in your home, and have side effects. Every type of humidifier has its own disadvantages. Steamy, for example, machines have an outlet temperature of about 50 to 60 degrees Celsius. e. We don’t want to place them near furniture or plants, they produce very large droplets that can cause condensation, and they make the air too humid if they’re in use for too long.

A standard air washer without additional functions

1

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Dirty and dry air flows into the air washer

2. Passes through a system of rotating humidified discs

3. Dust, particles and impurities are trapped on the discs and then settled in the sump

4. The air comes out clean and humidified

Working scheme of air washing Ballu AW-320 AW-325

Ultrasonic humidifiers break water into tiny drops. But if there are a lot of salts in the water, their particles also get into the air and it’s not good for everyone and then form a white sludge on the floor and furniture. Cool humidifiers, which evaporate water naturally, are virtually unregulated. Not flawless and air cleaners: devices with filters of all types require timely replacement consumables, and ionizers, ozonators and UHF-devices, killing harmful microorganisms, dust is not eliminated, it must be cleaned after turning off.

The air washers combine cleaning and humidification in a completely indication-free design. Of course, it should be borne in mind that the efficiency of cleaning is somewhat inferior air cleaner with a filter unit, but for an ordinary apartment, if you do not live near the construction site or the highway and make a timely cleaning, its power is enough.

WHAT’S IN AND WHAT’S OUT?

The air washer is not too complicated, and combines the functions of a humidifier and air purifier without the drawbacks of both. The first washers were invented more than 30 years ago by the German company Venta-Luftwascher GmbH this is proved by the corporate name: Luft – air, Wascher – washer . the principle of their operation has not changed since then: the fan, thanks to a pressure difference between inside and outside surfaces, sucks the air into the water tank. Rotating drums assembled from finned plates guide the airflow through the water, so that dust particles get wet, lose their volatility and remain in the tank, while the air is saturated with water molecules and comes out fresh and humidified. The smallest dust particles and some grooves are hard to pick up if the particles are too small, they are not wetted, so they come out again, together with the air. You can literally “see” how well the car wash works – after a few hours the water is no longer transparent from everything that used to float around in the air and get into your lungs.

the honeycomb technology humidifying drum of an air washer

Like other air washers, the Boneco Air-O-Swiss is most effective at trapping dirt and dust when installed on the floor

The clever design of the Electrolux EHAW-7510D air washer allows you to place it in a well-arranged position, such as on a table, for example

The market for air washers is not as extensive as, for example, air cleaners, but it has a variety of models, as manufacturers have chosen several ways to increase the effectiveness of these devices. For example, Boneco Air-O-Swiss manufactures sinks with humidifying discs made of honeycomb technology – their surface has many micro holes, so that the water is better held on the disc and when you lift it does not roll away, and evaporates.

In the simplest sink design e.g. on some Venta models the only filter is the water in the tank. Models with water curtains produced by AIC and “Atmos-Aqua” are more thoroughly air-cleaning: the circulating blower takes the water and creates a multi-tiered circular flow which, on contact with the incoming air, picks up finer dust particles than the stationary water.

There are models with an extra filter or even more, they remove dust and odours, and Bork installs a pre-filter in particular. AirComfort offers a dual filter washer: on the inlet side, a HEPA filter traps particles larger than 0.3 microns dust and hair , while the outlet side is an antibacterial filter.

The original two-stage design used by Timberk after the washing module, the air passes through a plastic drum with a fiber cloth that keeps debris out.

Another way to keep more dust out is to have an ionizer built in, such as Boneco Air-O-Swiss, Kambrook and AirComfort. Charged dust particles are attracted to each other, stick together and remain in the water, and the outgoing air is fresher.

The task of disinfecting the air also has different solutions. For example, Winia and Lisbor build biofilters with silver balls into the sinks. As it is known silver has bactericidal effect that is why microorganisms passing through this filter die. Ballu, Boneco and Electrolux have a silver rod for the same purpose. NeoClima has an antibacterial coating on the water tank and Venta adds an antibacterial disinfectant cartridge. The AIC and Atmos-Aqua sinks have built-in ultraviolet light sources that are highly destructive to microbes and mold. Air washers with pasteurization such as NeoClima achieve the same effect when the water in the tank is heated to 80 degrees.

The body of the air washer is usually made of materials that do not emit any odors or harmful substances. Mostly it is a high-quality food-grade plastic, absolutely harmless to health, so it can be used both in a nursery and a hospital ward. Sinks are designed for all tastes: from sleek rectangular sinks of neutral colors that fit perfectly in the office environment to round sinks suitable for hi-tech interiors, and bright shaped sinks will look good in the nursery or kitchen. Sinks with a transparent cabinet and backlight function can function as a night light.

Size varies quite a lot and it mainly depends on the size of the water tank. Miniature models with a 0.5-1 L tank can be taken with you on trips. Stationary air washers have a tank capacity of 3 to 10 liters. The size of the reservoir determines the operating time of the air washer, so a model with a large tank should be filled with water at most once every few days. Most models have a see-through tank or window to check the water level, and some have a light to remind you to fill the tank. If water level drops to a certain point, the sink shuts off automatically.

Venta, in addition to conventional sinks, produces models that can be connected directly to the water supply. They also have a tank whose level is controlled by a float-operated regulator the tank is drained and filled automatically. These sinks are designed for large rooms and are suitable for use in offices, fitness centers and studio apartments, for example.

WHAT AND HOW TO OPERATE IT?

Modern air cleaners, in addition to their main function – air cleaning and humidification, can perform many other functions. Each manufacturer creates its own unique set, so you can choose a device that fully meets the most “tricky” demands – you just need to carefully read the instructions.

Almost every dishwasher has more than one mode. They are linked to the key operating parameters: air change and water consumption. Air exchange is the quantity of air that goes through the sink in a given time. The certificate usually specifies its maximum value, for example, 120 m³/ch. The faster the fan rotates, the higher the flow rate and the faster the air is purified. The water flow rate depends on the speed of the drum: a higher speed results in greater water evaporation and a higher humidity level. The technical data of the device includes an average value, e.g. 250 ml/h may also be given in g/h . The combination of the various options gives the most functional diversity.

In normal operation the fan and drum run at a medium speed at the flow rate indicated in the data sheet for a comfortable level of humidity. Intensive mode is needed in situations where you want to increase the humidity in a dry room as quickly as possible or to eliminate a large amount of dust in an urgent situation e.g. during renovation , the speed is the same. By contrast, when the power-saving mode is set to low, the air exchange rate and water flow rate are reduced, and the appliance keeps the humidity to a minimum so that it can be used when you are away for a few days.

The faster the fan blower revolves, the greater the airflow, the faster the air purification /hour will be. The ‘cleverest’ ones have a built-in timer, i.e. a higher performance. e. the selected mode is maintained for a certain period of time, or you can even choose the mode yourself, taking into account the humidity and temperature in the room.

Those who suffer from pollinosis, allergies to household mites or certain odors should consider a sink with an anti-allergy mode. It differs from the regular ones in that it actively exchanges air, i. e. e. The air is cleared more quickly for the same humidity.

On some of them you can see the marking “child mode”. It means automatic conditioning of the humidity level of 60% or more and an intensive air exchange. The reason is that children’s skin and mucous membranes are more sensitive than their adult counterparts, can dry out and react to dust faster, and their newly formulated immune system is much less effective in protecting them from infections. A comfortable room climate is therefore particularly important in a child’s bedroom.

Cold/hot steam mode means you can choose either regular humidification cold mode or heating mode if the room is cool. This not only helps maintain a comfortable temperature without drying out the air, but also provides a heat treatment that sterilizes water and air.

Some models have a scent control function. If you put a piece of absorbent cotton soaked with aromatic oil in a special capsule other models add a few drops of oil the outgoing air will ooze a pleasant fragrance for a while, creating a pleasantly invigorating or even relaxing atmosphere. In this case oil will evaporate for equal time period, than, for example, in usual aroma lamp. Manufacturers of such sinks provide sets of popular fragrance oils in the most suitable consistency.

The noise level of the sink is low and much lower than that of air purifiers. But for people who can’t sleep well, there are models with an especially quiet night mode – less than 25dB, which is quieter than a ticking clock on a wall.

The modes of operation can be selected and switched in different ways. The simplest models have 2 or 3 operating modes and have a mechanical control system with buttons or a rotary dial that has several positions. The more functional models have a mechanical or touch sensitive keypad. There are models with an electronic display that, depending on the functions available, shows the humidity level reached and the desired one, sets the temperature or precisely sets the airflow rate.

HOW TO CHOOSE AND USE?

First of all, when choosing an air washer, pay attention to the size and volume of the room for which it is designed. They can be quite large from 40-50 m or larger² up to 150 m³, but that does not mean one unit can clean the air in a typical apartment. The reason is that air circulation between the rooms is difficult, and doorways are not big enough for this. So if you need to provide clean and humidified air in several rooms, you should buy the appropriate number of units with more modest features rather than one with the maximum capabilities.

Secondly, we must take into account the degree of dustiness of the room. If the main problem is dry air, filters are not necessary. But if your kitchen sink has to function in a dusty environment, you may want to go for a more sophisticated model.

The air cleaner can be placed on any stabile, horizontal surface, but it’s better to place it on the floor, since most dust particles are concentrated in the lower part of the room not more than one meter from the floor . It can be placed near furniture or houseplants because there are no annoying effects such as white stains or condensation. But it is not a good idea to back the sink up against anything. The outlets are on the sides, and if they are blocked, performance is reduced. Keep a distance of at least one meter from electrical appliances so that they will not be damaged by the humid air that is blown out. It is advisable to turn on the air washer with the windows closed, otherwise the humidified and purified air is simply drawn outside, and the device becomes useless.

The air cleaner operates from a regular mains supply without any adapters and is comparatively low in power consumption models with an electronic display, indicators and backlight are more “voracious” than mechanically controlled models . To save money some of the sinks have an eco-mode with reduced power consumption.

Most sinks can be filled with plain tap water unlike humidifiers, more demanding to water quality , but it is better to take filtered water. Whether or not you can add anything to it e.g. disinfectant or perfume oil should be explained in the instruction manual. It is advisable to empty and refill the water daily, even if this is not all used up. The fresher the water, the more intense the cleaning.

In the beginning, when you only put the unit in the room, it may seem that it has no effect. What really happens is. The walls and all objects actively absorb moisture and the air is quickly dried. Usually it lasts a few days, even when you run it at high speed. Then, when the balance is established, you can measure the improvement in air quality, and the sink can be turned on occasionally or in energy-saving mode to maintain cleanliness and humidity.

The peculiarities of the air washer design are such that it requires very simple maintenance. The water tank must be cleaned regularly at least once a month , otherwise a layer of dirt and salt deposits will form on the walls, on which pathogens and mold will actively reproduce. The drums also need to be cleaned so that they don’t lose their water-holding capacity good if they are equipped with an auto-cleaning system against limescale, like Electrolux and Ballu .

If your sink is equipped with a filter, replace it according to the manufacturer’s recommendations: an overfull filter that has reached the end of its service life will let less air in and become a source of dirt that will escape. And it’s just as important to change the cartridges and silverware at the end of their useful life. To guarantee their temporary cleaning, some companies build in indicators to clean the device and replace the rods. Cleaning the outside of the sink can be made easier by applying a dirt-repellent coating on the housing, as is the case with some Venta models.

AIR SINKING