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Build a do-it-yourself home air purifier for about $25

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Re: Build a do-it-yourself home air purifier for about $25

#321

Earlier quoted context omitted.

no, there is no ozone generator in this model (usually that's done using electrostatic plates).

I'm still curious then as to why this specific unit doesn't meet California air purifier standards, which is why Amazon won't sell it to me.

i'm not sure. i live in california and bought mine on amazon. wish i could be more helpful!

Re: Build a do-it-yourself home air purifier for about $25

#322

Edit: plants do nothing to particle matter in air they can soak up co2, benzene, formaldehyde etc but do ample resesrch before placing plants in your bedroom. Typically snake plants are fine in bedroom as they don't give out CO2 at night. There is no need for an air purifier if you have ample light in your room. Just plant a few indoor plants Peace lily Rubber plant Snake plant Spider plant Aloe vera Money plant Orch…

Orchids and rubber plants from that list, at least, are fairly common allergens themselves.

Re: Build a do-it-yourself home air purifier for about $25

#323
In case you're curious how this does with wildfire smoke -- Oakland 1 bedroom, put a 14"x20" MERV 13 (filtrete blue) filter on a box fan (covering the extra 6" with paper). Had a PMS5003 from adafruit monitoring before and after. In the span of 3 hours indoor PM2.5 dropped from 25 to 5 ug/m3 and has stayed low since.

https://imgur.com/IxdxhV2

Re: Build a do-it-yourself home air purifier for about $25

#324
I think this is a cool project idea, but I would not use this as a primary means to filter air unless you can't afford a proper hepa filter unit and you happen to have parts laying around to cobble this together. Smoke and mold are dangerous to breath and you only get one life. This is probably a good way to augment your existing filters, in my opinion.

Re: Build a do-it-yourself home air purifier for about $25

#325

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In order to take care of mold, you need to clean up what you can using hydrogen peroxide. It will foam up when it contacts mold. Keep applying until this is no foam up. Incidentally, peroxide in a spray bottle is great for cleaning showers and places that get mildew. Always use fresh peroxide. For an air purifier, you need one with a UV light.

Different people suggesting different means against mold here, but in the end, you have to find the root of the problem and eliminate it. Otherwise, you are fighting symptoms. 1. Air filters might reduce the airborne spores, but if you have mold already growing behind some wardrobe you are wasting time. 2. Hydrogen peroxide, chloride, and isopropyl alcohol are all good tools to fight it when you find a place where it…

I lived in a small studio in a damp part of SF and we discovered mold growing behind a beureu, I had cold like symptoms for months before which I think was related to a mold allergy. We moved all furniture away from wall, cleaned with mix of bleach and water then invested in a $200 Frigidaire 50 pint dehumidifier (like this one Frigidaire FAD504DWD Energy Star 50-pint Dehumidifier https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AU7GYXA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_n8i7...) and it solved the problem for us. It would pull a gallon or more of water out of the air everyday. I tried some smaller/cheaper dehumidifiers but they really didn't compare.

Re: Build a do-it-yourself home air purifier for about $25

#327
post #65
post #64

I wonder if you can put a filter on both sides of the box fan.

There would be very very little gain from doing so, but you'd probably kill the motor. HEPA filters are very very very good. Running through 2 of them isn't going to pull much more out because there just isn't much more. Actually, you'd probably get less actual filtration due to the greatly reduced airflow.

Why would it kill the motor? Load is reduced when airflow is restricted.

If the first filter reduces 90% of pollutants, can we assume that the second filter reduces an additional 90%?

Re: Build a do-it-yourself home air purifier for about $25

#328
post #147

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> “The general go-to clean room/industrial filter stack is Prefilter(F5 Bag)->HEPA->Activated Carbon.” yup, i bought a blueair 211+ ( https://www.blueair.com/us/blue/blue-pure-211/1695.html ), that has exactly those filter elements in a nice (if bigger than expected) package. this model was recommended by both consumer reports and the wirecutter (until recently, cynically thinking they didn’t pay wirecutter’s “endors…

I have a pair of Vornados with the same setup. They're life-changers (no exaggeration).

What model of Vornado do you have? Can you share your experience with them?

Re: Build a do-it-yourself home air purifier for about $25

#330

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Or similarly toxic chloramine gas, when combined with cleaning agents containing ammonia, such as Mr. Clean.

Chloramine is responsible for the classic "swimming pool smell", as the chlorination in the pool reacts with urine, sweat, and other nitrogen-containing organics. Chloramine is a less effective disinfectant than free chlorine, and more irritating to swimmers, and diffuses out of the water more slowly, so this is why you shouldn't pee in the pool, and why you should rinse off in a shower for a minute before entering.…

My bathtub in my apartment would smell like that after using Tilex. I don't pee in the tub either, so I guess it can only be from sweat.
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