Personal Tech: Don't Breathe Dirty Air

AIR POLLUTION COULD BADLY AFFECT YOUR HEALTH AS DIWALI CRACKERS AND WINTER SMOG MAKE A DEADLY COMBINATION. HERE IS HOW TO STAY SAFE WHEN YOU ARE INDOORS OR TRAVELLING IN A CAR.

- Nidhi Singal

It is that time of the year again when Diwali crack-ers, open-air stubble burning and smog make breath-ing difficult. In fact, the air quality in Delhi-NCR is already fluctuating between poor and very poor. Add to it dust particles, chemical and organic emissions, bad smells and pet dander, and it becomes imperative to invest in a good quality home air purifier. There are a number of such products available in the market to capture particulate matter (PM) and gas pollutants. While home/room air purifiers remain the most popular choice, you will also come across portable personal air purifiers and filters for air conditioners. Plus, there are devices that keep the air inside your car clean.

Before buying one of these products, consider a couple of things. First, check out what types of filters are used in the machine. For instance, HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) filters are most commonly used to remove PM while activated carbon filters remove odours and chemical vapours. You may also come across terms such as UV technology and ioniser (for killing bacteria and other pathogens) or ozone generator. Some machines also have a pre-filter section to capture larger floating particles. Second, buying an air purifier will result in recurring costs as filters must be changed regularly, depending on usage. Therefore, you should check out the cost of filter replacement before buying. Finally, go for smart products which are Wi-Fi-enabled, can be paired with mobile apps for anytime-anywhere control and can provide additional information such as indoor air quality, filter life and more. Now that you know the drill, let us look at what all you need.