The Best (and Worst) Places to Put Your Air Purifier

Photo: 220 Selfmade studio (Shutterstock)

As we’ve learned over the last few weeks, wildfire smoke is no longer a problem primarily confined to the west coast, and is also likely to be a regular occurrence in the rest of the country moving forward.

Given that the smoke can impact indoor air quality, interest in and sales of air purifiers has spiked since the first round of smoke hit the east coast earlier this month. And when it comes to getting the most out of yours, where you place it in your home matters. Here are some examples of the best and worst places to put an air purifier.

The best places to put an air purifier

Some of the best places in your home for your air purifier include:

• A relatively clear area: There shouldn’t be anything touching the top, back, or sides of an air purifier. Ideally, it should have at least 6 inches of clearance on each side.
• At entry points: Contaminants can get in and flow through places like doorways, hallways, and windows.
• Near (but not touching) the source of contaminants or allergens: For example, the kitchen stove, a pet’s bed, or an area prone to accumulating dust.
• Rooms where you spend a lot of time: Bedrooms, the living room, the office, etc.
• In the center of open-concept homes: That is, if you’re using one large air purifier for an entire floor.
• In individual rooms of other types of homes: If a home isn’t open-concept, opt for smaller models for bedrooms and other spaces, placed toward one side of the room (but not touching anything).

The worst places to put an air purifier

Don’t put an air purifier anywhere with the potential of blocking the air intake, including:

• Directly up against a wall
• On a shelf
• In a corner
• Behind or under furniture

Other places to avoid include:

Lastly, if you’re going to invest in an air purifier—or build one yourself—make sure it has a HEPA filter and a MERV rating of at least 13.

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