Find out how clean the air in your home is. (Warning: The results might shock you.)

A clean home is a top priority for those who are focused on the appearance of their dwellings, as well as parents looking after the health of their family. But, while you can rely on an arsenal of cleaning products to ensure that the surfaces of your house are kept clean and dust-free, it’s not as easy when it comes to combating the pollutants in the air.

The quality of the air in our homes is a big concern, especially as research shows that air at home can be up to five times more polluted than the air outside, coupled with the finding that most people spend 90 per cent of their time indoors.

So, what causes poor air quality? 
When it comes to factors affecting the quality of air indoors, one of the biggest culprits tends to be dust. The wiping and sweeping of surfaces causes dust particles to be lifted into the air where they are inhaled.

Aside from dust, there are other obvious contaminants, such as polluted outdoor air entering the home and cigarette smoke (whether first-hand or second-hand). But what’s more surprising is that even daily chores like cooking over a gas hob can result in the release of harmful nitrogen dioxide. Other less obvious sources include formaldehyde and benzene that are a component in some candles, deodorants and even carpets. Even cleaning products could contain ingredients that, while effective in keeping your tiles sparkly white or ensuring your air-conditioners run smoothly, may leave behind harmful allergens.

Beyond the naked eye
Together with the inevitable build-up of dust mites and pet fur (in homes with pets), it’s no wonder the quality of indoor air may not be good. One gram of dust, which is equivalent to a teaspoon’s worth, is chock-full of bacteria, mould and dust mites; these not only cause sinus problems like runny nose and rhinitis, they can also lead to sore, itchy and inflamed skin. In fact, some of these allergens and pollutants are so tiny (0.1 microns) that they can penetrate the blood stream, possibly leading to even more serious health conditions affecting the lungs and heart.

This is especially worrying for adults with respiratory conditions and allergies, newborn babies, children and pregnant ladies, who are most at risk of suffering health complications.

Selecting the right air purifier 
However, there is a solution: air purifiers. Purifiers are designed to absorb and trap the bad stuff that’s circulating in the air in our homes. However, not all air purifiers are built the same and performance can vary from one model to the next.

An air purifier should, first and foremost, be able to detect pollutants, before effectively filtering and capturing them. Subsequently, it should also ideally project clean air into every part of the room, and the Dyson Pure Cool purifying fan is designed to do exactly this. 

The Dyson Pure Cool is equipped with three built-in sensors: one detects ultra-fine particles, a separate sensor detects nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and a third measures humidity and temperature. These sensors accurately measure the indoor air quality, before the Dyson-engineered algorithm determines the various types of pollutants it should be capturing. And you can watch it happen in real time on the LCD display, too! This way, you can monitor what is causing the air pollution at home, be it the air freshener you have just sprayed, or the morning traffic right outside your window.

Trapping pollutants
The Dyson Pure Cool also comes with new and improved built-in filters, ensuring that all forms of air pollutants are efficiently trapped within the unit.

The unique filtration system is made up of a combination of activated carbon filters and glass high-efficiency particulate absorber (HEPA) filters each of which has their own special role. The activated carbon filters remove gases like benzene and nitrogen dioxide, while the HEPA filters capture up to 99.95 per cent of microscopic allergens and pollutants.

After trapping the pollutants, the Dyson Pure Cool then projects the now-cleaner air into every corner of the room. This is made possible via its Air Multiplier technology and 350 degree oscillation. Unlike purifiers that simply create a “bubble” of clean air around the machine, these technologies enable the Dyson Pure Cool to project 290 litres of purified air every second, effectively circulating clean air throughout an entire room. 

Exceptionally clean 
“Dyson really knocked it out of the park when it launched the new Dyson Pure Cool purifying fan, because it’s totally unlike any other fan or air purifier on the market,” says Young Lim, editor of Home & Decor.

Having recently moved into a new home, Young has been using the purifying fan to keep the air in his apartment clean. “My home was so dusty and dirty after the renovation, I felt awful, because the dust was making me cough and sneeze, while cleaning up the spaces. I was really impressed when my symptoms subsided after using the Dyson Pure Cool. Not only is it an effective air purifier, I love that it also circulates clean, cool air around the room. The Dyson Pure Cool also allows me to opt for a diffused airflow or purification-only mode (the former diverts air through the rear and at a 45-degree angle, while the latter activates only air purification), for the times when I’m not around but still want the machine to keep the air in my room clean. Dyson Pure Cool also comes with a really useful Dyson Link app, which allows me to monitor and track the condition of indoor air. Now I know for certain how clean the air is and what’s causing the increase in air contaminants.”

The Dyson Pure Cool purifying fan is available from www.shop.dyson.com.sg and also at all major department and electrical stores.

Brought to you by Dyson.