Why you should use an air purifier in winter

For many parts of Australia, especially those on the east coast, winter is bitterly cold. It’s wet, windy, and a prime time to catch airborne illnesses. While we spend more time indoors to escape the chill of winter, it’s worth thinking about air quality, something an air purifier can help with. 

Huddled up in offices or retreating under the blankets at home, most of us are keen to stay indoors until the warmer weather arrives. But it can get stuffy staying inside for extended periods. Opening windows or doors isn’t much of an option, unfortunately — fresh air comes at the expense of letting all the heat out. 

Further complicating things is the range of air pollutants that are common during winter. Many Australian homes use wood heaters, emitting smoke into the air and adding another reason why opening windows isn’t always practical, especially for people with asthma and other respiratory issues. 

There’s also not much room to escape when someone brings an illness home. Every cough and sneeze from a cold or flu spreads viruses in the air, increasing the chance of others getting sick. 

The good news is that a high-quality Levoit air purifier can help keep your home healthier during colder weather.

Making your home fresher and healthier

While bushfire season might be thought of as the main time to be conscious of poor air quality, it’s something that’s worth being aware of all year round. Between pollution from woodfire heating and vehicles, in addition to airborne illnesses, reduced air quality can also be a problem during winter. 

Various Australian health and environmental agencies, including the South Australian Environment Protection Authority and the New South Wales government’s Air Quality website, publish live air quality data. This data is also available via third-party services, like Google Maps. 

Commonly measured in ‘fine particulate matter’ (PM2.5), it’s a figure used to express how many tiny particles 2.5 micrometres or smaller are in the air. The smaller the number, the healthier the air. Pollutants from factories, fires, and cars are among the biggest contributors to PM2.5 levels, which impact air quality.

If pollutants make their way into your home, a World Health Organisation report found that air purifiers can be highly effective at reducing indoor PM2.5 levels. Plus, the Australian Centre for Disease Control recommends using high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters to improve indoor air quality. 

This advice also applies to airborne illnesses, which winter is rife with. According to Healthdirect Australia, flu season runs from June to September, which is a decent stretch of time. One of the common ways to catch the flu is via tiny droplets in the air, usually after someone sneezes or coughs. 

There’s evidence that air purifiers with HEPA filters can help reduce the spread of airborne viruses, so it’s a good idea to have one on hand during winter. So, while air purifiers can’t cure illnesses, they can be a big help in preventing illness in the first place. 

By getting and using an air purifier now, you’re also ready for the hay fever-filled months of spring and bushfire season in summer, giving you all-year benefits.

How air purifiers work and what to look for

Not all air purifiers are made equal. Some use different technologies, while others are best-suited to different-sized rooms. If you’re eyeing off an air purifier this winter, it’s important to know what to look for. 

For starters, check the coverage area. Some air purifiers specialise in filtering air in smaller rooms, while others can cover larger living areas. For example, the Levoit Core Mini covers up to 12m², making it suited to more compact rooms, like bedrooms. Meanwhile, the Levoit Core 400S covers up to 90m², so it’s an air purifier suited to living rooms and kitchens.

Air purifiers work by pulling nearby air in, and then passing it through a set of filters, trapping tiny particles, and then blowing the clean air out via a fan. 

This is why it’s also important to know what kind of filtration an air purifier uses. Like mentioned before, HEPA filters can catch the tiniest of airborne particles, including viruses, so it’s worth choosing a purifier with HEPA filtration.

This technology is also great at capturing pet dander, so you don’t have to worry about the spread of allergens when snuggling up with your furry friends during the winter months. 

Other pollutants, like dust and smoke, are also taken care of by Levoit air purifiers. So, if your cooking produces smoke, or you use a gas stovetop, you don’t have to wait long for the air to clear. 

Although you might not think of air purifiers until you can see the pollution (i.e. from smoke), they’re just as helpful now as they are any other time of year. Next time you hear sniffly noses, consider getting an appliance that can help keep you and your family healthy this winter.

About Levoit

Levoit is a leading global air care brand, offering a range of products including air purifiers, innovative fans, and more.

Levoit products are designed with consumers in mind, combining high-quality materials, reliable performance, and intuitive design to meet the needs of modern households. Our goal is to provide practical, effective solutions that help create healthier and more comfortable living environments.

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