Quirky rug: check. Coordinated bedspread: check. Picture frames and lamps: check. There’s one more must-have as your student heads back to school for the fall semester. A portable room air purifier. Why is this important? In August of 2019, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published an article that reported the findings of a year-long study of 341 college campuses. That report identified high concentrations of formaldehyde, nitrogen oxide and carbon dioxide in the air in college buildings and dorms. Both retrofitted/renovated and brand-new buildings were sampled. Bottom line? Whether the dorm building is old or new, it is going to be flooded with as many germs as there are freshmen. More, actually. Particulates in the air are full of microbes. Air purifiers can kill the bacteria and viruses that threaten your college student’s immune system. As you create a sanctuary for your college student with twinkle lights, bookcase tchotchkes and other personal touches, don’t forget the air purifier that will help them (and you!) rest easy. Here are some more details on how a dorm room air purifier works and the best dorm room air purifiers you can buy online.

Dorm Room Air Purifier: Functions and Features

Not all dorm room air purifier units are created equal. There are a lot of options when you buy an air purifier online. A few basic kinds of technology are used for indoor air purification. You will probably discover units that utilize:

1. Carbon filtration
2. HEPA filtration
3. UV light filters
4. Ionization

The best air purifiers for college dorms are going to cover all of the bases. This means that any technology needs to be maximized to eliminate:

• Mold
• Allergens
• Dust
• Bacteria
• Pollen
• Viruses

Through some pretty sophisticated processes, high-quality air filters can eliminate or deactivate contaminants in the air. The contaminants that threaten someone’s health get dispersed into the air in many ways and are many different sizes. Everything from a roommate sneeze to a gust of outdoor air can fill the room with unhealthy particles. These may be as large as a droplet or too small to be seen. Whichever kind of filter you choose, make sure that it meets these important criteria and is able to:

• Trap dust
• Deactivate viruses (UV air purifiers and ionizers can do this)
• Eliminate mold spores
• Kill germs (germicidal)

For example, HEPA air purifiers filter particles as small as 0.1 microns, which is larger than a typical coronavirus. This means that you may want to find an air purifier that uses HEPA in addition to other technologies, such as ionization or UV light. Here are some answers to specific questions you may have as you buy an air purifier for a dorm room.

What Size Air Purifier For a College Dorm Room?

It’s important that you select a unit that fits the square footage of the dorm room itself. Depending on how large or small the room is, you’ll want a portable air purifier that cycles and cleans the right amount of air. You can typically buy portable air purifier models that specify a square footage capacity. For instance, our iAdaptAirⓇ comes in three models:

• Up to 250 square feet
• Up to 550 square feet
• Up to 850 square feet

You can buy any of these models online and have them shipped to your home or dorm room. Note, if you are a college student on a limited budget, we have financing options that get you a dorm room air purifier at a low monthly price.

How Loud is a Dorm Room Air Purifier?

No one wants to have a roommate who storms in with a giant amp and announces weekly band practice. If you’re concerned about noise in a small space, the good news is that the best dorm room air purifiers are designed to create very little sound. Other than a gentle air blowing sound (similar to a ceiling fan), an air purifier in your college dorm won’t disrupt studying or sleep.

Are Air Purifiers Allowed in Dorms?

Because of strict regulations on what you can and can’t have (hot plate, anyone?), you may wonder if an air purifier is even allowed. First, air purifiers don’t use heat of any kind and aren’t a fire hazard. Also, no retail air purifier is going to overload electricity. When used according to manufacturer specifications, a dorm room air purifier shouldn’t be a problem. Of course, you will have to reference your specific university standards for air purifiers. If it isn’t spelled out in black and white, be sure to get it checked with an RA or someone in charge. At Air Oasis, we provide air purifiers to colleges. Especially in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis, leaders in colleges and universities are exercising the utmost caution. Air purifiers can be used in public buildings and dorm rooms to minimize the risk of spreading illness. If you are an administrator or educator and want to learn more about using the highest-quality air purifiers for your college, contact us.

Best Air Purifier for a Dorm Room

Specific, peer-reviewed studies have been conducted on the impact air purifiers have in dorm rooms. With close quarters and rotating students, who bring with them unique germs and contaminants, this environment is a unique challenge. In addition to people themselves, on-site cooking (sometimes in poorly ventilated, older kitchenettes), open windows, smoking cigarettes and even laser copiers or printers all contribute to poor indoor air quality in dorms. Out of eight surveyed dormitories, the indoor air quality was only reduced with the use of air ionizers. Ionic air purifiers are effective in deactivating mold, bacteria, viruses, allergens, odors and VOCs. Go here to learn more about how we use this powerful technology in our air purifiers.

Air Purifiers for College Dorms

At Air Oasis, we offer iAdaptAirⓇ, which is the smartest home or dorm room air purifier. This is a full-spectrum air purifier, meaning that we don’t just use HEPA or a single process. Instead, optimal air quality is achieved with all of the heavy-hitting technology available, including HEPA, carbon filtration, UV, Bi-PolarⓇ and silver ion. Go here to learn more about buying the iAdaptAirⓇ for a college dorm room.