Best Air Purifiers For Classrooms

Does your classroom need a new air purifier? The chances are that it does. Did you know that 99% of the world’s population is exposed to low-quality air, or that poor air quality kills 7 million people every year?

Well, indoor air quality is especially important to manage, especially with children. Since children are the most vulnerable to poor air, let’s talk about the best air purifiers to add to your classroom today!

Determine The Size of Your Space

Before shopping for air filters, you will need to measure the space in your classroom. Square footage isn’t good enough when measuring air quality, as you will need to determine the volume of the classroom. That’s length, width, and height.

We know, we’re telling a teacher how to measure the volume of their classroom! Still, if you aren’t a math teacher, all you’ll need to do is measure the classroom in both directions as well as the height from floor to ceiling and multiply all of these together.

For example, a classroom with 20’x20’ with 8’ ceilings has 3200 cubic feet. 20x20=400, and 400x8=3200.

How to Determine the Right Size Air Purifier

Your clean air delivery rate (CADR) can come in cubic feet per minute (CFM) or cubic meters per hour (CMH). Understanding the difference between these two is essential for finding the right air purifier for your needs.

For example, a 350 sq ft room with 8’ ceilings would need 188 CFM or 320 CMH CADR rating to refresh the air in your classroom every 10 minutes. That same CFM or CMH would take about 30 minutes with twice the square footage. Depending on the size of your classroom and the speed at which you need to filter, you will need an air purifier (or multiple) with a high enough CADR.

To test an air purifier's efficiency, multiple the length, width, and height. Next, determine the CADR of the air purifier you want. This will come on the manufacturer's label.

Now, based on the CFM, you can determine how many air exchanges you'll experience in an hour. Multiply your CFM by 60 to see how much air exchange it will receive in an hour in cubic feet. To limit germs in a classroom, the ideal number is at least five exchanges, so at least five times the volume of your classroom.

What Are You Trying to Filter?

Harvard experts agree that classrooms should have air purifiers for everybody's health. Still, there is some debate about what type of air purifier you need, as they aren't all created equally.

Overall, a strong HEPA filter is essential for a classroom, as these are the best filters for removing viruses and other pathogens from the air. An internal UV lamp can also help to eliminate certain pathogens by damaging their DNA.

However, you also need to consider allergens and other airborne particles that may affect the health of your classroom. In that case, you'll need a strong pre-filter and a heavy-duty carbon filter for the best results. 

Consider the Noise Level

Noisy air purifiers are not ideal for a classroom setting. It will only make it harder to give lessons or for students in the back to hear you. Ideally, you'll want to find an air purifier with a high CADR and a noise level below 32 dB for a quiet whisper to avoid interruptions. 

Don't Forget About Costs

No, we aren't suggesting you go with the cheapest available air purifier. Instead, think about lifetime costs for replacing filters, as well as the lifespan of the unit itself. 

You can start by looking at the manufacturer-recommended timeline for your filters. Ideally, you want a pre-filter you can clean yourself to save money, and the rest need to last for at least a year. Unfortunately, some cheaper filters won't even last a month, especially in a classroom setting.

From there, you can read reviews from customers to see how long the purifiers last. There's no point in saving 30% on the purchase price if you're going to need to replace the unit every couple of years.

The 5 Best Classroom Air Filters to Choose From

Now that you know how to determine your sizing requirements, the only thing left is to determine your priorities. Regardless of what you want to filter from the air, here are the best classroom air purifiers to choose from!

1. FlushMount2000 Commercial Air Purification System

For a well-rounded commercial-grade air purifier, it’s hard to beat the FlushMount2000 commercial purifier. The HEPA filter inside filters 99.97% of particles above 0.3 microns, including:

• Spores
• Dust mites
• Mold
• Spray paints
• Ashes
• Viruses
• Smoke

There is also a UV light present to help destroy viruses and bacteria that pass through the filter, and the system comes equipped with a one-year supply of filters!

2. CeilingMount2000 Commercial Air Purification System

For a more affordable but powerful air purifier, the CeilingMount2000 air purifier used a whopping 12 pre-filters, 6 carbon filters, and 1 HEPA filter for maximum air purification at a reasonable price!

This is a great choice for a classroom, as mounting to the ceiling will prevent tripping hazards and wasting valuable classroom space. It will also prevent students from playing with the controls, especially in elementary schools and younger grades.

3. MaxMount2000 Commercial Air Purification System

This commercial air purifier is perfect for odor elimination. If your classroom has an unpleasant odor or if you need more generalized air purification, this system is equipped to handle up to 1650 cubic feet per minute. That makes the MaxMount2000 Air Purifier one of the fastest purifiers on the market!

4. R714 Super HEPA All-Purpose Air Purifier by Airpura

The R714 Super HEPA is one of the best all-purpose air purifiers for large spaces like classrooms. It’s widely efficient for areas of up to 2000 sq ft, which is more than enough for a ~400 sq ft classroom, even with so many breathing bodies!

Moreover, the R714 uses a three-stage filtering process designed to remove most pollutants from the air. This includes a cleanable pre-filter, an activated carbon filter, and a super HEPA filter. Learn more about the R714 all-purpose filter to see if it’s right for you!

5. UV714 Super HEPA Air Purifier for Bacteria & Viruses by Airpura

Especially with Covid-19 and other viruses making their way through the country and continuing to mutate, having some form of airborne virus protection can go a long way toward slowing the spread within schools.

Consequently, the UV714 Super HEPA air purifier is specially designed to remove 99.99% of all airborne pollutants, including viruses and pathogenic bacteria. It uses a powerful (and replaceable) germicidal UV lamp to destroy the DNA of these contaminants in the air, and it lasts for up to 24 months of regular use!

Protect Your Classroom Today

Now that you know the best classroom air purifiers to choose from, you can make an informed decision as to which is right for you! Protecting yourself and your students from poor air quality only helps all of us stay healthy, especially during these unprecedented times.