3 Top-Rated Air Purifiers for Construction Site (Best Picks & Handy Tips)
The air quality on a construction site, where buildings are being built, renovated, or demolished, is undeniably much worse than in a non-construction area.
During construction activities, harmful air pollutants such as silica dust and chemical odors are always present in high concentrations.
If you work on a construction site or live nearby, you should take precautions to avoid inhaling these harmful air pollutants.
In this blog, you will find the 3 top-rated air purifiers for construction site, and useful tips to remove the dust and chemical smells from construction site.
Jump Straight to a Section:
1. Air Pollution from Construction Sites
2. Health Impact of Construction Dust and Gases
3. Best Construction Site Air Purifiers
4. Tips for Reducing Construction Dustand Gases
1. Air Pollution from Construction Sites
You may find metal, wood, concrete, sand, gypsum, plastics, steel, masonry, stone, and other building materials on a construction site. These building materials produce various types of air pollutants during construction activities.
Dust pollution is the most common phenomenon in construction areas. Below are the top 3 sources of dust pollution from construction activities.
Silica dust: Generated by the mixing work on materials such as sandstone, mortar, and concrete.
Wood dust: Produced by sawing and sanding woods like plywood, hardwoods, and softwoods.
Lime Dust: Produced by sawing and sanding marble, as well as working on gypsum, limestone, and dolomite.
World Health Organization data show that construction dust particles range from 1 to 100 microns in size. Apart from the visible particles (particles ≥ 25 microns) in the air, the majority of the dust mentioned above is invisible and classified as PM10 (particles ≤ 10 microns).
Additionally, diesel exhaust from vehicles, diesel generators, and other heavy equipment cause PM 2.5 (particles ≤ 2.5 microns). The wind-borne dust can remain in the air for days or even weeks.
Construction projects also cause gas pollution. The use of chemicals, such as glue, paint, plastics, cleaners, and oils, will evaporate below toxic gases.
- VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds)
- Carbon Dioxide
- Carbon Monoxide
- Hydrocarbons
- Nitrogen Oxides
2. Health Impact of Construction Dust and Gases
According to ELCOSH, a construction blog, more than 500 construction workers die from lung cancer in the United States each year.
If you work in a construction area or live nearby, you are at risk of inhaling toxic dust and gases. The harmful air pollutants you breathe in will cause the following health issues.
- Coughs
- Asthma
- Dizziness
- Headache
- Allergic Skin
- Lung Cancer
- Shortness of Breath
- Irritation of the Eyes, Nose, and Throat
- Cardiovascular and Respiratory Diseases
As you spend more time working or living near construction sites, your symptoms will worsen. Therefore, you should take proper precautions to avoid inhaling toxic construction dust and gases.
3. Best Construction Site Air Cleaners
I've compiled a list of the top 3 construction air filters for improving the air quality on construction sites. So you can breathe the purest air, as if you are in a forest, and feel at ease.
#1. Best Budget Air Purifier - 201B
This construction air cleaner has a powerful H13 true HEPA filter. It can remove up to 99.99% of construction dust down to 0.3 microns in size.
Additionally, this building air purifier has enough activated carbon filters that can absorb almost all VOCs, formaldehyde, nitrogen oxides, and other harmful gases.
If you always plagued by glue-like smells or other chemical combination smells during construction activities, you can use this air filter to effectively eliminate these toxic odors.
201B is a portable air cleaner for space of up to 215 ft2. If you are going to renovate or demolish bedrooms, kitchens, or toilets, you can put this air filter near you.
#2. Best Air Purifier for Construction Site and Smoke - V3
V3 comes with a 4-stage strong filtration that can eliminate up to 99.99% of construction dust in the air. If you are rebuilding or constructing in a large room space of up to 1,076 ft2, this powerful air purifier for commercial buildings can provide the purest air to you within 30 minutes.
Additionally, the activated carbon filters and cold catalyst filters in V3 can effectively neutralize the VOCs, nitrogen oxides, smoke, and other harmful gases mentioned above, providing you with a healthy environment free of chemical odors.
This construction air cleaner features dust sensors that continuously measure dust levels during the construction project. If you are wondering about air quality during construction, this device is the best choice for you.
#3. Best Construction Dust Air Purifier - AC400
With its powerful true HEPA filter, this air purifier can remove construction dust effectively.
If you always feel uncomfortable such as coughs, eyes, and nose irritated by the flowing dust during construction projects, turning on this air purifier for construction dust can relieve your symptoms in minutes.
This construction dust air purifier comes with a 360° advanced filtration that can capture the construction dust in an all round way. If you are cutting wood, working on concrete, and doing other dust-generating activities, place this air filter near you to make sure the air you breathe without harmful dust.
If you are the owner of the construction site and are worried about the air pollution on your site, you can get more than 2 air purifiers to effectively clean the air for your workers.
4. Tips for Reducing Construction Dust and Smell
Use green products. When you purchase the building materials such as paints, glues, and oils, please take a look at the label of the products to see if it is VOC-free, or odor-free. Using silica-free materials can reduce the risk of exposure to construction dust as well.
Wear protective gear. When working on a construction site, always wear PPE (Personal Protective Equipment), such as a medical-grade mask, to avoid inhaling harsh particles and chemical odors.
Use water to dampen the dust clouds. If you notice dust clouds, you can spray the appropriate amount of water to reduce them.
Keep the construction site clean every day. Winds can easily blow the dust off the ground. In general, the more dust it is on the ground, the higher the level of dust in the air. Thus, you should sweep and vacuum the construction area daily to keep it as clean as possible.
Do dust-generating work at a well-contained site. To reduce the spread of dust pollution, use plastic barriers or zipwalls to keep dust contained in one area.