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PSA: Get an air purifier

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  1. #1

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    PSA: Get an air purifier

    Threads keep coming up where people think they can find a part of HK that is in some magically protected bubble of clean air, despite the several thousand kilometres of Chinese boarder about ten kilometres to the north.

    Instead trying to decide where to move within a twenty kilometre square along this border, simply get an air purifier.*

    These are shots from a consumer level air quality monitor. Taken this afternoon, about a minute apart. I'll leave you to decide which one is from inside a room with a purifier running, and which is from an outside balcony.

    Name:  Inside.jpg
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    Name:  Outside.jpg
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    * By purifier, I mean a simple, mechanical one with a HEPA filter and a big fan. Nothing electrostatic, no UV, no magical heath rays. Just a HEPA filter and a fan.

    Last edited by jgl; 12-01-2019 at 02:43 PM.

  2. #2

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    Is that why my eyes are hurting


  3. #3

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    This was supposed to be a health related psa rather than a vehicle for your classified ad. Classy.

    And 5K is far in excess of what is necessary for effective air filtration in HK. If it's the brand I am thinking of, replacement filter costs run to about 2-3K for a set, which always has to be factored in to a secondhand unit.


  4. #4

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    My dehumidifer came with a HEPA filter, makes sense to integrate into the dehumidifier, one less device taking up space...

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  5. #5

    I bought some 3M filter cloth which I put into my AC unit which filters the air when using the fan of the AC. That saves me from buying another machine in my tiny apartment. Not sure whether it sufficiently filters the air though, but it gives me a better ease of mind.

    Currently looking for a good quality re-usable mask to filter the air whilst being outside, but having difficulty finding them here in HK. Any suggestions for shops where I can look at?

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  6. #6

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    Quote Originally Posted by pavel_010:
    I bought some 3M filter cloth which I put into my AC unit which filters the air when using the fan of the AC. That saves me from buying another machine in my tiny apartment. Not sure whether it sufficiently filters the air though, but it gives me a better ease of mind.
    I agree -- I already keep a damn heater which gets used about 1 week out of the year.

    Where did you get that filter cloth? That sounds like a good idea, though I'm a bit skeptical it does much.
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  7. #7

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    Quote Originally Posted by pavel_010:
    I bought some 3M filter cloth which I put into my AC unit which filters the air when using the fan of the AC. That saves me from buying another machine in my tiny apartment. Not sure whether it sufficiently filters the air though, but it gives me a better ease of mind.

    Currently looking for a good quality re-usable mask to filter the air whilst being outside, but having difficulty finding them here in HK. Any suggestions for shops where I can look at?
    The 3M cloth does nothing. Literally nothing. I tested that it couple of years ago and it results in a zero percentage improvement in small particle counts in a room.

    It is for keeping coarse dust out of your air conditioner. Though I've also been told by air conditioner repair guys not to use it, because it can lead to premature motor failure.
    Last edited by jgl; 14-01-2019 at 02:04 PM.
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  8. #8

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    The head in the sand mentality about air quality here just astounds me. I suffer from respiratory problems here (which magically disappear on rare good air days or when outside HK in places with clean air), so I can't ignore it. Thank god this is my last HK winter.
    Get an air purifier, people. 100% agree with jgl.
    For the old-style air con units: the 3M Filtrete stuff is sold at Japan Home Centre. It works.
    Face masks - you need an N95 filter. They're sold in convenience stores on the mainland and I've seen them in Singapore due to the haze, but not here. Vogmask make reusable pollution masks and ship to Hong Kong. There's also another brand if reusable ones, but can't remember it right now.
    Look after your health, people.


  9. #9

    You can find the filters f.e. here: https://www.3m.com.hk/3M/en_HK/filtr...4529192&rt=rud
    But I have to admit: they claim that they take out 40 times more PM2.5 than general air conditioner's plastic screen filter. That is a bit of a dubious claim since I think that those plastic screens take out 0% of PM 2.5, so 40 times 0% is still 0%. Interesting discussion though, I think I might want to look a bit more closely into this issue because the air quality is really appalling lately (it's my first winter here in HK, so I am new to the issue).


  10. #10

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    Quote Originally Posted by pavel_010:
    But I have to admit: they claim that they take out 40 times more PM2.5 than general air conditioner's plastic screen filter. That is a bit of a dubious claim since I think that those plastic screens take out 0% of PM 2.5, so 40 times 0% is still 0%. Interesting discussion though, I think I might want to look a bit more closely into this issue because the air quality is really appalling lately (it's my first winter here in HK, so I am new to the issue).
    I have to give them credit for truth in advertising here.

    That stuff is available in Japan Home Centre, Aeon, Wing On, etc. It's great for keeping dust buildup out of home electronics.

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