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Air Purifier Troubleshooting Tips

Over time or in an instant, the constant hum of your air purifier does not sound as peaceful as it once did. Maybe it’s making an unhealthy and unfamiliar sound, or maybe it’s emitting a strange and unwelcome odor. Perhaps it won’t even turn on! Or it turns on, but doesn’t react to any programming. Or maybe you just feel like it generally isn’t working as well as it used to.

Well, never fear! Here are tips to troubleshoot your air purifier before throwing in the towel and purchasing a new one.

Air Purifier Troubleshooting Tips


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Scenario #1: What is that Sound?

If your air purifier is making a strange sound, it may need a new filter. Luckily, many filters are easily changeable and you won’t even need to get out your toolbox to fix it! After replacing the filter, make sure the cover is on correctly, and try running your machine again.

If the sounds persist, turn off your appliance and call for support. There might be a foreign object inside and that isn’t something you want to handle on your own. Do not open your air purifier; call in the professionals.

Air Purifier Filter
Air Purifier Filter

Scenario #2: What’s that Smell?

Your air purifier should do exactly what its name says; to provide clean and healthy air around your living space. If there are smokers in the home, or poor ventilation in the kitchen, the quality of air that your purifier is circulating will be affected. So, make sure your space is properly ventilated before turning on your machine. A hood vent in your kitchen is also a must.

Another possible reason for odor is the type of filter in your purifier. If it is an activated carbon filter, it could give off a strange odor. Switch it out (check your manual for directions on how to do this) with a standard deodorizing filter and see if that helps.

Medify Air Purifier

Scenario #3: I Don’t Seem to Have Proper Airflow.

If it just doesn’t seem that your air purifier is working as it should and the power of the air pressure is failing, make sure the filter packaging was properly removed. Be sure to double check on that.

If you check and the packaging has been removed, look to see if the fan speed is too low. Increase the speed if you find this to be the case.

If this still doesn’t help and you don’t have the right amount of airflow, try moving your air purifier to a new spot. Make sure nothing is blocking above or around it, allowing at least 6 inches between the air purifier and the wall.

Coway Airmega 250
Coway Air Purifier

Scenario #4: It’s just not working well.

If your air purifier doesn’t seem to be working overall, there could be a couple reasons. First, if the air quality is not good in the room it is in, you would be wise to properly ventilate the room before turning on your machine.

Second, your purifier is designed to filter the air around it within a certain vicinity. Check to make sure that the room isn’t too large for the purifier to do its job successfully.

Always use an air purifier according to the recommended room coverage. A few more tips on this: After pre-ventilating the room with open windows, make sure you close all the windows once you turn your air purifier on. If your purifier is in a corner, try moving it to another spot. Also, if you have dust built up on the pre-filter you can probably wash it with water or use your vacuum. Make sure to check your manual for what is recommended for your specific machine.

Scenario #5: My air purifier won’t even turn on!

If you aren’t having luck activating your air purifier, there are a few things you can try. First and foremost, check to make sure it is plugged in! If it is plugged into an outlet but still isn’t working, try another outlet. If this is still unsuccessful make sure to check the power rating for your unit.

This will determine if you are supplying the correct amount of power to operate your device. Finally, check the cord to make sure there aren’t any problems with it. If you notice any damage to the cord, discontinue use and reach out to the support team.

Bissell Air Purifier

Scenario #6: My air purifier is on, but now none of the Buttons are Responding

For this problem we go back to the basics: Make sure your machine is properly plugged in with the correct energy rating. Also, make sure your filter is properly installed per the manufacturer’s instructions. This problem could also be due to the controls malfunctioning. If this is what seems to be happening, disconnect from the outlet and contact customer support.

Rabbit Air Purifier

Scenario #9: I think I might just want a new air purifier.

Ok, so you’ve tried. You’ve really tried. And it feels like it might be time to purchase a new air purifier. Whether you want a machine that runs quieter or one that is ozone-free, you are sure to find the perfect air purifier for you. When you do find the perfect purifier, make sure to properly ventilate the room. Then close the windows, turn it on, and take a deep, cleansing breath.


Air Recommended Air Purifiers

Our Pick Perfect for bedrooms, playrooms, and living rooms, the Coway Airmega AP-1512HH is one of the best-performing, most durable, and most economical purifiers we’ve tested.

Most Popular The Levoit Core 300 air purifier has some strong suits, but in our opinion it falls short of carving out a meaningful niche for itself. Its ideal use would be in a small bedroom occupied by someone who is sensitive to noise.

Also Great With high end air cleaning performance and a whisper quiet fan, the Winix 5500-2 is the perfect combination of power and finesse. It cleared airborne particulates out of our smokey testing room faster than any other model.

Best of the Best If you have a large space you want to remove irritants from, We recommend the Airmega 400S. All of Coway air purifiers do an excellent job of attacking indoor pollutants, and we highly recommend any of them. The 400S is designed to accommodate large room sizes.

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About the author

Hi I’m Alex, founder of HouseholdMe.com and I’d like to say thank you for dropping by. Like most of you, the first thing I look at before buying something online is reviews or buying guides. By reading what other people say will help me gauge whether or not a product is good or not.  I am trying to help people find answers, solve problems, and get inspired.

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