How you can make a DIY Home Air Purifier in Pakistan

Air purifiers can be expensive and many people in Pakistan may find them unaffordable. However, for cities like Lahore, Karachi, Faisalabad, and even Islamabad during the pollen season, having an air purifier is essential. To help with this, we have a DIY air purifier solution that you can create using a water cooler if you have one at home.

To create an effective air purifier, you will need two essential items: an evaporative cooler and a HEPA filter. It's important to note that using a standard exhaust fan, such as those found in kitchens and bathrooms, may not be sufficient. These fans are not designed to handle the high suction power required to draw air through a HEPA filter. While they can circulate a large volume of air under normal conditions, they are not suitable for this purpose. An evaporative cooler, on the other hand, is specifically designed to pass air through a thick filter at high pressure, making it ideal for use with a HEPA filter.

We chose to use a Geepas evaporative cooler, which is displayed in the image below. This model boasts an impressive air delivery rate of nearly 500m3/hour and features a strong suction blower. Of course, alternative models of evaporative coolers could also be used.

The cooler's air inlet is situated at the rear and runs through the damp pad, which cools it down during regular usage. Please refer to the image below to locate the air inlet.

To transform your cooler into a home air purifier, first, remove all the water from it and ensure that the pad is thoroughly dry. Operate the cooler solely in dry mode to disable the water pump. Double-check that the tank is empty and devoid of water.

To improve the air quality of your cooler, you can use a HEPA filter with similar dimensions or as close to the air inlet section as possible. HEPA filters come in various sizes and shapes, and you can easily find them online at Daraz. Once you have the filter, place it at the air inlet and use paper tape to seal any uncovered areas to ensure that air only passes through the filter. This will help to maximize the effectiveness of the air purifier. For reference, we have included images below showing a Philips HEPA filter in place.

You can now switch on your cooler on the lowest fan speed to relish the refreshing, pollen-free, and PM2.5-free air. When the filter turns entirely black, it indicates the need to swap it with a new one. A HEPA filter can function for roughly 1200 hours, enabling you to determine when to replace it.

Good luck