Last updated on December 10th, 2022
There are many reasons why your air purifier produces a noise that makes you uncomfortable. Here are the most common reasons for these rattling, buzzing or zapping sounds:
Incorrectly installed air filter (usually HEPA), Activated Carbon filter or Pre-filter. If you bought your unit from a legit seller, the package will have a manual where you can find a detailed guide on how to replace and install any filter.
If your air cleaner features a built-in ionizer, then it can also produce weird sounds like tickling noises. The reason for that is dusty ionizer pins. The solution is easy as well: remove the filter and find the pins – they are usually located on the surface and look like a needle inside a hole. Clean them with a blower. Detailed instructions may vary depending on your air purifier – check the manual first before taking any action!
High speed. Not all air purifiers are well-built, unfortunately. There are ones that work for decades without a hassle (Tracs air cleaners are the best example) while others have a lifespan of a year or two. And the closer they get to their end the more weird noises they produce when operating at high speeds.
Your air filter got clogged. Either replace it or use a vacuum cleaner to remove dust, hair and other debris that leads to the unit making unusually noisy sounds. Don’t use water to clean the HEPA filter unless you have a unit with washable filter.
Here are the guides on how to replace filters on some popular models:
- Blueair Blue Pure
- Homelabs
- Honeywell (also take a look at why your Honeywell air purifier produces loud noise)
- Levoit
- Winix
Debris in the unit. Sometimes your air purifier catches large debris that will interfere with parts inside (usually fan or filter). Disassemble the air cleaner following the instructions and remove a foreign object from the body of the unit.
Your air purifier is broken from the beginning. Better to refund it as soon as you found out it makes a weird sound and there is no reasonable explanation for that.
Lastly, some air purifiers are just loud. If you want to get yourself a quiet one, take a look at Rabbit air purifiers – they are the quietest on the market. Alen cleaners are also great in this regard.
And don’t forget to share your story in the comments below! 🙂
My name is Alex Evans and I own this website. I have been in air purifier industry for several years now and nowadays I write about air purifiers, their features, benefits and downsides. Cheers!