Air pollution within homes can be more dangerous to people than outside air, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Oreck air purifiers work to reduce the presence of in-home air impurities and contaminants such as dust, animal dander, pollen, mold and secondhand cigarette smoke within the home. It is essential to maintain and clean your Oreck air purifier to keep it running effectively. A main area of concern is with the collector cell.
How It Works
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The collector cell of an Oreck air purifier is an integral part of the air filtration process. Air comes into the unit where a prefilter separates out large particles. Air then passes through a series of particle-charging wires and then though the collector cell. The collector cell holds an opposite charge that attracts charged contaminants. Odor removal completes the process before a fan releases air and the negatively charged ions from the collector cell into the room. The negatively charged ions work to clean and revitalize the air, and as they begin to collect contaminants, the process begins again.
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Significance
A dirty collector cell cannot create an effective negative charge, in chich case your Oreck air purifier will not function properly. While the air purifier will still remove large particles, invisible contaminants will remain. These invisible contaminants are major contributors to problems associated with allergies and respiratory and cardiovascular conditions.
Cleaning
The best way to clean the collector cell is to soak it in a mild dish soap and warm water solution for approximately two to three hours. If this solution is not enough to dissolve dirt and grime, Oreck makes a stronger solution called Assail-A-Cell. This is a foaming cleaner that will be more effective in dissolving stubborn dirt such as tobacco tar.
Do not use a cloth or try to insert anything into the space between the cell plates. The particle-charging wires with the collector cell are delicate and can be easily broken.
Let the collector air-dry after cleaning. Do not use a hair dryer to speed up drying time.
Although a blinking red light will alert you when the collector cell requires attention, it is best not to wait until this happens. The best schedule for cleaning the collector plate depends on the air quality of the room. Oreck recommends cleaning the collector plate after the first month of use and every eight weeks after that. If the air in your home is extremely dusty, or if anyone in the homes smokes, you may want to consider cleaning it more often.