What It Means If The Light On Your Air Purifier Keeps Flashing

An air purifier is meant to be one of those things in your home that blends into the background, but it can be difficult to ignore if there's a bright light perpetually flashing regardless of what setting its on. If your air purifier is on and the light repeatedly flashes or blinks, it's a sign that you need to clean the air filter or the purifier has a malfunction. If the former is the issue, you will need to fix the issue either by cleaning or replacing the filter, then resetting the device to recognize the new, clean filter. In the case of a malfunction, there could be several causes including a sensor error or incorrect installation of your filter. Ignoring the problem won't stop the blinking light, and could even damage your air purifier.

Air purifiers clean your air by drawing it in then trapping dust, dander, and other particles. After it traps these elements, it circulates the new, cleaned air back in the room for improved air quality. Maintaining your filter is an important part of how to efficiently remove dust with an air purifier. Running an air purifier helps with respiratory issues, reduces mold, and traps other airborne contaminants so you can breathe cleaner air within your home, but a dirty filter can reduce the device's effectiveness.

How often you should clean or change your air filters depends on your particular brand and manufacturer instructions, but most companies recommend at least every six months. Most air purifiers feature a blinking light as a visual indicator for when it's time to replace or wash the air filter. If you have pets or suffer from allergies, you may want to change the filter every month, otherwise, you can simply wait for the indicator light to come on.

When it's time to replace the filter, you will need to first power down and unplug the air purifier. Open the filter housing, and pull out the disposable filter. You should discard and replace with a new one. If your device features a washable filter, follow the manufacturer's manual for precise directions as these need special care. A light gentle brush to dislodge any dirt and dander should work, but if it's particularly dirty, you can do a 1 minute rinse with lukewarm water and two drops of mild dish soap. Be careful you don't soak it, as this can cause more harm than good. In addition, washable filters should never go in your dishwasher or you risk damaging the filter's delicate fibers. This will reduce the filter's the ability to trap dust and air contaminants. After you replace the filter, press and hold your purifier's "check filter" light for 2 seconds until it turns off to let the device recognize it. But wait — is the light still on even with a brand-new filter? Here's what to do next.

The pesky blinking light on your air purifier can be an annoyance, but it can also indicate something is wrong. Perhaps you didn't install the filter correctly or you didn't hold the reset button down for the recommend time. Double check the filter's fit to make sure it snaps correctly into place, then try to push the reset button again. Did that fix the problem? If not, check to see if the air flow vents on the purifier are clogged, as that will obstruct air flow. Brush away any accumulated dust from the vents and see if the light stops blinking.

The flashing light on your device may also be part of the initialization, resetting and cleaning process for your purifier as it recognizes the new filter. The air might contain high levels of dust particles, and the machine simply senses them as it works. Wait a few minutes and see if the light blinks off. If the problem persists after you take all of these steps, check your owner's manual for guidance on specific model, as the light may indicate a need for repair.