u/Top-Attention-3986

In USA

I have one of these (I have levoits that I have not yet opened) and during the day I run it at auto air quality and it mostly stays at level one green. (I know I should run it higher) At night I run it at level 3 because I need the white noise to block sounds.

Each morning when I put it back to auto filter, there is an unusual smell sometimes but it always comes back on at the high red setting for “bad” air quality and needs about 10 minutes to get back down to green.

Anyone know why this would be? Why would running it at night make the air quality “bad” in the AM?

Help! I am moving into an apartment I AM IN THE UNITED STATES that I think has really poor air quality. My eyes and sinuses are already acting up now that I’ve started moving in, and I must live here since I have to get out of my current location ASAP and I already signed the lease (I only briefly viewed it beforehand).

The HVAC unit is incredibly old. I climbed up on a ladder to clean out the return duct the best I could with a vacuum, but the part I can't reach is gross. Worse yet, the HVAC unit doesn't even have a functioning air filter or a slot to put one in (I've already brought this up with management twice to no avail). I have always bought my own MERV filters instead of the shitty apt filters.

I have allergies to dust mites and I am petrified of mold because my allergy is so high and I am VERY sensitive to smells and perhaps VOCs.

That aside, I'm trying to figure out what size air purifier to buy using HouseFresh, but I'm completely confused by the numbers on the CADR calculator on the site. I want as high an ACH (Air Changes per Hour) as possible.

Bedroom is 100 sq. ft. with normal ceilings; total apartment is 900 sq. ft. with a loft and very high ceilings. I will spend most of my time in the bedroom and the living room/dining area I think.

I currently have a Winix 5300 that I have had forever, I love the auto sensor on it, it has HEPA and carbon filters which I like, but just recently learned that the plasmawave has the ozone by-product so I want to replace it. The Winix is in my bedroom at my current house.

I have a tiny Levoit on my desk at work and it seems the filter needs to be replaced quite often.

The other caveat is unlike most people, I want my purifier to be loud at night. I currently use the Winix on it's highest setting at night as my white noise.

I was looking at Winix and Levoit's but I feel a bit frozen from indecision. My budget will be whatever can do the most benefit for me because I am so nervous now.

Suggestions on models???