Winix - HR900/HR950/HR1000 Series

The c545 doesn’t have an ESP in it. The guide I followed has you add the ESP. Looks like there are quite a few supported models. Winix C610, AM90, HR1000, C909, T800, 5510, and 9800. https://github.com/iprak/winix https://github.com/mill1000/esphome-winix-c545?tab=readme-ov-file

I have the rectangular model, bought my 3rd Winix purifier last year. They are awesome and I run them 24/7/365.

Just throwing this out there to help with allergies. As you said you have lost your elder dog (rip buddy). Is this new pup the same breed? Just because he was immune to the other dog don’t mean that this one brings new allergies. But it can signify that it’s a different breed that kid can not tolerate. Each breed sheds differently from the other. Some more then the rest. Just a thought. I’m allergic to cats and dogs. But more so cats. We have the homedics 5-1 that really helps. But it’s recently gotten so loud that we are making the switch to the Winix brand. I would recommend staying away from the Lrg round units. Go with a rectangular one.

I’ve been really impressed by my Winix. I have a huge one that really seems to do the job. I change the filter once the year but vacuum it all out more often than that to keep it running really well.

Any filter with a charcoal filter layer will help some (Winix is one brand commonly available at Costco…I also have a more elaborate Rowenta)…my Winix came with multiple charcoal layer replacements. Dealing with total incontinence here, and not to criticize your MILs efforts, but you might want to look into the actual sources of the odors. Chairs, clothes that sit around waiting for wash, previously soaked furniture or carpet? If bedding or fabric furniture smells and you can replace it, do so. I use a combo of Depends on my father, and all his sleeping or seating surfaces have a first layer of puppy pee pads (Costco has large ones that work well and are cheap), and then a fabric layer on top (whether sheets or a chair cover or towel, tucked into the sides of the chair). Once he’s wet, after I changes his pants all clothes and chair covers and bedding goes in the wash (3-5 loads a day).  For the mattress you can find on Amazon washable mattress covers (the whole bed ones don’t work that well but that’s my base layer and then a thicker more absorbent one that I fit across the middle section of his bed, and on top of that layered dog pee pads).  So again, not sure if any of this advice helps but this method works for me.

It makes sense for air purifiers for the same reason it makes sense for face masks- you want the air to be purified in one go. The misconception that some people have is that air purifiers are supposed to reduce the concentration of particulate matter in the room and hence the highest CFM takes priority. In reality, the actual goal is to reduce the concentration of particulate matter that people breathe in, which sounds similar but has a different meaning. A non-HEPA purifier may theoretically succeed at the former, but it won't succeed at the latter; the mechanism of purifying the air through multiple passes with a weaker filter intrinsically means that particulate matter will be blown across the room and into the breathing space of someone before it can be purified. This why CDC/WHO and many other public health will generally recommend HEPA purifiers and suggest non-HEPA purifiers as a temporary measure for emergencies (I.e forest fires). Some good HEPA filter options are Winix, Smart Air, and Jafanda.

Thirding air purifiers! I finally gave in and traded my two big winix HEPA guys for a gigantic corsi rosenthal box made of four 20x20x4-in home AC filters. It's much louder but the performance is out of this world, and the filters last forever now. My two 1,200sq ft rated filters struggled in my 500sq ft space with even monthly changes (desert life, lots of animals, massive grading project nearby, endless dust), but this one box handles it no problem, and for many months now.

I have 2 Winix HEPAs that have been running 24/7 for 6+ years. I clean the screen every week or so, replace the carbon every month, and the HEPA every ~8 months.

I got annoyed when my winnnix developed a noise, but then I realized it was the unit I’ve been running almost 24/7 for ten years. Bought another refurb and I’m going to attempt to take the ten year old one apart and see if it can be fixed. I imagine there’s buildup at the parts you can’t regularly clean.

I double checked and it’s my 2019 era one that has the noise! The 2015-ish one is still fine.

Both of my Winix air purifiers started smelling like smoke, they are different models, cleaned weekly and filters changed regularly, I don’t recommend them.