For people with allergies, scientific studies have shown that air filtration can reduce airborne allergens and provide some relief. It is important to change the filter regularly, usually every 3 months, and to have a professional HVAC company install a whole-house HEPA filter that is the right size for your air handling unit. This will protect the life of the equipment and ensure that air passes through and not around the HEPA filter. Improperly sized air filtration systems can cause the unit to freeze or burn and, in some cases, void the manufacturer's warranty.
For homes without central HVAC, or if you have pets indoors, a HEPA room air purifier may be beneficial. It is still important to take care of deposited dust deposits and keep pets out of the bedroom. The room air purifier must be suitable for cleaning the air in the room in which it is being used. Don't expect it to clean an entire house and remember: only particles that pass through the air filter will be captured.
Never buy air purifiers that generate ozone. According to the EPA and doctors, ozone is a respiratory irritant and, in fact, can worsen allergy or asthma symptoms. If you are new to the world of portable air purifiers, they may seem like a curious device. Purifiers are in some ways more than electronic devices, but they are not considered medical devices and are therefore not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration.
Despite their high-tech magic (some claim to be able to remove particles 0.3 microns in size or smaller), air purifiers fall into the same category as faith-based wellness products, such as nutritional supplements. For this reason, many allergists recommend air purifiers to their patients. Altman, an allergist at the Joseph P. Addabbo Family Health Center in Queens said purifiers are part of a multifront war against allergens such as dust and pollen.
Elizabeth Matsui, professor at Johns Hopkins, who is also the chair of the committee on indoor air pollution and allergens at the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, noted that pollen doesn't stay in the air for long; it tends to settle quickly on the ground. Therefore, it recommends that allergy sufferers take “front-line” measures to keep pollen at bay, such as closing windows, wearing glasses outdoors, and changing clothes and showering when returning home. And what about using air purifiers? “They fall into the second-line category” said Dr. Bassett.
As air is blown through Airocide, dirt such as mold and dust mites collide with hydroxyl radicals and is chewed in subsequent chemical reactions. In addition to its unfortunate name, which suggests that I might die in my sleep, Airocide has several features to recommend it. Unlike other purifiers, which attempt a space-age style (like the Sonoma Breeze SB-100, which comes with three high-tech filters) but look like accessories from an early episode of “Doctor Who”, it really looks futuristic. It has a silver-colored metal grid and is shaped like a rectangular donut; it fits easily in my dresser.
Converse said it supports the effectiveness of Alpine purifiers. The lawsuit, he said, was “about the amount of substantiation required to make a claim”. He continues to believe in the cleaning benefits of ozone, even though air quality experts like Dr. Bassett advise against using ozone-generating devices indoors. At just the right time, during the first test of the Germ Keeper, my cat threw an olfactory bomb that woke my girlfriend and I from a deep sleep.
As much as we suffered, I actually felt sorry for the machine. I expected to wake up the next morning and find her slumped in a corner, her face of melted plastic. You can find HEPA filters in most air purifiers; these are small portable units that can work for a single room. If you're thinking of buying a HEPA filter, find out how much air the filter can clean; make sure you buy one that is large enough for the room you plan to use it in. If you suffer from a lot of allergy symptoms, you may be looking for an air purifier recommended by allergists. Having allergic rhinitis or hay fever can be one of the most uncomfortable cases in life as it can disrupt your daily activities such as work, school or play time with children. This HEPA purifying filter not only cleanses your home's air daily but also works as a fan on hot days. If you have a central HVAC system consult a reputable contractor about replacing your manufacturer's filter with an approved oven filter (the right size for your unit and size of your air ducts) with a minimum efficiency rating (MERV) value of 11 or 12; then configure your fan to work continuously. PhoneSoap says that this air filter can also reduce allergens such as pet dander as well as help purify polluted and smoky air more than traditional filters which can accumulate pollutants if not changed often enough. The design of this air purifier means that you probably don't even realize it's there but you're sure to feel its benefits when it comes to air quality. I chose the Germ Guardian 3-in-1 digital air cleaning system with Pet Pure filter which uses a combination of True HEPA filter and UV-C light; this air purifier also captures some bacteria and viruses; with an advanced activated carbon this machine filters out volatile organic compounds from your home's atmosphere. This is because air purifiers contain a type of specialized filter called high-efficiency particulate absorption (HEPA) filter which is capable of trapping airborne contaminants and irritants up to 0.3 microns in size. The company says its air purifier is also more energy efficient because...