Many air purifiers designed for home use claim to control allergy symptoms, but is there any scientific data to back up these claims? If you suffer from allergies, you may be looking for simple ways to reduce your symptoms. While more research is needed, some studies have shown that placing an air filter in the home can reduce indoor air pollution and alleviate allergy symptoms to some extent. However, the type of air purifier you use is important, as some air purifiers have been shown to aggravate allergies rather than alleviate them. Ionic electrostatic room cleaners are not recommended for allergy sufferers, as they produce irritating ozone from the ions they release.
Cheap fiberglass oven filters can also be harmful, especially if you forget to change the filter frequently. Be wary of air purifiers that claim to relieve allergies, as there is no scientific evidence that air purifiers that use UV rays are useful for reducing allergies. Air purifiers are particularly useful for people with animal and pet allergies. According to the EPA, animal dander and cat saliva are some of the most common household irritants in the air.
You can reduce the amount of pet dander in the air by placing an air purifier equipped with a HEPA filter somewhere in your space. They are also effective against dust, pollen, and other airborne contaminants larger than 0.3 µm. If you're only going to use it in one place, choose an air purifier with a clean air supply rate (CADR) that matches the intended room size. If your home uses a central heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, you can help the filtration system work throughout the house by installing a better air filter.
Permanent and disposable air filters are available. Ionizers better remove smaller molecules, such as bacteria and viruses, so they may not benefit people with allergies or asthma. Ionizers also do not remove particles from circulation; instead, they charge them to keep something else. Unless you constantly clean the hard and soft surfaces in your home, it becomes difficult to remove particles that have fallen to the floor.
Air purifiers work to reduce the amount of pollen in the air, which in turn should alleviate allergy symptoms. However, the results will differ from person to person. The exact operation of an air purifier will vary depending on the size of the room where it is located, the local climate, the model of the purifier, and your personal health. In fact, Honeywell got into legal trouble for overstating the effectiveness of its air purifiers, so be wary of bold claims from manufacturers.
Air pollution isn't just car smoke or factory smoke; dust mites, mold spores, pollen, and pet dander found in your home's indoor air can cause problems if your family has allergies or asthma. Using HEPA filters can trap these contaminants and can help alleviate allergy symptoms. HEPA stands for high-efficiency particulate air; a HEPA filter is a type of mechanical air filter that works by forcing air through a fine mesh that traps harmful particles such as pollen, pet dander, dust mites, and tobacco smoke. The best air purifiers for allergies trap, reduce and destroy a variety of contaminants from mold and pollen to pet hair and dust.
In addition to mitigating the effects of allergies, air filters can eliminate odors from the air and help you sleep better. One of the most common purification methods is filtration; this is when a purifier draws air through its filter trapping many unwanted contaminants in the process. Through the release of ions these types of air purifiers cause particles suspended in the air to clump together become heavy and fall to the ground. Air purifiers also work with a wider range of particles such as large allergens such as dust and pollen as well as smaller ones such as pet dander bacteria and viruses.
If you ever thought you needed an air purifier to treat carpet allergies there's a good chance you're allergic to dust mites mold spores or other dust compounds. Air purifiers are suitable for removing pollen pet dander and other particles from the air so they are ideal for people with allergies and asthma who want to eliminate the trigger for their symptoms. Air ionizers perform a similar task except that they purify room air by creating negative ions that attach to allergens which are positively charged helping impurities to settle on the floor. The best air purifier for pet allergies will use a HEPA filter to trap microscopic contaminants and ionization to search for and deactivate the rest. What a particular air purifier can do for allergies depends largely on the technology used and the allergens in question.
