After four months of use in their bedrooms, researchers discovered that HEPA air purifiers effectively reduced the concentration of dust mite particles and allergens and improved allergy symptoms. Some studies have also looked specifically at air purifiers and children. And, in any case, most manufacturers claim that it takes four to six weeks to start seeing the benefits of an air purifier. It is important to note that ozone should never be used as an air purifier.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and medical professionals, ozone is a respiratory irritant and can worsen allergy or asthma symptoms. To ensure the best results, a professional HVAC company must install a whole-house HEPA filter that is properly sized for the air handling unit. This will protect the lifespan of the equipment and guarantee that air passes through the HEPA filter and not around it. The air purifier industry tends to become preoccupied with technology, as if refrigeration mechanics were an end in itself.
This is because manufacturers cannot definitively demonstrate the health benefits of their devices. A HEPA filter is a type of mechanical air filter; it works by passing air through a fine mesh that traps harmful particles, such as pollen, pet dander, dust mites, and tobacco smoke. Studies have shown that air filtration reduces these airborne allergens and can provide some relief. HEPA filters are designed for closed environments where air is cleaned before entering the room and then expelled to the outside of the building.
In the 1980s, one individual founded Alpine Industries, a company that sold a popular line of purifiers that used ozone to clean the air. Most particles that cause allergy and asthma symptoms, such as dust mites and mold spores, stay in the air for a short period of time before settling as dust. Elizabeth Matsui, a professor at Johns Hopkins University and chair of the Air Pollution and Indoor Allergens Committee of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, noted that pollen does not stay in the air for long but tends to settle quickly on the ground. In regards to pet dander, it is possible to remove the particles that cause pet allergies with an air purifier equipped with a HEPA filter.
For homes without central heating or if you have pets at home, a HEPA-type air conditioner filter can be beneficial. Dust mites, mold spores, pollen, and pet dander found in indoor air can cause problems if your family has allergies or asthma. Air filtration is just one of several measures that can benefit children and adults with allergies and asthma. Air filters in your home's central heating and air conditioning ducts or portable room air purifiers help remove indoor pollutants.
Despite their technological abilities (some claim that they can remove particles of 0.3 microns or less), air purifiers occupy the same category as faith-based wellness products, such as nutritional supplements.
