If you have allergies, reducing your exposure to allergens is a good way to control your symptoms. If you have allergies to airborne allergens, then an allergy relief air purifier or a car air purifier may be a wise investment in your comfort. There are many different brands and models of home air purifiers on the market, which means you’ll have to decide which will perform the best in controlling your allergies.
Many home air purifiers use ozone to remove allergenic particles from the air. Ozone is an interesting molecule which has both beneficial and harmful properties. It consists of three oxygen atoms, which is an inherently unstable configuration which breaks down quickly, releasing an oxygen ion which is also a free radical. The presence of these free radicals is potentially dangerous to your lungs. It is thought that these free radicals can increase your likelihood of developing serious illnesses like cancer or asthma. If you have asthma, any air purifier that produces ozone should be avoided.
These home air purifiers don’t normally emit ozone in a quantity sufficient to cause harm to most people, but you will be able to smell the ozone in the air. This ozone performs a useful function by binding to many of the impurities in the air, including allergens. Some home air purifiers use an electrical charge created with metal plates instead of ozone to remove impurities like pollen and pet dander. These home air purifiers contain fans that move air and the particles you want to remove past the metal plates which draw in the particles. This is a relatively effective means of removing allergens from the air, but you will have to clean these plates weekly.
Allergy relief air purifiers can’t make your allergies disappear, but you’ll feel much better when you use them. By significantly reducing the amount of smoke, dust, pollen, dander and other allergenic particles in the air around you, you’ll have symptoms far less often. Home air purifiers vary by their capacity; a small air purifier does well for a 10’ x 15’ room, but if the space you want to use it in is much bigger than this, you’ll have to get a larger and pricier one.
A HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air) filter is a must-have item in home air purifiers. HEPA filters do not let the particles that the air purifier attracts to the metal plates make their way back into the air, which is important for air quality. Some but not all HEPA filters are washable; washable filters are reusable. A lot of the HEPA filters should be good as long as you have the home air purifiers, anywhere from 3 to 10 years. Some HEPA filters need replacing every few years. The quality of HEPA filters or how long they’ll last doesn’t always have a connection to the price, which is something to remember as you shop.
You also want to be sure the home air purifier you are considering is not too noisy. A good quality home air purifier will be quiet enough you don't even know it is running. If you’re sensitive to noise, it should be noted that some home air purifiers make popping, crackling noises due to the electrical fields they generate. Others have very loud fans, even to the extent of making it difficult to sleep. A good air filter in your HVAC system is a must; but if you really want to get your air clean and free of allergens, you’ll want to consider picking up home air purifiers for your home office, bedroom or any other room you spend a lot of your time in.
