Air Purifiers - Will They Be Able To Help You?
Air Purifiers - Will They Be Able To Help You?
The market for air purifiers has become big business these days.
More and more people are buying them, or those reading this
report are probably in the process of selecting an air purifier
for the home. It is without doubt that we are living in a world
where air pollution is becoming more of a problem. For some it
can be worse than others, having a huge impact on their quality
of life. We have written this report to look at some of the
issues surrounding air purifiers in order to keep you better
informed.
What does an air purifier do?
Allergens that exist in the air come in many forms. They may be
dust particles, pollen, from pets or hazardous gases and smoke
particles. These can cause misery for some people, which is
where the need for an air purifier comes in. Air purifiers come
in many different designs, but all work on the basis that they
will remove high percentages of these allergens from the air.
Air purifiers might use ionic filters, charcoal adsorbents or
mechanical filters. Many people who suffer from such conditions
as asthma, emphysema, allergies, chronic bronchitis, or any one
of the many other respiratory illnesses, will probably tell you
that they have benefited greatly by installing an air purifier
in their home.
Do they work?
There is much controversy surrounding the effectiveness of air
purifiers. To date there has only been limited testing into the
benefits. Users will claim great results, but some experts have
raised concerns of possible placebo affect due to claims that
many air purifiers are ineffective at removing pollen, pet
dander and some pollutants. It is also an area where the amount
of money you spend could have big affects. The cheapest air
purifiers on the market may be pretty much useless. The main
controversy at the moment surrounds the ionic air purifiers,
which people doubt the effectiveness of creating negative ions.
Also these types of air purifiers omit ozone, a harmful
pollutant.
What do I need to look out for?
When purchasing an air purifier you should look for one that
uses HEPA filters. The HEPA filters have to meet stringent
requirements and must be able to filter a minimum 99.97% of
pollutants from the air. You should watch out for anything that
describes itself as being "HEPA-like" or "HEPA-type" as it his
highly unlikely that these would be genuine HEPA filters. Also
look for the CADR of the particular air purifier you are looking
at. This stands for Clean Air Delivery Rating and is a good
indicator of how effective one air purifier will be compared to
another.
Is there anything else I can do?
It is probably a good idea that you consult your doctor. They
should be able to give you sound advice on whether your
particular condition is likely to be improved by purchasing an
air purifier. It might be an idea to invest in some good filters
for any air vents that you have in your home, and spend some
time making sure cracks in old door frames or windows are sealed
properly. Many people also find positive results just through
dusting and hovering more often, and getting rid of old
mattresses and covering the new ones with covers that protect
against dust mites.
As we said previously, many people find they really do benefit
from having an air purifier so it is worth taking your time to
look around and find out what all the options are.