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Air purifiers can remove the stuff that causes allergies and infections.
If you have allergies and conditions such as cystic fibrosis and a weak immune system, you can consider using an air purifier at home. The benefits are more pronounced when you have children and old people in your home.
If you are looking for a portable air purifier for your home, choose the ones that come fitted with a type of air filter known as high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter. Some studies have reported that HEPA filters improve the respiratory health of people with asthma. Additionally, the air purifier should suit your room size; it should also be cleaned properly as per the instructions mentioned in the product pamphlet.
If you have asthma, do not use ozone air purifiers. Although they have been claimed to remove asthma triggers from the air at home, they are not really effective in doing so. In fact, they can worsen asthma symptoms. Ozone irritates the lungs and causes lung problems such as coughing, breathing difficulty, chest pain, and even increased risk of respiratory infections.
The American College of Asthma, Allergy, and Immunology recommends replacing the filter with a new one after every 3 months. If you are planning to buy only one air purifier, get it installed preferably in the place where you spend your maximum time such as your bedroom where you relax and sleep.
If you want to make use of the air purifier system for your entire home, you can look for air purifiers that can be installed in your home’s ventilation, air conditioning system, or heating system.
Are air purifiers enough to prevent allergies at home?
Air purifiers can do nothing to remove the allergens or harmful particles that have settled on the surfaces of carpets; soft furniture such as beds and soft toys; and walls. Along with air purifiers, certain measures can help you stay away from the unhealthy effects of dust, dirt, and allergens:
- Make use of vacuum cleaners with high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters to clean carpets, rugs, pillows, sofas, and beds. Vacuum once or twice a week to get rid of the dust mites.
- Prevent the formation of molds in your home by maintaining humidity within the home to an optimum level.
- Keep pets out of your bedroom. Do not sleep with them. Shed skin cells of animals (pet dander) are known allergy triggers.
- Regularly bathe and brush your pets.
- If pollen grains trigger your allergy, keep windows and doors closed for prolonged periods to prevent them from entering your homes.
Are air purifiers really effective?
Experts seem to be divided on opening whether air purifiers are really effective and worth their price and high maintenance cost. Air purifiers can remove the stuff that causes allergies and infections. The allergens such as pollen grains can trigger seasonal allergies, particularly in children. The use of air purifiers equipped with air filters can reduce the number of pollen grains in your home and help with allergy and asthma attacks. They can also work to some degree in removing the indoor mold particles and minimizing the humidity and smoke that gets emitted from tobacco smoke and outside furnaces. This is particularly helpful if you live in an area with high pollution rates. However, you must quit smoking more than using an air purifier to prevent the effect of passive smoking on your children.
Several studies have reported improvement in blood pressure and heart rate after installing air purifiers at homes. However, long-term data on the effects of air purifiers in the prevention of heart issues, strokes, and death rates are lacking.
Air purifiers can help minimize the risk of infection from COVID-19 while at home. They do not kill the virus, but they can trap small particles (such as respiratory droplets or a piece of dust) in the air that carry the virus and allow the purified air to circulate in your home.