Physical Health Guide

People who have allergies can best keep their symptoms under control by minimizing their exposure to the allergens that set them off. 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.

Generally, home air purifiers do not create enough ozone to be dangerous to your health, though. There may be an odor that you notice that is the result of some ozone in the air. Ozone is used in air purification systems because these molecules readily bind to particulate matter in the air, such as many of the common airborne allergens. There are also home air purifiers which use electrically charged metal plates instead of ozone to remove airborne particulates like pet dander, pollen and other materials. Fans move the air through the system with impurities being trapped by the charged metal plates. This is a relatively effective means of removing allergens from the air, but you will have to clean these plates weekly.

Using an allergy relief air purifier won’t make your allergies vanish, but it will go a long way towards making you feel better by making your symptoms appear much less frequently. The air in your home will be free of most dust, smoke and pollen particles. 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.

Any home air purifiers you choose should have HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air) filters. A HEPA filter keeps particles pulled from the air from becoming airborne again, something which can be a problem with air purifiers that use metal plates to trap allergens and other impurities. 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.

The sound level of your home air purifier may also be important to you. A good quality home air purifier will be quiet enough you don’t even know it is running. Some models make loud electrical crackles or pops; others have fans which are so loud that it’s hard to hear over them. You should always use a good quality filter in your heating and cooling system in your home. If you want to get your air even cleaner, though, you should look at home air purifiers especially for your bedroom or home office. The rooms you spend the most time in need to have the best air quality.