More and more people are struggling with inhalant allergies. To make life easier for allergy sufferers, manufacturers of air purifiers have begun to create devices specifically for them.
Air purifier minimizes allergy symptoms
Photo: Wikimedia Commons © CC BY 3.0.
How does it work?
Such special purifiers tailored to allergy sufferers are certified, for example, by ECARF. It certifies that the device is effective in removing inhalant allergens. The purifier removes particles from the air that are harmful to an allergic person. This is due to the use of filters. It is able to eliminate dust, bacteria, viruses, fungi, particulate matter, dust mites, protozoa. It also neutralizes unpleasant odors. As a result, the allergic person is not in contact with the irritant, and allergy symptoms disappear. Admittedly, an air purifier for an allergic person will not cure allergies, however, it will clearly minimize their symptoms. It is worth getting one in particular if you suffer from hay fever, pet dander allergy, respiratory ailments, asthma, rashes and atopic dermatitis.
First of all, the filters
The most important part of an air purifier is the HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air) filter. You can choose from HEPA E12, H13 or H14. It provides a barrier to dangerous pollutants. It is able to remove as much as 99.5% of them. It stops even the smallest nanoparticles. It is able to remove house dust mites, fungi, mold, viruses, bacteria, protozoa, pollen and even PM2.5 particulate matter from the air. The carbon filter neutralizes dangerous volatile compounds. It is made of activated carbon granules. It absorbs harmful gases and unpleasant odors. It also protects against chemical compounds such as formaldehyde and acetone. The pre-filtercollects the largest particles of dirt, e.g. dust clouds, hair, dander. It thus extends the life of the other filters. It is made of a dense mesh. It is best to choose a model that has a set of filters: HEPA, carbon and pre-filter.
The air purifier provides a barrier to dangerous pollutants
Photo: Wikimedia Commons © CC BY 3.0.
Using
First we need to consider what capacity our purifier needs to have. This value is usually given in cubic meters of cleaned air per hour. Keep in mind that it must be at least four times the volume of our room. In addition, to purify the air in the entire apartment it is not enough to buy one very efficient device. The purifier should be in every room where an allergist resides. First of all, in the bedroom and living room. It is also important to position the purifier properly. Any walls or alcoves will prevent it from working. The device should be at least 30 centimeters from walls and furniture. In addition, to remove as many allergens as possible, the device should work around the clock.
Useful features
It is best to choose an air purifier that has an automatic mode. It recognizes the amount of pollutants in the air and adjusts the appropriate program. This will save on energy without losing performance. Optimal will be a model that considers air of poor quality to be concentrations that exceed EU standards ( for PM2.5 it is 25 µg/m3). It is also worth noting the ability to control the device. In this way, we can set the operation of the purifier to different intensities, depending on the time of day. The best models also have a night mode. A useful feature is also a mobile application, which allows us to control the purifier even while away from home. Some models are additionally equipped with an ionizer. It significantly increases the efficiency of air purification. Negative ions kill microorganisms such as viruses, bacteria and fungi. It also speeds up dust removal and neutralizes plant and animal allergens. An additional advantage is that ionized air appears fresher. Low humidity in the apartment can significantly aggravate allergy symptoms. Dry air irritates the mucous membrane of the respiratory system. This causes more runny nose, coughing and hoarseness. Fortunately, there are models of air purifiers with a humidifier on the market. The device itself measures the degree of humidity in the air and adjusts the appropriate program. This is important because excessive humidity promotes the growth of bacteria, viruses and fungi. The correct humidity in an apartment is between 40% and 60%.
