The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has stated that HEPA filters can capture up to 99.97% of dust, pollen, and other particles in the air with a size of 0.3 microns. This means that they can help reduce pet dander in the air. Air pollution is not just car exhaust or factory smoke; dust mites, mold spores, pollen, and pet dander in the air inside your home can cause problems if your family has allergies or asthma. Using HEPA filters can trap these contaminants and can help relieve allergies.
HEPA stands for high-efficiency particulate air. A HEPA filter is a type of mechanical air filter; it works by forcing air through a fine mesh that traps harmful particles such as pollen, pet dander, dust mites, and tobacco smoke. Using a HEPA vacuum will trap some particles, leaving others agitating in the breathing space to be removed by air filtration from the room or the entire house. Air purifiers work to reduce the amount of pollen in the air, which in turn should relieve allergy symptoms. However, results will vary from person to person.
The exact operation of an air purifier will depend on the size of the room you are in, the local climate, the model of the purifier, and your own personal health. Honeywell got into legal hot water for exaggerating the effectiveness of its air purifiers, so be wary of bold claims from manufacturers. The right air purifier can also remove irritants such as smoke, odors and VOCs (volatile organic compounds). These aren't allergens, but they can make breathing difficult. So, if these are the things that bother you, then an air purifier can really help with your allergies.
If you're worried that spring is increasing airborne irritants in your home, choose an air purifier with an app or features that help you monitor trends in air quality, detect types of toxins, and send you alerts when it's time to change your filter. In addition, there are other things happening in your home that can affect effectiveness, such as ventilation (windows open or closed) and new particles that constantly emerge, so the air may not be as filtered as the claims lead you to believe. While a regular HEPA filter can suffer from the buildup of allergens it's supposed to remove, this unique BioGS HEPA filter reduces common contaminants, including dust mites, mold, pollen, and pet dander trapped in the filter, so you won't have to change it as often. Filters such as ULPA (Ultra Low Penetration Air) used in certain industrial or scientific environments or in cleanrooms are not suitable for the domestic environment. Studies have shown that air purifiers can help people with common allergies by trapping pollen and other irritants inside their filters. In addition to mitigating the effects of allergies, air filters can eliminate odors from the air and help you sleep better.
An air purifier with a legitimate HEPA filter will really help your allergies if it's the right size for the room. For best results, make sure that the air purifier you have is in the room you spend the most time in, that it has a suitable HEPA filter installed, and that it is running all day. The company says its air purifier is also more energy efficient because it uses electricity to capture germs instead of forcing air through a filter at high fan speeds. While filters can't completely eliminate common allergy triggers such as dust, dirt, pollen and pet dander, the best air purifiers will help improve overall air quality in your home and hopefully reduce some of the most unpleasant allergy symptoms so you can breathe easier. For homes without central HVAC or if you have pets indoors, a HEPA room air purifier may be beneficial.
In fact, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) warns that the functionality of air purifiers is limited in terms of filtering gases and that you should replace filters frequently for optimal functionality; usually about every three months.
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