The American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology revealed that 24 million people, including six million kids, are susceptible to allergies. While people often overlook the seriousness of the problem, allergies put a significant burden on US healthcare, costing more than $18 billion each year. Allergy, in fact, is the sixth most common chronic ailment in America.
For example, dust mites, those invisible pests invading your home, are affecting some 20 million Americans. Buying an air purifier for allergies will solve most of your problems. It works by filtering the air and trapping microscopic particles that are the source of allergies. In simple terms, they will circulate the air in the indoor space and then rout it through a dense filter. The filter will trap the particles while allowing clean air back inside the room.
Can All Air Purifiers Work on Allergies?
Not all air purifiers are ideal for eliminating most allergens in the home. That’s why there’s an industry-standard called the HEPA filter. The HEPA is an acronym for high-efficiency particulate air.
The best air purifier for allergies would have the HEPA mark. It means the device can remove 99.97% of the bacteria, aerosols, pollen, dust, and mole that can be as small as 0.3 microns.
It is also better if you buy air purifiers with UV technology for germicidal irradiation, carbon filtration, and ion filters to help take out not just allergies, but also molds, bacteria, dust, pet dander, and even smoke. You should also consider coverage. The more powerful machines can cover more than 1,200 feet, while smaller purifiers would only cover about 400 feet—which is suitable for a small office or basement.
The capacity is measured by the CADR (clean air delivery rate), which refers to the number of airborne particles for each square foot that the air purifier will clean. The HEPA purifiers, of course, have the highest-rated CADR, and it is the reason why critical care rooms in hospitals are equipped with HEPA-rated air conditioners or purifiers.
Air Purifiers and the Coronavirus
Perhaps it is also noteworthy to talk about air purifiers and the coronavirus, especially in the light of what is happening today. You might have some fears about infected aerosols that stay in the air and possibly infect people in the room. For instance, if you are still working inside the office and an infected person coughs and sneezes, are you in danger?
There have been reported cases of people with no direct contact with confirmed coronavirus patients who were nevertheless infected. Researchers have pointed out that aerosols, indeed, can stay longer indoors.
However, HEPA air purifiers for allergies might be good enough to trap the virus. For comparison, the novel coronavirus, once released into the air, can measure from 0.5 microns to 3 microns. And as already mentioned, HEPA filters can trap particles with diameters of 0.3 microns.
However, you should not be complacent. You still need to clean all the surfaces with disinfectant to clear the allergens and the viruses. The air purifiers only work by cleaning the air inside the space. They do not eradicate the bacteria, pollen, dust, and spores that are sticking to the walls, floor, and furniture pieces. Make sure that the device is always turned on to get the maximum benefit from your investment.
Author Bio: Janine is a freelance writer who offers to ghostwrite, copywriting, and blogging services. She works closely with B2C and B2B businesses providing digital marketing content that gains social media attention and increases their search engine visibility.
