How hard it is for people suffering from allergies to certain stimuli in everyday life. And if an allergy manifests itself in food or medicine, it is easy enough to limit the patient from contact, but if the irritant moves through the air, getting rid of it is difficult enough. In order to ensure comfortable conditions in the house, people suffering from allergies have to purchase additional devices for air purification. A household air purifier for allergy sufferers is one of the most effective options for protection against irritants in the air.
Allergy Cleaner Selection
The treatment of allergies to dust, pollen, wool and other particles in the air is a comprehensive measure. It is not enough just to eliminate the symptoms, but it is important to prevent them. Therefore, an air purifier for allergy sufferers is an opportunity to breathe freely and easily.
But how to choose the best equipment that will create the most favorable environment? You can base your choice on the nature and type of allergen:
- animal hair. This allergen, which a person can even see, therefore, cleaners with a complex filtration system are not required to eliminate it. The device must have high rates of air exchange or power, as well as with a large processing area. In any equipment, pre-filters will be held to keep animal hair, so it is necessary to provide for the possibility of removing and cleaning them. A humidifier with a washing function will provide the treated room with two positive effects at once: cleaning and moisturizing. Air passes through the device, wool and other particles remain on the drum, and then washed with water. Sinks can also be provided with an ionization function, which increases the quality of cleaning;
- pollen has a smaller particle size, but still quite large 3-10 microns. Despite the fact that people suffer from allergies to this irritant only in the warm season, this is enough to think about a home air purifier. The best equipment for the destruction of pollen from the air is cleaners with a HEPA filter and an electrostatic filter, as well as air washes;
- dust and dust mites. Allergens that have the smallest size - up to 3 microns. Equipment to deal with this type of irritant should not hold particles or ticks, but destroy them. There are several choices: HEPA filters, photocatalytic filters, ozonizers and ultraviolet recirculators.
The principle of operation of various cleaners and humidifiers differs not only from the method of filtration. Therefore, it is worth considering in more detail the capabilities of household appliances, as well as the possibility of combining functions.
Types of Cleaners
Separately, you should pay attention to humidifiers with the function of washing the air. This is a combined climate system that not only cleans the air of dust and wool, but also moisturizes it.
As a cleaner - it copes poorly with particles smaller than 2.5 microns. In addition, the destruction of the dust mite using this device is almost impossible. But in addition to the allergen, the pathogens will be eliminated. If in such a device there is not only a water filter, but also an ionizer - the processing quality increases to almost 99%.
Ionization is a fairly new trend in air purification, and there are opinions about its danger to human health. It’s all a matter of processing principle - saturation of air with negatively charged ions, it scares people who are not knowledgeable, but in vain.It is not for nothing that doctors advise patients with respiratory disorders to go to the mountains or to the sea, because there nature itself took care of the ionization of the surrounding air.
Studies of this equipment, which is widely used in medical institutions, have revealed a beneficial effect not only on the respiratory system, but also on a number of other human organs.
The name "pre-filters" speaks of its intended purpose. It is installed as close as possible to the equipment case and serves as protection not only for humans, but also for the internal structure of the cleaners. Such a function should have every purifier or humidifier. If hair or wool or other large particles get inside the appliance, it may be damaged.
HEPA filters are one of the most popular and practically most effective filters. Its air purification rates are 99.975%. The first developments of such equipment were aimed at trapping radioactive particles, and then moved on to the household level. Now such filtration systems can be found on vacuum cleaners, cleaners, as well as in healthcare facilities.
Such filters are made of non-woven material. The thickness of the fibers in its composition determines the quality of air purification. The HEPA filter should be replaced 1-3 times per year, which is affected by the power of contamination.
Cleaners with electrostatic filter - provides the capture of dust particles and allergens in two successive methods. It is inherently an ionizer. First, the dirt entering the filter receives a charge, and then settles on the plates. The filter does not need to be replaced as it becomes dirty. It is enough to remove it and rinse well.
Photocatalytic filters are devices that work in conjunction with ultraviolet lamps. Although to eliminate some types of allergens, just a UV lamp is enough. Modern equipment is so advanced that it allows a person to be in close proximity to a working device that has a UV lamp in its device. Air treated in this way becomes sterile after treatment. All bacteria, allergens and other particles in the air break down into simple substances that do not harm human health.
UV lamps, most often, manufacturers install in the device device in combination with other cleaning systems. Lamps have to be replaced quite often.
Ozonizers are another type of fairly young air purification systems. Many are afraid to acquire it due to the adverse effect of a large amount of ozone in the air on the human body. There is absolutely nothing to fear. The level of ozone during cleaning is hundreds of times less than its dangerous concentration in the air. Cleaning is carried out not only from dust particles, but also from fungus and diseases.
Processing the premises is necessary in the absence of people in the room, within 15-20 minutes.
When choosing an air purifier for an allergic person, you need to remember that the presence of additional functions is not as important as the quality of air purification. There are several more filters that were not mentioned above, but which will be a useful addition to the main air purification systems if you select them.
It is also worth considering the nature of the room in which the equipment will be installed. Humidifiers in homes with high levels of humidity can cause mold.
