Indoor spaces can have significantly increased concentrations of allergens and pollutants that can cause allergies and aggravate symptoms of asthma. Air purifiers are simple, portable devices that can filter the air you breathe, removing microscopic allergen and dissolved toxic gases.
Can air purifiers help reduce allergic reactions?
Air purifiers help remove some allergens that can trigger allergic reactions. Although there are no official recommendations for their use to prevent allergies, many medical experts and research studies have come out validating them as an effective tool.
Studies have shown that using air purifiers with appropriate HEPA or PECO filters helps reduce the concentration of particulate matter and house dust mites that are common allergens, and can be used as a therapeutic option.
Here are a few important things to keep in mind when selecting an air purifier:
What do you need to filter?
Select an air purifier with an air filter that suits your needs, depending on the size and nature of allergens that trigger your allergies. Different types of filters include:
- HEPA filters – These remove small particles from the air.
- UV air filters – These deactivate the microbes in the air.
- Ion filters – These remove particles from the air using a high voltage to ionize the air.
- Activated Carbon: These are good for removing dissolved fumes.
- PECO filters – These remove even the smallest particles in the air.
What is the size of the area you need to filter?
The CADR (clean air delivery rate) determines how many square feet an air purifier can reach. Make sure the CADR matches the size of the space you are planning to get the air purifier for.
Here are 3 Air Purifiers you can consider that have allergy-specific features and strong consumer reviews:
Dyson Pure Cool TP01
iThe Dyson Pure Cool TP01 has a HEPA air purifier and a large CADR while claiming to remove 99.97% of allergens and pollutants as small as 0.3 microns.
Philips 5000i
The Phillips 5000i air purifier uses two HEPA filters for double air-flow and has a CADR of up to 454 square feet while claiming to remove 99.97 percent allergens
Levoit LV-PUR131S Smart True HEPA
The Levoit LV-PUR131S Smart True HEPA air purifier is an affordable option with a three-stage filtration process including an activated carbon filter, that helps remove dissolved fumes.