The Knowhow
Around 1 in 3 people will suffer with an allergy at some point in their life and our homes are often where we breathe in many airborne particles such as dust, dust mites, pollen, bacteria etc. Breathing in excessive airborne articles can affect the lives of those who suffer with allergies.
The view is that air purifiers can help improve air quality for asthma sufferers and the Allergy UK organisation gives its seal of approval to a number of machines on the market.
What to buy:
There are a number of air purifiers on the market which use various technologies and filters to clean the air. The general view is that ones using a HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air) are the most effective for asthma and allergen sufferers.
A HEPA filter removes 99.97% of airborne particles that are as small as 0.3 microns in diameter. This means that they can trap bacteria, viruses, pollen, dust, dust mite faeces, pet dander, mould spores and cigarette smoke.
Another good feature in a purifier is a built-in humidifier which uses a sensor to monitor the humidity in the room and makes sure the indoor air is not too dry. This helps relieve airways and removes the static that keeps allergens airborne.
If you are opting for an air purifier, choose ones that are recommended by the Allergy UK organisation.
Useful links:
What to look for in an air purifier
