Allergies triggered by airborne irritants can be difficult to control. But any effective management plan should include an air purifier that can remove triggers that give allergy sufferers the hardest time. Here are 5 of the most common triggers that you air cleaner should be able to remove.
Household Dust-Composed of minute particles of fabric, plaster or drywall dust, dirt and dust from outdoors, hair, and even metal shavings from door hinges; dust is a fact of life. Breathing it over a prolonged period of time isn’t good for anyone, and if your allergies are triggered by this combination of pollutants it is impossible to avoid unless you take steps to remove it from the air.
Dust Mites-Unfortunately, every home has dust mites as they are impossible to eliminate entirely. They make their homes in dark, moist, and warm places.
The bedroom is the favorite room, with the bed, upholstered furniture and carpet being the places in which they are likely to be most prolific. They can become airborne with simple every day routines such walking or vacuuming the carpet, flopping down on the sofa, and especially making the bed.
Reducing the mite population is in direct proportion with your level of symptoms. Clearing the air with a filter that runs constantly is non-invasive, and effective.
Pet Dander-If you have fish or a reptile as a pet, dander is not a problem. But for those of you who have birds (and bird dander is the number one pet allergen), cats, dogs, bunnies, ferrets or any other warm-blooded pet, you have dander.
And if your allergies are triggered by dander you are most likely allergic to the protein in the dander. Removing pet dander means drastically reducing your contact with the symptom-producing protein that it contains thus allowing you to relax and enjoy your pet without the worry and anxiety.
Pollen-Is nearly invisible with the human eye, and can be carried for great distances by the wind. It enters your home in your hair, on pets, clothing, and packages and can make your home a not so nice place to be.
Depending on where you live, tree pollen can start as early as January with weed pollen not making its exit until late fall. So there is literally always something in bloom to trigger a reaction. Pollen size ranges from 2 to 100 microns, so an effective cleaner should have a filter that is even smaller to be able to effectively eliminate it.
Mold and Mildew Spores-These tiny spores are impossible to keep out of your home because they are so easily transported by air currents. They simply blow into your home with you as you enter through doors. And unless you are allergic, they are harmless.
Because these spores need moisture to grow, eliminating them before they can make a home under the kitchen sink, in the bathroom, or basement and produce more spores lowers the number available to find their way into your nasal passages and trigger hay fever symptoms.
High efficiency particle arresting (or HEPA) air purifiers are effective in removing all of these pollutants as they are designed to effectively filter airborne irritants as small as .3 microns with 99.97% efficiency. This type of filtration produces only fresh, allergen-free air as a by-product.