Choosing an Air Purifier for Allergies

If you're one of the 35 million Americans for whom the warm weather, budding plantsand pollution spells misery, an air purifierequipped with the right type of filtration can be an effective tool in fighting the onslaught of airborne allergens. Creating a safe haven inside your home rnHealth professionals agree that avoiding triggers is the priority when treating allergic rhinitis. This is why an air purifier is an ideal tool for sufferers. Allergy symptoms actually start in the nasal passages when particles and chemicals are inhaled and cause mast cells to produce an inflammatory response. When airborne allergens are effectively reduced, sufferers will breathe in fewer irritants and reduce or eliminate this allergic response. Simply put, cleaner air means fewer allergy symptoms. rnAn air purifier: The best way to clean your air rnWith pollen and pollution levels on the rise, opening a window to "freshen" your home will actually increase the number of irritating particles and chemicals in the air. The overall goal in allergy prevention is to remove as many airborne contaminants as possible. That's why an air purifier for allergies should be equipped with several levels of filtration. In most high quality air purifier models, polluted air will first be drawn into a pre-filter. This first level of filtration captures large pollen and dust particles that would otherwise build up on the primary filters of the air purifier. These pre-filters should be easy to remove, change or clean. On an AllerAir air purifier, the pre-filters on most units can be removed without tools.rnAn efficient air purifier for allergies will also feature a deep-bed activated carbon filter for chemicals, gases and odors. Chemical pollutants are now being recognized as serious irritants for allergy sufferers.Because a dust filter is not designed to remove airborne chemicals and odors, an air purifier that doesn't have a dedicated filter for these contaminants won't be able to efficiently clean the air. Activated carbon is one of the most effective filtration methods for chemicals and odors. It's used by industry and the military for even the most toxic airborne pollutants. Look for an air purifier with a deep-bed activated carbon filter that is several inches thick. This type of filter creates a better environment for chemicals and odors to become trapped, resulting in cleaner air.rnAllergy suffers should also look for an air purifier with a HEPA filter. The term "HEPA" is an acronym for High Efficiency Particulate Air filter. An air purifier with HEPA can remove 99.97% of airborne particles as small as 0.3 microns, which is a unit of measure used for microscopic particles. One micron is equivalent to .0004 of an inch. Most allergens including dust, pollen, dust mites and dander fall in the 5-20 micron range.rnTo learn more about AllerAir air purifier models for allergies or other specialty units for smoke odor or MCS contact an AllerAir air quality expert today at 1-888-852-8247 or connect via live chat, Facebook or Twitter.