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Do Air Purifiers Work for Allergies?

According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, 19 million American employees are affected by allergies every year. Many allergy sufferers seek relief through medications, avoidance of allergens and the use of air purifiers to reduce the number of allergens in their home or place of work. Though there are a variety of air purifiers, it is important to choose the one that is right for you.

  1. Allergies

    • Having an allergy means your immune system tends to adversely respond to a specific protein in your environment.These proteins, otherwise known as allergens, can cause skin or respiratory problems in otherwise healthy people. An allergic reaction can manifest itself as an itching of the skin, a swelling of your nasal and lung passages, wheezing, anaphylactic shock and death.

    Types of Allergies

    • Skin allergies can cause contact dermatitis, whereas respiratory allergens can cause hypersensitivity pneumonia, rhinitis and asthma. Food and drug allergies can lead to toxic shock and death.

      Unfortunately, an air purifier will not work for food, drug or skin allergies; however, it can help with hay fever, asthma, allergic rhinitis and allergies to pollens, dust mites, mold and pets.

    HEPA Systems

    • HEPA stands for High Efficiency Particulate Air, and this type of air purifier has a high density, flat filter made from randomly placed fiberglass fibers. HEPA filters capture particles as small as 0.3 microns at an accuracy of 99.97 to 99.99 percent. These particles, which can be dust, mold, airborne chemicals, pet dander, pollen and smoke, cannot be captured using standard air filters.

    Best Air Purifiers for Allergies & Asthma

    • The most effective air purifiers on the market for allergies and asthma are HEPA filtration systems. You can use a HEPA filter system in your furnace or attach it to an HVAC unit, which circulates air throughout your home. Portable, room-sized HEPA filtration systems are convenient for the office, if workplace allergens have you reeling.

      For those with asthma and allergies, the Austin Healthcare Mate has a carbon filter and two pre-filter, which do not need changing for three to five years. The IQ Air HealthPro Plus features a hyper HEPA filter that can trap particles smaller than 0.3 microns; however, the filters need to be changed every six to 18 months. Finally, the BlueAir 403 air purifier captures 99.97 percent of 0.1 micron particles, and works more quietly than the other brands.

    Worst Air Purifiers

    • Though electrostatic air filters clean the air in your home, they tend to produce ozone, which has been shown through Consumer Reports testing to irritate lungs and actually make asthma and allergies worse. The report also claims that the ozone produced mixes with chemicals in lemon- and pine-scented cleaners to produce formaldehyde. The formaldehyde is then absorbed by bedding, couch cushions, carpets and draperies.

      Gas-phase absorption air filters do not trap contaminants; rather, the filters work to convert the contaminants into harmless compounds. Their non-toxic and non-hazardous media, generally created using carbon and other compounds, can be custom-designed to target specific air impurities. These air purifiers are geared more toward ridding a workplace of toxic chemicals and smells, rather than ridding your home of allergens

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