Your Health and Air Purification

How to avoid the common problems associated with poor indoor air quality by installing an air purifier.

Many allergies are caused by poor indoor air quality. It is well known that most people spend 80-90% of their time indoors. According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) 8 out of 10 people are exposed to dust mites in their homes. Many things in your home that make you feel comfortable such as pillows, curtains, and soft furniture are contaminated with millions of dust mites and contaminated airborne particles. This reduces your indoor air quality and compromises your health. An air purifier will take care of many of these problems by cleaning the air that you breathe.

Some of the symptoms of allergies include sneezing, stuffy nose, clear and thin nasal discharge, and itchy eyes and nose. Other symptoms may include difficulty breathing, coughing, wheezing, chest pain or fatigue. This is your body's way of fighting these airborne contaminants that have been ingested through breathing. Your allergies are most likely the results of the poor air quality you breath in every day inside your home. An air purifier will clear up these problems.

Pet owners are usually exposed to pet dander which is a cause of contaminated air. Cockroaches also contribute to airborne particles that trigger allergic reactions. By using a good quality air cleaner/purifier you can reduce most pet dander and contaminants in the air. Air purifiers will rid your home of contaminants as well as mold, mildew, and pollen which causes many allergic reactions. Mold and mildew spores usually are found in dark moist environments such as basements, bathrooms, and fireplaces to name a few.

Many times the contaminants in your home cause an unpleasant odor. A good quality air purifier/cleaner will eliminate odors as well as remove contaminants found in the air you breathe.

There are many different types of air purifiers on the market today. One kind is a HEPA (high efficiency particulate arresting) which is used in most of the systems sold today. In order for an air filter to earn the trademarked HEPA name it must pass rigid requirements including removal of 99.97% of airborne particles 0.3 microns in diameter (1 micron = 1/25,000 inch). Activated carbon is the next kind of air filter which is used to adsorb (not absorb) chemicals from the air flow of air purifiers. They are many times used with HEPA filters to enhance air purification. Electronic or electrostatic air purifiers are often used in industrial applications or commercial applications such as restaurants or bars. I home applications they are usually used in whole house filtration.

Ultraviolet (UV) light used in air purifiers is typically radiation in the range of 150 to 300 nanometers. It works by causing adjacent thymine molecules in DNA to unravel or dimers. When microorganisms get enough exposure to the radiation they die or at least stop reproducing. This includes bacteria, viruses, and mold spores which are many times present in the air we breathe.

There are basically three pollutants that are addressed by air purifiers: particulate, microorganisms, and chemical. A good quality air cleaner/purifier will eliminate these pollutants.