Looking For an Air Filter to Help Your Allergies? Here"s How to Begin
Are you a person like me with allergies that result in burning eyes and a runny nose, often accompanied by a headache or sore throat? If so you probably have wondered which if any air filters really work and whether placing them in your home would help you feel better.
Well, I wondered this myself and this is what my research uncovered.
There are basically three types of filters that can help with your allergies.
If you know the kinds of things you are allergic to you can then pick the filter that's best for your home.
I can't recommend strongly enough finding this out, as there are many things a Dr.
can advise to improve how you feel.
, but if you just can't wait I'd recommend a HEPA filter with an activated carbon pre-filter as these cover a wide spectrum of air quality issues.
Here are some specifics about these three to help you decide: · HEPA Filters - HEPA filters are of a type known as media filters.
They work by forcing the air through a series of fibers that remove particles such as dust, dander and pollen.
HEPA rated filters capture particles down to a size of 0.
3 microns.
To give you an idea how small this is the finest grind of coffee is about 5 microns, so particles 150 times smaller than a coffee ground will be caught in a HEPA filter about 99.
97% of the time.
The strength of the fan is important in a HEPA filter as this is how the air is pulled through the filter.
HEPA filters are great for allergy and asthma suffers.
· Activated Carbon Filters - Activating charcoal simply means treating it with steam or chemicals to create millions of tiny holes to increase its surface area.
When chemicals in the air pass over the charcoal the chemicals bond to the surface of the charcoal - effectively removing them from the air.
The filters do a great job of removing chemicals and odors from your room.
If you react to smells or have multiple chemical sensitivities you need a charcoal filter.
Charcoal filters do little to remove dust and other particulates from the air.
· Ionic Filters - Ionic filters add electrical charges to air molecules creating ions.
These ions float around the room and stick to other charged molecules.
Eventually these groups of 'stuck' molecules become heavy enough to fall to the floor, and the sofa and the dining table.
Ionic filters do remove particles from the air, but it is up to you to remove them from the room.
They do not remove chemicals and odors.
Armed with this information about filter types and an understanding about your kind of allergies you will be able to find just the right air filter for your needs.
Well, I wondered this myself and this is what my research uncovered.
There are basically three types of filters that can help with your allergies.
If you know the kinds of things you are allergic to you can then pick the filter that's best for your home.
I can't recommend strongly enough finding this out, as there are many things a Dr.
can advise to improve how you feel.
, but if you just can't wait I'd recommend a HEPA filter with an activated carbon pre-filter as these cover a wide spectrum of air quality issues.
Here are some specifics about these three to help you decide: · HEPA Filters - HEPA filters are of a type known as media filters.
They work by forcing the air through a series of fibers that remove particles such as dust, dander and pollen.
HEPA rated filters capture particles down to a size of 0.
3 microns.
To give you an idea how small this is the finest grind of coffee is about 5 microns, so particles 150 times smaller than a coffee ground will be caught in a HEPA filter about 99.
97% of the time.
The strength of the fan is important in a HEPA filter as this is how the air is pulled through the filter.
HEPA filters are great for allergy and asthma suffers.
· Activated Carbon Filters - Activating charcoal simply means treating it with steam or chemicals to create millions of tiny holes to increase its surface area.
When chemicals in the air pass over the charcoal the chemicals bond to the surface of the charcoal - effectively removing them from the air.
The filters do a great job of removing chemicals and odors from your room.
If you react to smells or have multiple chemical sensitivities you need a charcoal filter.
Charcoal filters do little to remove dust and other particulates from the air.
· Ionic Filters - Ionic filters add electrical charges to air molecules creating ions.
These ions float around the room and stick to other charged molecules.
Eventually these groups of 'stuck' molecules become heavy enough to fall to the floor, and the sofa and the dining table.
Ionic filters do remove particles from the air, but it is up to you to remove them from the room.
They do not remove chemicals and odors.
Armed with this information about filter types and an understanding about your kind of allergies you will be able to find just the right air filter for your needs.
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