According to official data, 30-40% of the world's population suffers from allergies. At least half of the cases are associated with pollen allergies, which occur during the flowering season. Although it does not pose a threat to human life, it has extremely unpleasant symptoms that greatly worsen the quality of life. Unlike other types of allergies, it is almost impossible to hide from it, since during flowering the allergen is present everywhere – on the street, in transport, indoors, etc. But is it possible to solve this problem at least in your own home using air purifiers?
In Russia, about 15% of the population suffers from pollen allergies. Photo source: bobrlife.by
How Air Purifiers Work
An allergy occurs when our immune system overreacts to a particular trigger, which is an allergen. The latter can be anything, even water or just cold. However, such types of allergies are rare. Much more often, people experience allergies to pollen, dust mites, pet dander, mold, household chemicals, etc. Due to the immune system's reaction to these allergens, symptoms such as sneezing, runny nose, itchy eyes, hives on the skin, etc. occur.
The nervous system suffers. Migraine attacks and general weakness are possible. There are even known cases of pollen epilepsy. These symptoms can be avoided in only two ways – either by influencing the immune system, which is what medications do, or by preventing allergens from entering the body by cleaning the air. In fact, air purifiers were created for this purpose.
HEPA filters provide air purification efficiency of up to 99.97% Photo source: iqair.com
The principle of operation of air purifiers is quite simple – they suck in dirty air, which contains allergens, and pass it through a mechanical filter that traps small particles. As a result, purified air comes out into the room. Most often, air purifiers contain a HEPA filter (High Efficiency Particulate Air).
Initially, this filter was developed by scientists to remove tiny radioactive particles up to 0.3 microns in size from the air with an efficiency of 99.97%. Over time, HEPA filters began to be used in air purifiers. As a rule, they are made of fiberglass mesh with small holes that trap pollutants.
How effective are air purifiers
The efficiency of an air purifier depends on several factors. One of the main ones is CADR, which means the rate of delivery of clean air. Accordingly, the higher this indicator, the faster the air purifier will perform its task. CADR is selected taking into account the volume of the room.
An Important Feature of an Air Purifier – The Speed of Clean Air Delivery
The type of filter also affects the efficiency. For example, there are purifiers with HyperHEPA filters that capture particles up to 0.003 microns in size. But in addition to the filter, much also depends on the characteristics of the room and even where the air purifier is installed. For example, it is not difficult to guess that with hermetically sealed doors and windows, the air purifier will cope with its task more effectively, since there will be no influx of allergens into the room.
Experts recommend installing an air purifier in an open space near a door or window. This will allow it to capture allergens before they have time to spread throughout the room. In general, a properly selected and properly installed air purifier can significantly reduce the amount of pollen, dust, or other particles in the air that cause allergies. This can significantly reduce allergy symptoms. However, it should be understood that it is almost impossible to 100% clean the air in a room.
How to effectively clean the air in a room if you have allergies
Using an air purifier alone may not be enough to completely get rid of allergy symptoms. Therefore, it is necessary to follow some recommendations. First of all, if you use an air purifier, the windows and doors in the room must be tightly closed. You can ventilate the room when you are not in it. It is advisable to do this on windless days when the humidity is high.
It is advisable to use a humidifier together with an air purifier. Photo source: rua.gr
In addition, it is important to periodically wet clean the room, as dust and pollen can accumulate on surfaces, such as the floor, furniture, walls, etc. With air currents, for example, when a person walks through the room, allergens rise up.
When coming home from the street, you must wash your face, change clothes, take a shower and wash your hair, as a lot of pollen accumulates on it. It is advisable that all family members also do this procedure. This will also reduce the concentration of the allergen in the room.
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To achieve even greater efficiency, you should use a humidifier together with an air purifier. These devices help relieve allergy symptoms and eliminate dryness and irritation in the nose and throat. Dry air makes a person more susceptible to allergens.