Can An Air Purifier Can Help Asthma Symptoms
Nationwide, millions of Americans have asthma. As there is no cure available, avoiding or reducing asthma triggers can help you breathe a little easier. Airborne triggers can cause severe breathing difficulties, from coughing and wheezing to chest tightness and shortness of breath. Some studies suggest that air purifiers that sanitize the air in a room can benefit individuals with asthma. Read on to understand better how air purifiers can help reduce asthma attacks.
How Air Purifiers Work
An air purifier cleans the air in the room by trapping airborne particles like dust and pollen in a variety of filters. The device then recirculates the sanitized air into the room.
Types Of Filtration Systems
Filtration systems seen in air purifiers could employ mechanical, electrical, or hybrid filters to clean the air. Often high-end air purifiers will contain more than one filter type to clean the air effectively.
- Electrical filters impart a charge to particles in the air through ionization. The ionization of pollutants reduces the airborne particles by causing them to settle on plates within the device and on surfaces in the room
- Mechanical filter systems could include activated carbon filters capable of removing smoke and odors or specialized systems like high-efficiency particulate arrestance or HEPA filters that can trap tiny particles of dust and allergens up to 0.3 microns in size.
- Hybrid filters employ the use of both mechanical and electrical filters.
What To Look For
When looking for an air purifier to ease symptoms of asthma, devices that can trap sub-micron level particles like dust mites, pollen, and pet dander prove most useful. Experts recommend air purifiers with HEPA filters for most homes as these devices can remove 99.97% of contaminants from the air in a room.
Home Clean Home
Commonly, the air in our homes could contain two to five times more allergy-triggering particles than the air outdoors. Considering the amount of time most Americans spend indoors, your home should serve as a refuge from contaminated air. Make sure that your chosen air purifier is certified to clean your room adequately.
While easing asthma symptoms, investing in a good air purifier can provide clean air to help you increase your overall quality of life.