Air Purifier Advice

If you worked in a military or government procurement office the term True HEPA filter would have no meaning. Nor would it mean anything if you were contracting a HEPA filter supplier for industry.

Only in air purifier marketing will you see the term hyped as if it were the all-important gold standard. This is not necessarily a bad thing. Air purifier companies have one very good reason for it – Shady competitors with inferior products dishonestly associate themselves with the HEPA efficiency standard.

The term true HEPA is entirely a marketing term. In industry, government and military applications a filter is either HEPA or it isn’t. However, there are different specifications for defining HEPA.

Defining The True HEPA Filter Standard

The usual standard for measuring air cleaner efficiency health or cleanroom purposes is the MIL-STD-282 Method 102.9.1 Dioctylphthalate test (D.O.P test) which requires the filter to capture 99.97% of 0.3 micron particles. So a True HEPA filter has the proven efficiency of 99.97% at 0.3 microns by this test.

However, there are specific filtration grades given to each filter spanning that range. This allows an end user to know exactly what they are purchasing. In many respects, it is a better way of expressing air filter efficiencies.

How Other Filters Compare To True HEPA

A True HEPA filter’s D.O.P.-rated efficiency is it’s minimum starting efficiency. The actual operating efficiency is higher than that, for all particle sizes from 0.001 micron upwards.

The starting efficiency of any non-HEPA air cleaner is very much lower – anywhere from 5% to 60% by the D.O.P. test. True HEPA filters are far more efficient for air cleaning than other types of filtration systems.

Filter systems like electronic air cleaners’ aluminium plates or 3M Filtrete media depend on electrostatic charges to attract dust to its plates or fibers. As the plates or fibers load up with dust, their ability to attract more dust drops dramatically.

An electronic air cleaner or 3M Filtrete-based air cleaner’s starting efficiency is usually the maximum efficiency. With use the efficiency will drop very fast and the average operating efficiency is much lower.

Some published studies have shown that an electronic air cleaner’s efficiency can drop to one-fifth of its starting efficiency within 26 hours of operation. That, plus the fact that most electronic filters are not very efficient at .3 microns and even worse for particles less than .3 microns, makes a strong case against electronic filter types.

A Few Facts About True HEPA

True HEPA filtration is currently the only type of air purification recommended by the U.S. Government’s Department of Homeland Security and FEMA.

Contrary to the claims of misleading air cleaner ads, bacteria and viruses do not breed in true HEPA filters. HEPA filters provide a dry environment and without moisture there is nothing to keep bacteria alive, much less breed. If such is the case, methods for killing bacteria within a HEPA filter include antimicrobial treatment of the media or a germicidal ultraviolet light.

Though it may only be a marketing term, it is born of the necessity to counteract the efforts of many impersonators. There are many air cleaners claiming to have HEPA type filters. These air cleaners have no specified performance rating, so you have no way of knowing how good it is. In many cases a high efficiency furnace filter with a MERV 13 rating would be as good as these much more expensive air cleaners.

My own personal conviction is that buying a HEPA filter air purifier is the best choice I can make.

Ionic air cleaners exposed!

What is it about an ionic air purifier that consumers find so compelling?

Is it the long, svelte curves that seem to say “High Tech”?

Is it the promise of whisper quietness that tickles their ear?

By comparison, how could you prefer that fat, loud and unattractive box, the HEPA air purifier?

But beauty’s only as deep as the injection molded plastic.

What you read in this review of ionic air cleaners may make you reconsider rushing the merchant with a fist full of dollars.

Get facts no ionic air purifier review dares reveal

Facts like these that directly impact your health and satisfaction…

• Even the best electronic air purifiers are no better than 80% efficient
• Cleaning power falls rapidly, losing up to 80% in as few as three days
• Regular plate cleaning is a must, exposing you to captured allergens
• Cleaning efficiency steadily declines over the life of the unit
• Defects and burn outs result in a short service life
• All ionizing air purifiers produce dangerous ozone
• Very low air flow severely limits coverage area
• No ionic air purifier has any effect on gases and odors
• Ionic air cleaner pricing is often unrelated to quality or effectiveness

Read on for the full exposé…

Ionic air purifiers are not better than HEPA

How well does an electrostatic precipitator really clean your air?

Marketing claims of “better than HEPA” performance abound because ionizing air purifiers may remove particles as small as 0.1 micron.

You may be aware that HEPA filters are at least 99.97% efficient at 0.3 micron. So, the ability to remove 0.1 micron particles seems to justify claims of better performance than HEPA filtration.

How does this stand up to the facts?

First, the efficiency rating of HEPA air filters is clearly stated in every HEPA air purifier ad you see.

Bottom Line: Ionic air purifiers compare poorly to HEPA. They offer only low, inconsistent and undetermined efficiency.

Ionic air cleaner efficiency drops quickly

Unlike HEPA filters that increase in capture efficiency as they load up with particles, electronic air cleaners rapidly lose efficiency. No ionic air purifier review reveals this severe limitation.

In as few as three days efficiency can be less than 20% that of clean plates. Since the best ionic air cleaners may have an initial efficiency of 80% your electrostatic precipitator may only attract 15% of passing particles.

Bottom Line: The poor performance of an ionic air purifier rapidly becomes even more dismal.

Ionic air purifier maintenance is more than claimed

Marketing typically presents only favorable information. Real or imagined deficiencies in competing products are exaggerated or simply misrepresented.

Have you been persuaded by cleaning and maintenance claims like these?

“See how easy it is to clean, just wipe or toss in the dishwasher!”

“Oh, how difficult it is replacing filters in HEPA air purifiers!”

“Oh, how impossibly messy filters are!”

“Oh, how expensive filter replacement is!”

Consider this fact, a HEPA filter may only require replacement once every two to five years depending on the model. Most purifiers are designed for quick filter replacement, taking perhaps five minutes.

At least one air purifier, the Honeywell 50250, is marketed as never requiring filter replacement, just occasionally vacuum it clean.

Yet, as addressed above, rapid efficiency loss due to plate loading means ionic purifier cleaning should be a daily chore to keep efficiency at a reasonable level. Most people never perform this task as often as needed.

The next time you hear an ionic air cleaner crackling and popping like a bug zapper on a summer night remember this article and clean that thing.

Bottom Line: Electronic air purifiers demand more effort than advertised.

Ionic air cleaners degrade steadily over time

This means pollutants can become stubbornly, if not permanently, adhered to the collection plates. Thus whatever efficiency you once enjoyed is gone for good.

Even with regular cleaning, oxidation of the aluminum plates occurs causing reduction in efficiency.

Bottom Line: Ionic air purifiers degrade steadily over time no matter what you do.

Electrostatic precipitators have a short service life

The numerous ionic purifiers I see sitting on curbs awaiting garbage collection would seem to say “No, this isn’t a good product”.

Of course, many may get thrown out when people realize they don’t work very well anyway.

One indicator you can rely upon as a guide to life expectancy is the manufacturer’s warranty. How long is it? 90 days? A year? Two years?

Most manufacturers anticipate few warranty claims. They know most customers throw the old unit away and forget about it. Even so, they protect themselves with short warranties.

Compare ionic air purifier warranties with those of top HEPA air purifiers like those featured on this site.

Some of these manufacturers stand behind their air purifiers for as long as ten years with many satisfied customers still using air purifiers originally purchased fifteen years ago or more.

Bottom Line: Ionic air cleaners offer no long term value.

Ionic air purifiers are not effective for large areas

Ionic air purifiers often use no fan or a very low speed fan.

Consider a quick comparison.

While I’m no fan of CADR ratings, they sometimes prove useful.

The Sharper Image Ionic Breeze had a CADR rating of about 20. The 3M Ultra Clean air purifier, has a CADR rating about 13 times greater than the Ionic Breeze.

Similar comparisons can be made with any electronic air purifier versus a HEPA filter air purifier yet the typical ionic air purifier review isn’t going to inform you of this weak performance.

Bottom Line: Ionic air purifiers are ineffective for areas larger than a bathroom.

Electrostatic precipitators have no effect on gases

So if you are concerned at all hundreds of chemicals in cigarette smoke or any other odor or chemical pollutant you need to look elsewhere.

Bottom Line: No ionic air purifier will protect you from chemicals.

Ionic air purifiers expose you to dangerous ozone

Ozone has numerous effects, none of them healthful. Initially it can seem to give a sensation of clean in the air, because ozone has that after-the-rainstorm odor.

Unfortunately ozone deadens your sense of smell while simultaneously increasing your sensitization to allergens. Thus allergic persons have even more severe reactions in the presence of ozone.

In sufficient quantities it can cause death.

Studies show that it reacts with fragrances, air fresheners and cleaning products to produce ultra-fine particulates with cancer causing properties.

Bottom Line: Ionic air cleaners pollute your air with dangerous ozone.

Ionic air purifier prices don’t reflect quality

Likewise, ozone dangers are not necessarily less in a pricier model. Even those claiming to have some kind of “ozone guard”.

It seems the basis for price is simply what the market will bear for the promise of clean air and a fancy, sleek design.

Final Analysis of Ionic Air Purifiers

Electrostatic precipitator air purifiers have built their reputation on promises of quiet operation and low, filter free maintenance. A careful comparison reveals that silence is the only thing they have going for them.

Unfortunately, silence about their glaring faults keeps unwary customers buying these air purifiers by the millions.

Are you one of many office workers considering your own personal office air purifier as a means to combat office air pollution and resulting health problems?

Is your office air at stale and irritating? Do you experience an increase in your allergy symptoms or nasal and eye irritation, even drowsiness and mental fog? You may be a victim of Sick Building Syndrome.

Would you like to know more about office air quality? EPA document on office air quality OSHA and US Dept. of Labor site about office air quality Please share this site about air purifiers

Sick Building Syndrome, a term first used in the 1970s, continues to affect office workers now as much as ever. Due to tighter buildings and a failure to recognize the importance of office building indoor air quality, health problems among office workers are on the rise.

While modern building codes require buildings to supply adequate clean air, in actual practice these are often circumvented. Office air intake may be limited to reduce power consumption, but this reduces the available fresh air. Air handling systems may be turned off at night or on weekends to save money, allowing office air pollution to build up.

Activities within the building such as cleaning, the use of aerosols and so-called air fresheners, perfumes and other personal care products, as well as office equipment and building materials can contribute an office air pollution load greater than ventilation systems can remove.

Is there anything you can do to improve your office indoor air quality? While better source control and ventilation would go a long way toward improving office building indoor air quality, you personally may not have any control over these issues. (For a list of seventeen suggestions to reduce office air pollution see Control Measures That Help Office Air Purification at bottom of the page).

One option you may wish to consider is investing in your own personal office air purifier.

One of the most important factors in keeping your office a healthy and pleasant place to work is indoor air free of health robbing contaminants. An office air purifier can help to remove those contaminants.

If you are experiencing irritation of the eyes, skin, nose and throat, mental fatigue, headaches, a stuffy nose, and other flu-like symptoms on a regular basis at work then poor air quality is probably to blame. Good quality air is air that can be breathed continuously without suffering these health effects.

Choosing the best office air purifier to provide this continuous supply of good quality air requires that you understand the pollutants you face and which of air purifier technology best removes them.

Requirements of an Office Air Cleaner

While respirable particles under 10 microns are always a matter of concern, the typical office workers health is affected most by two other contaminant sources.

These are biological (fungi, molds, bacteria, viruses, and allergens like pollen and cat dander brought in from outdoor sources) and chemical pollutants (fumes from cleaning products, furniture, carpets, paint, solvents, office supplies and equipment, personal products of workers, and manufacturing activities in adjoining areas). Both types of pollutants have the ability to irritate tissues and cause allergic reactions or infections.

Biological contaminants respond best to source control, however an office air purifier can help to reduce them. Since biological contaminants are particulate in nature, any air purifier chosen to control them must be able to deal effectively with extremely small particles.

This is best achieved with a HEPA media based office air cleaner.

Why Reject an Ionic Office Air Cleaner?

Though popular and heavily advertised, ionic style electrostatic precipitators should not be considered due to their many disadvantages.

These include low collection efficiency and rapid reduction in collection efficiency as the plates load with particles. In as few as three days, ionic cleaners can be reduced to less than 20% collection efficiency with the most significant reduction occurring with the smallest particle sizes, the very ones you wish to control.

Another big disadvantage is ozone production. Ozone is itself an irritant and lung-damaging chemical with the added effect of increasing sensitivities to other allergens and irritants.

Finally, ionic air purifiers have no effect on chemical pollutants at all, making them unsuitable to control some of the most significant health threats in your office air. If you want a truly effective office air purifier you should remove ionic type air cleaners from consideration.

Why is a HEPA Office Air Cleaner a Better Choice?

A HEPA media based office air purifier will remove 99.97% of particles as small as 0.3 micron. This is adequate for pollens, most dander, fungus, mold spores, and some of the largest bacteria.

A HEPA filter will also demonstrate some collection efficiency in particle sizes below 0.3 micron and thus trap smaller bacteria and even viruses. However, without tested ratings in these smaller particles it isnt possible to know the effectiveness any given air purifier may demonstrate.

A superior testing method does exist and is used to determine HEPA efficiencies in these smallest of particles. It is known as EN1822 (A European filter performance standard). It tests an air purifiers effectiveness at 0.16 micron, known as the Most Penetrating Particle Size (MPPS for short) and below. At this level of purification, bacteria and viruses are much more effectively removed.

The first manufacturer to meet this standard for a home and office air purifier was IQAir. The Allerair AirMedic also meets the standard of an EN1822 certified filter, removing 99% of particles as small as 0.01 micron and so being effective against bacteria and viruses.

Other air purifiers are available that sterilize bacteria, viruses and molds by exposing them to ultraviolet light as they pass through the HEPA filter. This either kills them or renders them unable to reproduce and thus cause infection.

Your best office air purifier will be a true medical grade HEPA based air cleaner. Adding a UV sterilizing option is very desirable as well as adequate activated carbon chemical control as discussed next.

An Office Air Purifier for Chemical Control

Every office has a variety of chemical contaminants, which can accumulate to high levels and affect your health.

Carbon monoxide from vehicle exhaust can be sucked into air intakes and circulated to all parts of the building. Photocopiers and other electrical equipment can produce ozone. Walls, carpets and furniture can emit volatile organic compounds such as formaldehyde. Perfumes and personal care products can expose office occupants to numerous chemicals. In an effort to improve stale and poor smelling air, aerosol air fresheners and other fragrances may be used that simply mask the problem while adding their own chemical load to the air. Photocopier toner or cigarette ash particles can become airborne and inhaled.

An office air purifier must be able to remove this broad range of office air pollution.

The only effective means of removing a wide variety of chemicals is through the use of activated carbon. This requires more than the token few ounces that are found in the carbon impregnated pads used in many air purifiers.

Activated carbon can adsorb up to 60% of its weight in airborne chemicals. To do this, sufficient dwell time, or the time the air spends in contact with the carbon, must be provided. This is achieved only in those air purifiers that use many pounds of activated carbon. Thus the ideal office air purifier will be one that contains a large block of activated carbon in addition to a HEPA filter.

Office air purifiers that meet the above criteria and which you may wish to consider are IQAir, Allerair, Austin Air, and Blueair. Each has models that offer excellent HEPA grade filtration, pounds of activated carbon and UV sterilizer options.

Would you like to know more about the purifiers I consider to be among the best office air cleaners?

Control Measures That Help Office Air Purification

In addition to investing in an office air purifier you may wish to consider the following control measures:

• Be aware of the symptoms of SBS, such as a persistent cough or headache.
• Find out how your building’s ventilation system works. Where are the office air intakes located? re they near an outside source of pollution?
• If your staff is experiencing symptoms of poor office air quality, check to see if there are any sources of contamination to the building’s ventilation system. Volatile chemicals, automobile exhaust from parking lots, or cigarette smoke can be picked up by the air intakes and circulated throughout the building.
• If your office adjoins a manufacturing area, be aware of contaminants from that source.
• Make sure the building’s ventilation system is cleaned regularly and kept in proper working order even if you aren’t experiencing any obvious problems – you may find that it will improve productivity and well being.
• Don’t turn off the ventilation system at night or on weekends. The additional cost is small compared to the lowered productivity and increased absenteeism caused by poor indoor air quality.
• Take the ventilation system design into account when making room for new employees or rearranging the office. Adding heat-generating equipment, such as photocopiers, may also affect air quality. The ventilation system may need to be modified to incorporate the changes.
• Don’t block air intakes or diffusers with furniture or other equipment that will prevent air circulation. Workstations should not be placed close to an air diffuser.
• Keep office temperature in the low to mid-70s F. Relative humidity should not exceed 60 to 70 per cent.
• Eliminate air contaminants at the source.
• Keep lids on containers of solvents or use non-solvent based products.
• Employees who smoke should do so outdoors away from entrances.
• Photocopiers should be in a separate room, and ideally vented to the outdoors.
• Disinfect dehumidifier trays regularly to prevent mold growth.
• Choose plants such as cacti that like dry soil conditions. Potted plants, while touted to improve indoor air quality, do not remove much in the way of pollution. They do add to the biological pollution due to mold and fungi growth in the soil they are planted in.
• Consider having your office air quality tested by a professional ventilation engineer or an industrial hygienist.
• When planning a move to another floor or building, talk to other people who have worked there. Have there been any problems with air quality?

When asked why I feel Allerair air purifiers provide some of the best air cleaners available I have to ask back “Who would you trust to provide you with clean, healthy air? A mega budget marketing company that jumped on the air quality bandwagon in pursuit of the almighty dollar? Or an air purifier manufacturer that has invested almost twenty years solving air quality problems throughout the world?”

They have developed over one hundred air purifier models, more than any other air purifier manufacturer in the world. Combined with over forty different specialized blends of activated carbon, Allerair is equipped to provide customers who have allergies or multiple chemical sensitivities with the best performance air purifier at the most reasonable price.

What sets this company apart is it’s founder’s personal experience with poor air quality and poor air cleaner choices. Failing to find any air purifier on the market that could address his wife’s multiple chemical sensitivities, Sam Teitelbaum and his partner Wayne Martin developed their own air purifier. That effort resulted in their founding Allerair with a commitment to provide effective and cost efficient air purification.

Allerair air purifiers, fume extractors, industrial, commercial and medical air cleaners are used by prominent companies and organizations including MIT, IBM, the U.S Military, the Mayo Clinic, Duke University Medical Center, Boeing, Lockheed Martin and the NASA Ames Research Center. They are trusted by countless contractors and many thousands of loyal clients who suffer from respiratory distress.

Why Allerair air purifiers are superior to so-called “market leaders”

The last few years has seen substantial growth in sales of air purifiers. This is due to growing awareness of indoor air quality problems and resulting bad health effects. Unfortunately, this has caused a rush to market by innumerable marketers whose primary business has never been air purification. The result has been an explosion of so-called air purifiers of dubious quality. The end user has been the poorer for it – both financially and health wise.

When it comes to air purification, there are three main points you should consider before buying an air purifier. These are: “Is it safe?”, “Is it effective?”, and “Is it at reasonable cost?”

Are Allerair air purifiers safe?

Certain types of air purifier technologies and components used in air purification can be detrimental to your health, actually releasing toxic gases into the air. While it seems hard to believe that an air purifier would add pollutants to the air, some air purifiers will help by removing particles while poisoning you with the release of toxic gases.

Below you will find some of the most common health hazards found in air purifiers. Most companies do not go to great lengths to ensure their air cleaners’ safety.

Ozone is not used by Allerair

Some air purifiers use ozone to remove chemicals from the air. Ozone acts by attaching one oxygen atom to other chemicals, forming the normal oxygen that we breathe and a by-product. Manufacturers of these products claim that this changes the chemical structure of the molecule and will neutralize it. This is only partly true. Ozone will irritate the lungs, nose, throat, and eyes. There are indications that there may be negative effects from chronic exposure. The “by-products” that some manufacturers consider “neutralized” can be toxic themselves. A recent study showed that some of these by-products are carcinogenic.

Potassium Permanganate is not used by Allerair

Certain types of activated carbon are treated with potassium permanganate to better adsorb VOCs. While this is an effective method of VOC removal, potassium permanganate releases manganese particles into the air. Chronic exposure to manganese at low concentrations in the air can cause a form of Parkinson’s disease called Manganism and other neurological damage.

Styrofoam & Plastic are not used by Allerair

Plastics are made from hundreds of different chemicals. There is one thing that they have in common: they all release toxic chemicals into the indoor environment. Plastics are made from petro-chemicals, and contain certain carcinogenic VOCs. Styrene, the chemical in Styrofoam, is similar to benzene. When air is blown by them, such as in a plastic air purifier, these chemicals are released into the indoor environment.

Are Allerair air purifiers effective?

Many air purifiers are just poorly engineered. While this is not going to make you sick, it isn’t going to make you any healthier either. People who spend money on products with these design flaws do so due to lack of quality information. Well designed air purifiers can be purchased for almost the same price as many inferior models.

Allerair air purifiers do not use attached filters

A deliberate design “flaw” used in many air purifiers are combined HEPA and carbon filters. The owner has to change both filters at the same time. However, the approximate filter life of a HEPA filter is 5 years, while a carbon filter should be replaced every 2 years. Combined filters force the owner of the air purifier to change the HEPA filter two and a half times more often than is necessary. This is not only a waste of a perfectly good filter, but also will add to the maintenance cost of the air cleaner.

Allerair air purifiers include pounds of carbon, not just a few ounces.

Many air purifiers claim to use activated carbon for gas and odor removal, but will not mention how much is in their filter. This is because they have simply coated a mat with a few ounces of activated carbon. In an average home, that small amount of carbon could get saturated in days, even hours. After this, the filter would need to be replaced or it would be doing nothing. If an air purifier does not make any obvious claims to the amount of activated carbon it uses, you should question the filter’s effectiveness. An air purifier without any activated carbon at all is really only half of a purifier.

Allerair air purifiers do not have poorly installed HEPA filters

Most air purifiers use HEPA filters, but many do not use it well. If air can seep around the filter instead of through it, the filtration process is not very effective. If the HEPA is not warmed before it is rolled and installed, it can crack, again drastically reducing its effectiveness. Many filters are pleated, but if they are not evenly spaced, the effectiveness decreases once again. Allerair filters use spacers to ensure even spacing.

Does Allerair stand behind their air purifiers?

Allerair air purifiers are covered by the best warranty in the business. A ten-year warranty on parts; 5 years parts and labor cover all of their home air purifiers, with an additional 5 years on all parts. That means every wire, switch, and motor is covered for an incredible 10 years.

Think of the last small appliance you brought for your home. How long was the warranty? 1 year? 5 years at the very most? Most companies today can’t stand by their products for longer because they’re manufactured with inexpensive, unreliable parts.

Review of Allerair air purifiers

Allerair’s air purifiers provide relief from asthma, allergies, MCS, and hyperreactive airway disease at home, office or while traveling. You can choose air purifier solutions that offer mold abatement, remove tobacco smoke and odor, and control chemicals and odors.

The AirMedic air purifier: The AirMedic provides better than HEPA filtration. With a filtration system that equals the standards of an EN 1822 certified filter the AirMedic will remove 99% of particles down to 0.01 microns, the size of bacteria and viruses. Definitely the best air purifier for protecting your family’s health.

The AirTube air purifier: Fully portable and excellent for hotel, smaller rooms, nursery, office desktop, or cubicle. Both units offer HEPA filtration and 4 or 7 pounds of acivated carbon.

The 4000 series air purifiers: Designed for air purification in areas up to 1200 sq. ft. the 4000 models feature HEPA filtration and 12 pounds of MAC-B carbon that can be customized to your particular environment. UV sterilizer models are also available in this series.

The 5000 series air purifiers. Designed for air purification in areas up to 1500 sq. ft. the 5000 models feature HEPA filtration and 18 to 28 pounds of MAC-B carbon that can be customized to your particular environment. UV sterilizer models are also available in this series.

The 6000 series air purifiers. Designed for air purification in areas up to 1800 sq. ft. the 6000 models feature HEPA filtration and 22 to 36 pounds of MAC-B carbon that can be customized to your particular environment. UV sterilizer models are also available in this series.

Knowing what sets the best HEPA filter air purifiers apart from the mediocre is becoming ever more important.

Why? Because growing public concern about indoor air pollution has moved many companies to cash in on the business of selling air cleaners.

But these companies often have no experience in the field of air purification. Their products are not always manufactured with the user in mind. Suitability of the technology used, soundness of construction and materials, overall effectiveness, and safety with respect to harmful byproducts may take a backseat to profits.

It’s up to you to sort through the multitude of air cleaner brands, models and bold claims.

What glaring flaws will you find in poor quality HEPA filter air purifiers?

The filter is not really a true HEPA filter

There are many sly dogs who want to capitalize on public familiarity with the term HEPA.

You may see air purifiers that claim to be HEPA-type, HEPA-like, microHEPA, microfiltration, 99% something or another, xxxxHEPA or HEPAxxxx, where xxxx may be any number of buzzwords. Don’t be fooled. HEPA filter air purifiers should plainly state that the filter is true HEPA or medical grade HEPA.

The filter uses HEPA media but cannot certify HEPA performance

HEPA filter media is essential as it is the only filter media capable of trapping 99.97% of particles as small as 0.3 microns.

But while the media may be true HEPA what if, due to poor construction, the filter is not?

HEPA filter media is a fine pleated paper and cheaply made media can suffer cracks at the folds that reduce actual efficiency. Be sure to insist on a medical grade HEPA filter that has been warm rolled to prevent cracks and laser tested to ensure integrity.

A manufacturer should be able to assure you the filter is free of defects and capable of actually performing at the rated efficiency of the media.

Air bypasses the filter, reducing the air cleaner’s efficiency

Many air purifiers are promoted as having true HEPA air filters, but these air purifiers do not have high efficiencies as a unit.

The reason is that the filter is not tightly secured in the housing with airtight gaskets to ensure against air leakage around the filter. These gaps reduce actual efficiency. This problem is often seen in air purifiers made with cheap, soft plastic housings that do not securely fit with the filter.

However, do not dismiss all plastic units. Hard, ABS type plastic is a suitable lightweight alternative to metal housings. This is the chosen material for IQAir air purifiers.

Cheap fan motors with no warranty or a very limited warranty

There is another reason the claim of HEPA filtration is not accurate in poorly designed air purifiers where some of the airflow bypasses the HEPA filter. The motor is at the heart of the problem.

A powerful fan and motor made with properly sealed bearings is an essential component of high quality air purifiers. The amount of clean air delivered to your home is directly dependent on the amount of air you can pass through the filter media. The more the better.

A well sealed system with tight gaskets is going to build up a lot of back pressure that requires a strong motor to overcome. Such a motor must also resist the buildup of heat due to strenuous duty. A suitable motor thus adds considerably to the expense of a quality air purifier. Air purifiers with enough fan power can also be noisy, up to 70 decibels.

In order to offer the public a cheap air purifier, designers start with a cheap motor. To accommodate an inferior motor, air is permitted to bypass the filter. This relieves the back pressure and thus the strain on the motor. It also allows the bypassing air to help cool the motor, thus extending its life and reducing warranty claims. This deliberate bypassing and weaker motor combination also helps reduce noise, which seems to be a concern of many consumers.

However the end result is a poorly performing, inefficient, mass market “HEPA air purifier”.

Price may serve as no guide

Most evil of all, these non-performers may not be “cheap” at all. Some are priced similarly to or even higher than superior quality air purifiers in an effort to be viewed as being of the same caliber.

Who offers top quality true HEPA filter air purifiers?

Each of the companies below manufactures some of the best HEPA filter air purifiers available for home use.

• Allerair air purifiers come in over 100 models, most providing true medical grade HEPA filtration. Allerair offers excellent filtration for an economical cost.
• Austin Air.
• Blueair air purifiers use a special approach to HEPA filtration. In addition to providing a large surface area filter, Blueair filters have larger openings in their polymer based media. This allows a much higher airflow and thus requires a smaller, less noisy fan. The trick in these air purifiers is the addition of electrostatic brushes in the airflow prior to the HEPA element. This charges particles and gets them to “stick” electrostatically to the filter media. Blueair thus offers the quitest HEPA filter air purifiers available.
• IQ Air.

Are air purifier manufacturers that claim an activated carbon filter pad can remove chemicals and odors deceiving you?

Many air purifiers use activated carbon for gas and odor removal, but will not mention how much is in their filter. This is because they have simply coated a mat with a few ounces of activated carbon.

In an average home, that small amount of carbon could get saturated in days, even hours. After this, the filter would need to be replaced or it would be doing nothing.

If an air purifier does not make any obvious claims to the amount of activated carbon it uses, you should question the filter’s effectiveness.

To learn more about activated carbon for air purification view these additional articles:

• Why is activated carbon filtration essential in your air purifier?
• Activated carbon air cleaner report | The purifiers that really perform
• Choosing activated carbon filters | How to evaluate air purifier quality
• Activated carbon for odor control in your home

Why an activated carbon filter pad doesn’t give you the air purification you expect

Air purification is big business. Realizing the demand for air purification, many companies have entered the air purifier market.

However, you should take note: These companies are not air purifier manufacturers whose sole business is air purification. They are consumer product sales organizations. Most manufacture nothing at all, but contract design and production to others. Their primary concern is to blanket the market with whatever is the hot seller of the day.

Eager to gain the approval of consumers by giving the appearance of quality and superiority, they hype the fact that they offer a “multistage” air cleaner that can control all sorts of air pollution.

Activated carbon filters are usually featured as one of the stages in these air purifiers. They typically take the form of a foam mesh impregnated with a few ounces of activated carbon.

Is this really good enough? Are these companies really being honest? What about those manufacturers that offer a deep activated carbon bed that includes many pounds of activated carbon?

Question the quality of the activated carbon

First of all, lets bring up the question of the quality of the activated carbon. Activated carbon can vary greatly depending on the methods used to produce it. For instance, the surface area available to adsorb pollutants can vary between 400 sq. meters per gram to over 1500 sq. meters per gram.

Also, it is true activated carbon can generally remove some of any chemical. However, raw activated carbon may not be very effective against some of the very pollutants you’re concerned about. That’s why activated carbon needs to be impregnated with special catalysts and chemisorbers to ensure maximum effectiveness against the pollutants you wish to target.

Air purifiers using an activated carbon filter pad never address these issues in any of their consumer literature.

Question the quantity of filtration

How much chemical contamination can a few ounces of activated carbon adsorb?

Activated carbon can adsorb as much as 60% of its weight in pollutants. This is best accomplished by increasing the “dwell time” or time spent in contact with the pollutants.

An activated carbon filter pad cannot supply much in the way of dwell time. This is why air purifier manufacturers whose real business is nothing but air purification include a deep activated carbon bed that often weighs many pounds.

Question the design of the air purifier

Activated carbon filter pads are often used as a prefilter in front of a higher efficiency particle filter. This exposes the activated carbon to the incoming stream of dust and microparticles. The structure of activated carbon is that of macropores branching into ever-smaller micropores. Incoming particles can easily clog these larger pores and prevent gaseous contaminants from entering the micropores where adsorption takes place. Using an activated carbon filter pad as a prefilter is a bad design decision.

Another bad decision that seems to defy all common sense is the inclusion of scent cartridges in air purifiers with activated carbon filter pads. Since activated carbon is supposed to remove odors and volatile chemicals from the air, why is a source of volatile chemical fragrance included? This seems to defeat the purpose of the activated carbon. The reality is that the scent masks the odors in the air and is intended to lead you to believe the air purifier is doing a good job.

Purification with activated carbon works if you choose the right air purifier

Activated carbon filters have real value when they take the form of a deep activated carbon bed. There are several air purifier manufacturers that design and build there own products with this in mind. Some examples are Allerair, Austin Air, Blueair, and Iqair. These companies understand that a large volume of activated carbon is essential for air purifier performance.

Activated carbon filter pads are a gimmick of marketing companies. These sales organizations are only interested in grabbing a piece of the air purifier market with inferior products. They rely on the absence of consumer education about air purification to succeed.

You can make a much better choice.

Would you like to know more about how you can buy air purifiers while avoiding costly mistakes?

Why not invest the time now to discover the simple rules to getting the clean air you want?

Rule #1: Don’t Be Pressured To Buy The “Best Air Purifier”

Instead, focus on of satisfying your real needs

We all want what’s best for ourselves and our family. But what do you think? Is the best air purifier for you the same one I use, or the one on TV, or the one your brother-in-law recommends?

Or is it the one that satisfies your personal needs, your health and your budget?

Unfortunately, many consumers buy air purifiers based upon misguided advice that doesn’t take into consideration what they really need.

As a skilled craftsman chooses the right tool for a task you should choose the right air purifier for your circumstances. Before you buy air purifiers know the health benefits you want to achieve.

For instance, do you need an air purifier for allergies? Particles in the 2.5 to 10 micron range often cause sinus irritation and allergies. How effectively will your air purifier remove these? How often will it cycle your room air each hour? A minimum of four air changes is best for allergies.

If you have asthma, COPD, emphysema, MCS or other breathing ailments then particles smaller than 2.5 micron are your greatest concern. Only buy air purifiers rated to remove these particles while delivering six air changes per hour in your room.

I invite you to read more about how your health is improved by the right air purifier in my article, Buy An Air Purifier That Really Works.

Whatever your health need, the idea of a single best air purifier is a myth. Each air purifier is an exercise in trade-offs. Compare air purifiers based on the performance balance you wish to strike.

Certain air purifiers deliver high air flow but sacrifice odor removal. Some tackle odors exceptionally well but the dense activated carbon filter reduces air flow. Others balance both needs but at greater cost and noise. Some air purifiers perform well at a reasonable price but without extras you may want.

Lesson: The best way to buy air purifiers is to focus on your personal health needs and get value for your budget. A good place to begin is achoo!Allergy’s Air purifier Buying Guide.

Rule #2: Don’t Trust Air Purifier Reviews

Do your own careful research

Lesson: Do not rely upon air purifier reviews to compare air purifiers. What air purifier reviews don’t tell you is that they may exclude the best air purifiers simply because they aren’t available in the big box retail stores.

Or they exclude air purifiers clearly superior to whatever they’re promoting.

Or their testing criteria fails to address dangers like ozone, or realistically evaluate long term performance for the particles most harmful to your health.

These problems plague even the best air purifier reviews. For instance, the highly respected Consumer Reports has drawn fire for ill advised air purifier reviews. The primary complaints against Consumer Reports on air purifiers are:

• Flawed selection criteria based on sales volume not quality
• Flawed testing based on AHAM CADR (More about the flawed AHAM CADR ratings here.)
• Failure to evaluate permanent particle removal, allowing units that “static cling” particles to the test chamber walls
• Testing for only the largest 20% of particles, not the most harmful ultra-fine particles
• Failure to test for removal of gases and odors
• Basing results on a 30 minute test, not long term performance
• Accepting and recommending air purifiers that produce ozone despite the health risks of ozone

Here is one mother’s experience with Consumer Reports on air purifiers:

Lesson: Do not rely solely upon air purifier reviews to buy air purifiers. The results reflect the prejudices of the reviewers. Do your own research. A good place to begin is here on my site or achoo!Allergy’s Air purifier Buying Guide.

Rule #3: Don’t Trust Industry Air Purifier Ratings

Search out accurate third party air purifier information

Consumers almost always buy air purifiers that under-perform because air purifier ratings are subjective at best, deceptive at worst and almost always overstate the area that can be cleaned.

Air purifier experts recommend four air changes per hour (ACH) for allergy relief and six ACH for those with more severe and chronic respiratory ailments.

But how can you compare air purifiers for air changes per hour? Performance statistics are often not published. So there is little basis for trusting a manufacturer’s room size recommendation.

Where performance numbers are available manufacturers often make room size recommendations for one or two ACH. They base this estimate on air delivery at the maximum fan speed.

Even worse, some size recommendations are based on “free flow” ratings. Free flow means without any filters in place. Since you’re using your air purifier with filters installed this rating is useless for air purifier comparisons.

You should buy air purifiers based on how much clean air is delivered at low speed. That way noise is kept to a minimum. It also gives you surplus capacity when indoor air pollution is unusually high.

The CADR air purifier ratings should also be taken with a grain of salt. They often overstate performance for many air purifiers because the test is of short duration.

A case in point is ionic air purifiers. They do well initially but performance can slide by 80% in as few as three days as collection plates load with particles. Most consumers will let days or weeks pass between maintenance cleanings during which time little air purification is happening.

CADR ratings are based on large particulates like dust, pollen and smoke not the far more toxic and harmful ultra-fine particles smaller than 0.1 micron. CADR ratings provide no help to the consumer seeking to compare air purifiers for these more important health hazards.

Lesson: Don’t buy air purifiers based on manufacturers’ air purifier ratings. Seek out resources that honestly evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of products like Allergy.com’s air purifier comparison chart.

Rule #4: Air Purifiers Alone Can’t Do It All

Take personal responsibility for your indoor air quality

Far too many buy air purifiers as a cure-all for indoor air quality problems without taking any other action.

What can you do to clear the air in your home and make certain you’re not countering the benefits of any indoor air purifiers you may be using?

You and I both choose the indoor environment we live in. No government agency holds sway over how you clean and maintain your home, what products you use, whether you keep pets, or whether you provide yourself with clean air. You alone make the decisions that affect your indoor air quality.

If you want to make the best decisions about your health then begin by learning how you can protect yourself by eliminating the sources of indoor air pollution.

Lesson: Indoor air purifiers play a role in clean air at home but the single most effective step is eliminating pollution at the source first.

Rule #5: Take Ozone Seriously

Ozone kills

Ozone has a fresh, after-the-rainstorm smell. Don’t be fooled! This is not the smell of clean air.

Exposure to ozone is the last thing you need. Ozone exacerbates asthma and other breathing difficulties. It increases sensitivity to allergens.

A 2004 EPA study found increased ozone concentrations were directly related to premature deaths. The study found that lowering outdoor concentrations of ozone by a mere 10 ppb (parts per billion) would result in some 4000 fewer premature deaths each year.

Yet ozone generators sold as air purifiers can increase indoor ozone levels by 300 ppb! How many may have paid the ultimate price, their very life, by using these machines?

Ionic air purifiers should also be considered with caution. While not emitting such high levels of ozone as ozone generators, they do produce ozone as a byproduct of normal operation. Do you really need this?

Lesson: Any product producing the pollutant ozone shouldn’t even be considered as an air purifier. Under no circumstances buy air purifiers that produce ozone.

Rule #6: Don’t Try to Buy Air Purifiers on the Cheap

Instead, shop for true value

Many who buy air purifiers mistakenly consider only the price, not long-term cost or value.

But can you really afford the cost of a wrong choice? Always consider long-term performance and cost. Discount and cheap air purifiers offer only cheap quality and poor performance.

Cheap air purifiers typically have higher maintenance costs. One of the “dirty little tricks” is to sell a cheap air purifier and then rob the customer with high priced replacement filters.

These air cleaners may also have poor prefilters that allow rapid clogging of the main filter, forcing you to regularly replace the filters.

Cheap air purifiers also have cheap motors prone to early failure. Cheap ionic air purifiers have cheap electronics, ionizing wires and pins that fail all too quickly.

Particle collection efficiencies and airflow rates in discount air purifiers may make upgrading your furnace filter a far better and cheaper option.

Lesson: Buy air purifiers that offer true value.

Rule #7: Always Consider Routine Maintenance

Unless you have a maid

Most consumers buy air purifiers without ever considering the true maintenance needs. Certain infomercials have misled the public into believing that filter maintenance is a laborious, messy and expensive chore.

HEPA filter air purifiers of superior quality and value may need a filter change only once every five years and take no more than ten minutes.

On the other hand, ionic air purifiers are presented as needing little more than a quick wipe or toss into the dishwasher.

But let’s dig deeper. In as few as three days ionic air purifier efficiency can become less than 20% resulting in very poor air cleaning.

To maintain efficiency regular cleaning is necessary. Many consumers complain that the plates are hard to disassemble and reassemble, are hard to clean between and don’t always fit in a dishwasher.

What is the five-year cost of running the collector plates through the dishwasher every second or third day? What about the time cost? How does a ten-minute filter swap once every three to five years compare to the time spent removing and cleaning a collector grid three times a week?

Lesson: Filter Free and Living Easy is a false promise. For set it and forget it operation that also delivers best performance go with a HEPA filter air purifier. I invite you to read more in my article about Why a HEPA air purifier is best.

Rule #8: Don’t Consider Only Popular Air Purifiers

Unless you don’t mind paying for their celebrity

Many consumers buy air purifiers they’ve seen on TV, often as a result of some infomercial. Sharper Image took advantage of this fact to such an extent they secured 25% of the air purifier market at the height of their product’s fame.

But saturating the airwaves with radio and TV spots, infomercials, print ads and celebrities costs millions. Who really pays for this? You do, that’s who. How much of an air purifier’s cost is tied to the hype? How much to its design and engineering?

Did you know that buying top billing in the ads listed above Google’s search results can cost an air purifier vendor 7 to 20 per click. How many of those clicks result in sales? Even if one in twenty buy air purifiers from the vendor that means 140 to 400 in advertising has to be covered by that one sale.

Lesson: Your best value is in manufacturers specializing in air purification, not in marketing companies specializing in cleaning out your wallet.

Rule #9: Buy Air Purifiers From A Trustworthy Vendor

One that sells nothing but air purifiers that really work

If you really want a satisfying experience as well as an air purifier that really works buy from a supplier specializing exclusively in allergy relief products. Verify that they carry a a 100% satisfaction guarantee on every product.

Determine whether they offer immediate shipping on your order and how much it costs. Free shipping is good!

Is ordering secure and easy. Do they protect your privacy?

Is their return policy generous, up to 60 days?

Do they provide numerous customer reviews from real people? Is there a large body of educational air purifier information to help you choose?

If you call them do you get a real person that knows what they’re talking about?

Do they offer lifetime product support?

• Discover why the best air purifier for your needs includes HEPA filtration.
• Build the foundation you need to buy air purifiers like an expert.
• I’ll show you how…

HEPA Filters Meet The Challenge of Medicine

Your air purifier should clean your air sufficiently to give you real health benefits.

Will a HEPA air purifier provide you with these benefits better than any other?
What do you think? Would you trust the choice of hospitals as a guide to the best air purifier?

Medical facilities need air purification to control infectious microbes that spread through ventilation systems causing illness and death. Thus operating rooms, outpatient surgery, labor and delivery, isolation rooms, intensive care and other areas require high efficiency filtration.

The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), the American Institute of Architects, (AIA) and the Joint Commission for the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) all recommend HEPA filters for medical facilities.

Likewise, in Guidelines for Environmental Infection Control in Healthcare Facilities, the CDC recommends HEPA filtration to remove airborne contaminants. No other air purification method receives this endorsement.

If a HEPA filter is the best air purifier choice for hospitals then what is your best choice?

The Best Air Purifier For Health Benefits Is HEPA

Only HEPA filter air purifiers have the efficiency you need to improve conditions like:

• Allergic rhinitis
• Allergic conjunctivitis
• Asthma
• Allergic sinusitis
• Allergic bronchitis
• Animal allergies
• Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

A HEPA filter air purifier is effective at removing many types of airborne allergens, asthma triggers and infectious agents such as:

• Pollens
• Molds and mildews
• Dust mite debris
• Animal dander
• Cockroach debris
• Tobacco smoke

Facts About The Best Air Purifier Technology

HEPA stands for High Efficiency Particulate Air filter. A HEPA air filter must be 99.97% efficient, allowing no more than 3 particles in 10,000 to penetrate the HEPA filter media.

HEPA air filters were developed to contain radioactive particles at nuclear facilities. Since then, HEPA air purification has been used in industrial, medical and military clean rooms.

There are two very different types of air filters on the market that use the term “HEPA”.

• A true HEPA filter must remove 99.97% of all particles 0.3 microns in diameter.
• HEPA-type filters use similar media as true HEPA. However, their efficiency may be no more than 55% at removing particles regardless of diameter. These filters are much cheaper than true HEPA filters.

Avoid products that hijack the HEPA term but provide no performance guarantee.

HEPA filter material causes a great deal of resistance to airflow so a powerful fan is needed to push air through the air purifier.

Because of this resistance neither a HEPA air conditioner filter nor a HEPA furnace filter is practical. A whole house HEPA filter system is not recommended as your best air purifier choice. They filter only a portion of the air passing through your ductwork and provide you with less benefit than HEPA room air cleaners you can place wherever needed most.

HEPA filter replacement is essential to best air purifier performance. Your HEPA air purifier filters need to be changed when they are dirty or else your clean air will steadily dwindle. How often they need to be changed depends on several factors:

• How large the air purifier HEPA filter is. The greater the surface area of the filter the longer it will last. Some filters can exceed a five-year useful life expectancy.
• The best air purifiers use a prefilter. Prefilters stop larger particles from reaching the HEPA filter. Prefilters can often be cleaned and allow the HEPA filter to last longer.
• The kind of environment where the filter is being used. Homes with mold, pets or smokers require filter changes more often.

Now that you understand why HEPA filters are at the heart of the best air purifiers as well as some background information it’s time to move on.

I’d like to invite you now to consider why not all HEPA filter air purifiers are created equal and how it affects your choice of the best air purifier.

Buyer’s Advantage or Buyer’s Remorse: Does your air purifier supplier respect you?

Let me share how to buy air purifier and allergy relief products at no risk to you.

What is your biggest personal risk of loss when you buy air purifier and allergy relief products online? …Fraud? …Identity theft?

Try customer unfriendly policies.

Retailers once valued you as a customer. They knew displeasing you with poor service and inferior products was an unacceptable practice. They could lose your business and their reputation.

Unfortunately, Internet retailers seem unaware of such considerations. Access to a billion customers has killed responsible retailing.

Consider what happens when you buy air purifier and allergy supplies online.

You expect your air purifier to be an investment in the health of your family. What if the air purifier isn’t right for you?

With many air purifier suppliers this can be a costly mistake. Typical Internet retailers and auction sellers require you to pay restock fees as great as 25%. Given the cost of air purifiers (including those that don’t work, but that’s another story) you could easily lose as much as 200 on this transaction.

Some air purifier suppliers, especially auction sellers, have an “All Sales Final” policy, refusing any return. This is a significant risk to you.

I was once an auction seller. Returned air purifiers cost me a filter replacement refurbishing fee so the air purifier could be resold as new.

The company I represented encouraged me to charge restock fees that not only covered this cost but allowed me to make a profit on the return. So yes, air purifier suppliers can actually profit on a return transaction!

Never be exploited when you buy air purifier and allergy supplies online

I believe air purifier suppliers should never impose policies to abuse you while making profits from your loss.

That is one of the many reasons why I am pleased with achoo! Allergy. Apart from the usual guarantees of satisfaction, they actually have customer service and return policies that show they really believe in taking care of you.

Except for a few select products, some non-returnable by law like pillows, or custom made items, achoo! Allergy gives you sixty days to decide if an air purifier or allergy product is right for you.

One of the biggest surprises about their return policy is no restock fees!

There is one caveat to that policy. If an order is refused on delivery they do impose a small fee of 15%. This discourages frivolous ordering by non-serious persons who aren’t willing to try the product once it arrives.

That’s not a bad idea. I once delivered pizzas. It’s disgusting to hustle to someone’s door only for them to say, “I wanted to cancel that”. It’s only fair for a company to protect itself from frivolous people.

What about you? Would you prefer to buy air purifier and allergy supplies from an air purifier supplier that guarantees your satisfaction, gives you sixty days to try their products, and doesn’t impose heavy fees if you need to return an air purifier? If so, simply follow the banner below.

Do you have allergies, asthma or other respiratory troubles? HEPA room air cleaners are often presented as a complete one size fits all solution. I personally use a HEPA air cleaner in my own home, so my position is that they do offer benefits.

However, I find that much of the marketing is a little overly enthusiastic to put it kindly. Some claims simply are not supported by the research and the true measure of benefit is not as you might be led to believe.

The reality is the air in your home is influenced more by what you put into it than what you can take out of it. Does that sound reasonable?

HEPA room air cleaners can and should be only one part of a greater effort. My purpose in this article is to discuss some of the most common reasons for buying a HEPA filter air purifier and to what extent that air purifier will really help. I also will offer some alternatives that are even more effective. When these steps are taken together with air purification you’ll see the best results.

HEPA Room Air Cleaners For Seasonal Allergies

HEPA filter air purifiers are a great benefit if you suffer from seasonal allergies. HEPA filters trap both large and small particles so you aren’t breathing them in. Allergy triggers that cause itchy, water eyes, sneezing, and coughing are effectively removed from your air allowing you to breathe easy. This is one of the best uses for HEPA filter air purifiers.

HEPA Room Air Cleaners For Pet Allergies

If you have pets and you or someone in your home is allergic, then an air purifier may help the situation. However there are limits.

Cats are especially allergenic and are prolific creators of allergen. Worse yet, their allergen aggravates sensitivity to other allergens like pollen, making the allergic person even more miserable. One Japanese study found levels of cat allergen 160 times that of dust mite allergen in a typical home. The primary cat allergen, Fel d 1, is not only airborne but sticks to surfaces and textiles throughout the house. The allergic person is as likely to contact it via household furnishings and objects as to breathe it in.

A cat can also be compared with a lit cigarette; as long as it is present the continuous pollution exposes you even as the air purifier tries to remove it. Most studies have found air purifiers provide limited benefit to households that keep pets indoors. The best option is to remove the pet entirely. Even then pet allergens can take 6 to 12 months to subside from carpets and furnishings sufficiently for the allergic individual to be symptom free.

Some place the air purifier in a specific room, such as the bedroom, and forbid the pet from entering. This helps create a safe room for the allergy sufferer to go to for relief. However, the best option is to eliminate the source by removing the pet. Once you’ve come to grips with this reality, an air purifier will remove residual background allergens and help you breathe easier.

HEPA Room Air Cleaners For Dust Mite Allergies

Dust mites are tiny organisms that live off material such as dead skin flakes.

The dust mites themselves are not likely to ever become airborne and so a HEPA filter air purifier is not going to become a breeding ground for them as some competing air cleaner marketers wrongly claim. However, particles from their droppings and dead bodies can contaminate the air and a HEPA filter air purifier will remove these.

In all honesty though, most persons encounter dust mite allergen through their mattress and bed sheeting. Since your face is essentially lying upon the source of allergen an air purifier elsewhere in the room has limited effect with this allergen while you are sleeping.

Pillow and mattress casings specifically designed to prevent dust mites are your best option for reducing this exposure. Regular washing of sheets in hot water is also helpful. Dehumidifiers that keep humidity low also prevent them from multiplying since they require moisture from the air to live and breed.

HEPA Room Air Cleaners For Asthma

HEPA filter air purifiers are the most effective way to improve your indoor air if you suffer from asthma. Asthma triggers saturate indoor air and an HEPA filtration can help to diminish them.

There are many HEPA air cleaners on the market today designed to target asthma triggers. They can add a real piece of mind, knowing you are doing all you can to stop an asthma attack before it starts. For asthma, you may also wish to choose a unit with substantial carbon filtration, to address things like perfumes and other indoor chemical pollutants that can aggravate asthma conditions.

HEPA Room Air Cleaners For Smoke

Smoke: Smoke from your fireplace, cooking, or tobacco are potent irritants that can aggravate many respiratory conditions as well as cause them in otherwise healthy persons.

Getting rid of the smoke through source control is a far better choice than any air purifier. However, for intermittent exposures HEPA filter air purifiers coupled with activated carbon can quickly clear the air of both smoke particles and odors.

If this is your number one concern, then choose a unit that is specifically designed to handle this problem. There are air cleaners with specialized carbon blends designed to handle smoke more effectively than standard models. Allerair offers a number of excellent smoke air purifiers.

HEPA Room Air Cleaners For Multiple Chemical Sensitivities

Chemical sensitivity can be divided in two categories.

First, some individuals are sensitive to one chemical or a number of chemicals present in their home and need an air purifier to address this specific issue. A high-quality unit with ample carbon and good filtration will be able to solve this problem easily.

The second type of chemically sensitive person is one who is highly reactive to most chemicals they come in contact with and, in general, that includes the glues, filters, and plastic material found in many air purifiers.

If you feel you fall into the latter, don’t despair. There are great units on the market that are specially made not to off-gas.

When you are ready to purchase a unit, just remember you want to take special care in choosing your air purifier, as many units claim to not off-gas but still do. Individuals with severe chemical sensitivities should only consider air purifiers designed for individuals with these specific needs. Typically, these are going to include large quantities of activated carbon, often specially blended to give added control of specific vocs.

The key to picking the right air cleaner for your indoor space lies in knowing what problems you want the unit to address.Some air purifiers can be custom created to suit a variety of needs, such as customer-specific carbon profiling to make sure you get the right activated carbon for your chemical sensitivity.

Allerair provides this service prior to purchasing their MCS model air purifier. A sample carbon test kit is sent to you to determine your sensitivity to a variety of carbon blends. Once you have indicated which one is most acceptable they will include that blend in your new air purifier. The cost of the test kit is deducted from your air purifier’s purchase price.

Are you considering activated carbon for odor control? If possible, it’s always best if you can remove the source of the odors.

Of course, there are circumstances where this is not practical. Baby diapers or a health problem are simply part of life. Perhaps your favorite hobby or a loved pet raises a stink and you have no wish to part with these.

That’s where an air purifier with a large bed of activated carbon for odor can help you. Activated carbon is an effective way to remove odors from cooking, cleaning products, tobacco smoke, human and pet waste, and VOCs.

In selecting the best air purifier for odor control you should remember that the effectiveness of any filter corresponds to the quantity of activated carbon contained in the filter.

One of the preeminent air purifier manufacturers, Allerair, has invested much energy into developing activated carbon filters to cover most any odor problem you may face. Allerair offers over forty specialized carbon blends covering industrial, commercial, medical, and military uses in addition to home use.

Allerair activated carbon air filters are more effective than other odor control filters because they contain more carbon. A greater amount of carbon solves your odor problems by removing odor concentrations and providing protection over a longer period of time. The true test of a carbon filter is how long it will continue to remove objectionable odors. Allerair carbon filters deliver fresh air longer, from two to three years.

Allerair’s off the shelf coconut shell derived activated carbon can take care of odors associated with normal home cleansers, mold, personal care products, and new furnishings. This is possible with other high quality air purifiers also, like Austin Air, Blueair, and IQAir.

However, Allerair also offers a wide variety of blends under their “Vocarb” trade name. The most common Vocarb offered handles the extra pollutant load of new carpets, wood furniture (stains, sealants, etc.), computers, and particleboard. They also have specialized blends to deal with pet odors (Vocarb PO), urine and incontinence odors (Vocarb IN), and tobacco smoke (Vocarb SM, found in their DS, DXS, and other “S” suffix models).

You can also choose carbon blends specially made for beauty salons, artists, glues and embalming fluids, welding and soldering fumes, and persons with multiple chemical sensitivities.

If you feel you need specialized activated carbon for odor control then my first recommendation is Allerair air purifiers. My second recommendation is a knowledgeable dealer with personal service that can guide you in choosing the best unit for your circumstances. Allergybuyersclub.com is your best online air purifier source.

To learn more about activated carbon for air purification view these additional articles:

• Why is activated carbon filtration essential in your air purifier?
• Choosing activated carbon filters | How to evaluate air purifier quality
• The activated carbon filter pad in multistage air purifiers isnt good enough
• Activated carbon air cleaner report | The purifiers that really perform