Any air purifier with a CADR rating lower than 100 could potentially worsen air quality, as it may circulate more allergens and irritants around the room. This can lead to a range of symptoms, such as headaches, sore throat, cough, asthma attacks and shortness of breath. Fortunately, not all air purifiers cause these difficulties and some work as advertised. But how do you know the difference? Let's take a look at what makes some types of air purifiers beneficial for your health and well-being, while others can be unsafe. Ionizing air purifiers are the only type that can exacerbate allergies (we'll talk about them later).
Studies have shown that air purifiers can help people with common allergies by trapping pollen and other irritants inside their filters, but there is still little consensus on the subject. The main thing to be aware of is an ozone generator that emits high levels of harmful ozone concentration. Ozone is known to cause illness, throat irritation, chest tightness, and aggravate respiratory conditions, including lungs and asthma. An ozone generator is NOT an air purifier and is not approved by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for use in occupied spaces. Never buy air purifiers that generate ozone. According to the EPA and doctors, ozone is a respiratory irritant and, in fact, can worsen allergy or asthma symptoms.
However, air purifiers do not cause any health problems that could make anyone sick. In fact, they improve people's air quality to make breathing easier. There are several types of air purifiers available on the market today. HVAC filters, portable air purifiers, and ceiling mounted air purifiers are just a few examples. Ionization does not filter airborne particles or kill mold and viruses, so these viable particles continue to accumulate in the room.
HEPA filters are more effective in treating allergies and eliminating allergens from the air. Some air filters emit harmful by-products to indoor air in the air purification process, but HEPA filters do not emit any type of by-product that may be unsafe for people. In addition to mitigating the effects of allergies, air filters can eliminate odors from the air and help you sleep better. For best results, make sure that the air purifier you have is in the room you spend the most time in, that it has a suitable HEPA filter installed, and that it is running all day. The HEPA filter system in most air purifiers is designed in such a way that it creates a clean environment for its users. When an air purifier works in a humid environment, it will recirculate humid room air and irritate the nose.
Don't expect it to clean an entire house and remember: only particles that pass through the air filter will be captured. Mechanical filtration is another type of air purification process. These types of air purifiers draw in air that is mechanically forced through filters that remove particles in the air. The science is quite simple: air purifiers remove pollutants from the air using a filter of some kind. But again, if you place a HEPA filter in your HVAC system, you may be looking for problems as some units develop problems due to increased pressure that results from pushing air through denser filter material.
