Thursday, December 11, 2008

Helth Topics:Home Air Purifiers

Breathing comes so normally to us, that we hardly ever think about it. But however much inconspicuous it is, breathing plays an important role as to how our health is. What we don't realize is that the air we breathe, even in our homes, can be just too polluted for us to be breathing it in safely. In fact at times the air inside our home can be more harmful than the air outside. There are a few reasons to this. First of all, the overall pollution content in the atmosphere has increased manifold, and it keeps on increasing. Added to that is the problem of living in airtight buildings – whether we are at work or we are at home. The air tight buildings are better for conserving energy. But they also do not let the impurities already present in the air an outlet. There is no possibility for outside oxygen to come inside and do what it does best, purify the air. Under such conditions, getting an air purifier for your home, makes every sense. It will keep the air inside your home pollutant free and safe.

There are also health issues related to this. Dust and allergens present in air can be responsible for several respiration problems including asthma. Breathing in air which is not pure can increase the severity of the condition. There is no sure cure for asthma as of now. The medicines available do not provide complete cure, and they also have long term side effects. One way to tackle asthma, or at least keep the problem to a minimum would be to install an air purifier in the room. Air purifiers draw air from the room and filter it of the impurities. Once free of the allergens and dust particles the cleansed air is released back into the room. So the air you breathe is completely pure and healthy.

The kind of air purifier you get for your room will depend on a few things. Depending on how much your budget is and how much you need it, you can decide on the filter. With HEPA filters, you will achieve 99.7 percent purity in the air you breathe. However, if your need is not that great or your budget demands you o be economical, you can go for the more basic filters. You should also remember the dimension of your room, as that will dictate the capacity of the air purifier.

With increasing levels of pollution, and a consequent rise in respiration illnesses, home air purifier is an essential gadget to have.

By: Barney Garcia

Home Air Purifiers: Healthy Home Solution

If you are looking to buy a new home air purifier, check our tips that will help you make an informed decision.

Air purifiers have become an essential component in many households today. Home air purifiers filter out allergy-provoking substances, such as dust mites, chemical and organic odors, pet dander and plant pollen. These devices are especially good when a person has a suppressed immune system and is more susceptible to infections. It's a proven fact that home air purifiers help in such medical conditions as allergy, asthma, and hay fever.

A home air purifier draws in air, filters out the dust, pollen, bacteria and scent molecules, and then emits the clean scentless air into the room. The air would not be completely pure and sanitized, but it would contain significantly less dust particles and allergens.

There are several types of filters used in home air purifiers. Filters with added activated carbon - similar to the one used to treat food poisoning - serve as pre-filter, which captures large particles. Then, HEPA filter absorbs small particles. Some purifiers add a natural organic filter that neutralizes volatile compounds from household chemicals or smoke.

Less common filter types used in home air purifiers are electrostatic or ion filters that attract particles by static electricity and therefore can create unnecessary electric tension in the household. Hybrid purifiers employ more than one particle-collecting method. The fairly new method used in home air purifiers is ozone filter that filters the air and purifies it with ozone. However, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission warns that ozone generators can be harmful to people affected by asthma. Many experts think that ozone is generally ineffective against air pollution.

HEPA-certified filters are most common in home air purifiers. The next generation of filters is ULPA (ultra-HEPA) filters that remove close to 100% of particles. Uncertified HEPA-like filters have proved to be less effective.

All homes and offices have different air conditions which depend on the age of the building, materials used in the construction, and a number of plants nearby. That's why is impossible to predict the effect of home air purifier on the overall air quality. In general, dust and pollen particles are usually filtered, at least as much as tobacco-smoke particles.

When choosing an air purifier, look at the Clean Air Delivery Rate (CADR). This rate indicates how many cubic feet of air is cleared of airborne particle. Smoke is considered a smallest particle, dust is medium and pollen is the largest one. The higher the CADR rating, the less time your new air purifier needs to remove particles from the room.

Even though air purifiers can become a holy grail for many allergy sufferers, experts suggest that no one should rely only on air purifiers while trying to keep the air at home healthy and clean. The best strategy to achieving breathable air in your home would be to use an air purifier along with natural window ventilation.

By: Kirsten Whittaker

Home Air Purifiers: the Most Important Consideration

Before you go out and spend your hard-earned cash on an air purifier or indoor air cleaner you wanna make sure you check for several different components. You want to make sure that the efficiency level is high. HEPA filters are generally considered to be the highest grade filters in the air cleaning industry at large (i.e. including vacuums, air vents, etc) so you want to make certain that you get this designation which sets the bar for all others.

New advancements are being marketed every time, some of them are worth a look at, while others are a rehash of an existing technology with the use of clever marketing and promotions.

Generally speaking there is no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to air purifiers. You need to decide up front which factors in the air environment your office or home needs the most help with in terms of cleaning. For instance if cigarette smoke is becoming a great origin of irritation in your household you need to get something that will help reduce the amount of smoke caused by cigarettes and from cooking smoke.

If bacteria is a problem than you usually want a to go with the ultraviolet solution which will usually get rid of a good majority of the bacteria in the air. Be sure to read the latest articles on this and any other type of air purifiers to make sure that they are secure and have been proven to work productively for your needs.

By: John Thompson