Air Purifiers
Air purifiers work by removing pollutants in the environment. They trap tiny particles of pollen, dust mites, mold, and other irritants that are usually found in household air. They can either be attached to your heating and air-conditioning system or be purchased as stand-alone portable room units.
How They Help
A good air purifier can make a significant improvement to the overall quality of air in your home. Some HEPA (high-efficiency particulate absorption) filtration systems are up to 99.9 percent efficient in removing unwanted particles from the air, to the extent that they could make a noticeable difference in severe allergies or asthma are irritated by airborne pollutants.
Cautions
While air filters can be a huge help, they aren’t a cure-all. Some types of filtration systems produce ozone, a known lung irritant. In order to work well and make a difference, an air-filtration system has to be carefully maintained, with its filter elements changed regularly as recommended by the manufacturer.
If your filtration system is connected to your home’s HVAC ducts, any gaps can decrease the efficiency of the filter. It is recommended that before you spend a lot of money on an air filtering system, you should first remedy any present air-quality problems at their source, eliminating irritants like dust mites, pet dander, or moldy areas.
Humidifiers
The continuous use of your heating system during the winter can quickly dry out the air at home, which irritates your eyes, throat, and lungs. This is why most central heating systems have a built-in humidifier to add moisture to the air in the house and help relieve those problems. You can also get portable humidifiers which make it possible to add moisture to a single room.
How They Can Help
If you need to heat your home for long or if you live in a very dry climate, a humidifier can make your home more comfortable. They can also be helpful if you regularly suffer from sore throats, nosebleeds, headaches, coughs, or other dry air related ailments. It also helps to keep the home itself from suffering from effects caused by dry air, like loosening of floorboards and furniture joints.
Cautions
While in some climates, humidifiers play an important role in keeping you comfortable, for asthma sufferers, they could be a source of trouble. Unless cleaned regularly and thoroughly, humidifiers can become breeding grounds for mold and bacterial growth, which can trigger your asthma.
