Modern homes are sealed tightly for energy efficiency. Energy efficient homes are good for your electric bill, but bad for your allergies. Those tight seals trap all kinds of contaminants in your home: pollen that blows in when a door or window is opened, cat dander that hitches a ride on clothing, or chemicals and irritants released by cleaners and perfumes. Pollutants like tobacco smoke, pollen, mold, dust, and animal dander can cause asthmatic and allergic reactions, making homes unpleasant and unhealthy for allergy and asthma sufferers. Other contaminants, like chemically reactive gases and volatile organic compounds, can cause allergic reactions and more serious health problems.

According to the EPA, health effects may show up only after long or repeated exposure; therefore, it’s a good idea to clean the air in your home now, especially if you have kids. Prolonged exposure to airborne allergens and pollutants can cause allergies (and more serious health problems) to develop later in life.

HEPA stands for High Efficiency Particulate Air. HEPA air purifiers were originally developed by the Atomic Energy Commission to capture radioactive dust particles. Our HEPA air purifiers will not filter radioactive particles, but they will take care of common allergens like pollen, mold spores, dust, etc. By definition, a HEPA filter removes at least 99.97% of all particles as small as 0.3 microns.

The inlet grill draws in dirty air. In most HEPA air purifiers, a washable pre-filter traps larger particles. By definition, a HEPA filter removes at least 99.97% of all particles as small as 0.3 microns. HEPA air purifiers were originally developed by the Atomic Energy Commission to capture radioactive dust particles. Allergens such as pollen, animal dander, mold spores, and dust get trapped in the filter. Many HEPA air purifiers also contain a carbon filter to capture chemicals, odors, and gases. Once the dirty air is purified, a fan sends it back into the room as clean air.

We recommend that you run the air purifier at all times to ensure highest quality air.

We recommend HEPA air purifiers for our customers who suffer from asthma.

You should make every possible effort to remove the pollutant at its source. If you think you might be allergic to mold, make sure you don’t have a mold colony growing in your basement. (If you do have mold problems, you need a dehumidifier.) If the offending irritant stems from chemicals or gases, then bringing in fresh air can result in a huge improvement. Also, some activities create high levels of pollutants like painting, sanding, or cleaning with harsh cleaners. If possible, it’s a good idea to open up the house and ventilate as much as possible when participating in these sorts of activities.