Maybe It’s Time to Get an Air Purifier
Sometimes I think slowly. Even though I had occasional wheezing for many years, I only found out that I had asthma in my 30s. And although air purifiers are widely recommended by almost all people with asthma and allergies, I have never been interested in them. Really “purifier”? Sounds fake.
But since I got it, my symptoms are much more manageable. And if you have allergies (with or without asthma), you might consider getting it yourself. Right now, we’re in the midst of Asthma Peak Week , the time of year when indoor allergies, outdoor allergies, and seasonal colds can combine against us. If you live in a wildfire country, smoke could be in the mix too. Your lungs have a lot to do; an air purifier can help.
What is an air purifier?
If you go to the store for an “air purifier” or “air purifier” you will find replacement units that sit in the corner of the room. They suck in air, filter it – ideally through a HEPA filter – and blow it back out. Manufacturers’ tests show that these devices do remove particulate matter, which may include pollen or dust, from the air.
However, there is an important caveat: there is no strong evidence that air purifiers significantly improve asthma or allergy symptoms in people. The EPA says they may “probably” improve symptoms, based on studies that show little improvement. But we know they remove something from the air, and many people, myself included, find by chance that our symptoms improve when we have an air purifier running.
Last winter, my allergy symptoms seemed to pop up every time I went to bed. I already covered my mattress, pillows, and duvet with dust mite covers, which helped. But then I thought I might as well try getting an air purifier. Within the first or two days these pre-sleep symptoms ceased. Can I prove that the air purifier cured me? No. But will I continue to use it? You bet.
To get the most out of your air purifier, it’s good to remember that you have other ways to keep allergens out of the air in the first place. Keep windows closed during pollen season, for example if you are allergic to pollen; Dust well and vacuum if you are allergic to dust. We have more tips for reducing allergen levels here .
What kind should I get?
First, you should know that an air purifier in the corner of a room is not the only way to purify the air. The American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology recommends using an air purifier in a separate room and/or a MERV filter for your entire home’s heating and ventilation system, if you have one. (If you only have central air conditioning but no heating, or vice versa, remember that a filter will only help any time of the year when the system is running.) The higher your filter’s MERV rating, the better; 13 should be the minimum. Don’t forget to change the filter regularly.
If you choose a standalone (“portable”) device instead of or in addition, make sure it has a HEPA filter and look at the CADR rating. CADR refers to the clean air supply rate, or how many cubic feet of air it can move per minute. Use this table from the EPA to figure out what CADR rating you need for a given room. For example, a 10×10 foot bedroom will suffice with a 65 CFM cleaner. But if you’re looking for something that can clean the air in a 600 square foot area, you’ll need a 390 cfm CADR.
In my house we have a MERV filter in the A/C system and I have a plug-in purifier in my bedroom. It runs quietly most of the time, occasionally going into some sort of turbo mode when it detects more particulate matter than usual in the air. There is a light on top that I know can be turned off somehow, but I prefer the low-tech solution of putting a sock on top. In addition, it has filters inside that need to be cleaned and replaced from time to time. I’m not thrilled about remembering to do it on a schedule, but now that it’s peak week again, I think it’s about time.