Air purifiers are becoming quite the hip home accessory these days. But are they really worth all the hype that manufacturers build, or is it just a sham? Read on to find out more about air purifiers.
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What are air purifiers?
As the name indicates, these are home appliances that clean the air in the indoor setting. Certain machines are based on fiber filters like HEPA that can filter out harmful gases like ozone, nitrogen oxide as well as the organic compounds in the air. Others work by sending out charged particles in the air that latch onto pollutants and kill them. Of the two, the former is more effective, as it can filter upto 99 percent of airborne particles.
Why do you need an air purifier?
The air indoors can be two to five times as dirty as the air outside. Because we spend most of the time cooped up in the indoors during extremes of weathers, it makes sense to focus on the type of air we breathe in. Many people are turning to air purifiers for this purpose.
According to Dr. Norman Edelman, a professor of preventive and internal medicine at Stony Brook University, New York, it is best to keep the indoor air clean to prevent disease but agrees that keeping all the allergens at bay through an air purifier might not be possible. He adds that the data on air purifiers is insufficient, however, they have been shown to reduce allergy symptoms in people.
Benefits of an air purifier:
People who are likely to benefit most from air purifiers are:
Those who can’t stop sneezing. People whose body is triggered by the smallest iota of dust or allergen are likely to gain the most benefit from these machines. Pet dander, dust or pollen are some of the examples of the pollutants that these air purifiers remove from the indoor air.
People whose house smells of disinfectants. Many homes smell of disinfectants and chemicals because the air there is heavy in volatile organic compounds—VOCs. Varnishes, disinfectants, adhesive and carpeting are some of the items indoors that can produce the organic compounds. Consumers must be careful, though, to get a purifier that can deal with VOCs and other toxins, as not all machines can clean them from the air.
Patient of COPD. Patients who have lung disorders like COPD and emphysema can certainly benefit from clean air, especially if they are exposed to second-hand smoke. Such patients can have worsening of symptoms if exposed to unclean air, and an air purifier is certainly a good investment for such people.
Which filter is good?
A fiber filter is a good and tested technology that utilizes a filter, for instance, the HEPA filter. These HEPA filters can effective at capturing 95 to 99 percent particles, depending on which kind you bought. The pricier ones are most efficient, however, there are other reasonably priced options that are just as good. You don’t have to get a super-efficient one, just opt for one that cleans 95 percent of air. Just be sure to set your air purifier to ‘recirculation’ mode, and you are good to go.
If you are living in a metropolitan like Lahore, an air purifier can certainly help at decreasing the amount of air pollution you are exposed to even within the walls of your home, as Lahore is one of the top five cities of the world with highest air pollution.
Your health and the health of your loved ones should be your first concern. If you want regular physicals or check-ups, then book an appointment with a top general physician in Lahore, Multan and Islamabad through oladoc.com, or call our helpline at 042-3890-0939 for assistance to find the RIGHT professional for your concerns.
