If someone in your family or home suffers with asthma, an asthma air purifier can be a key step to control common asthma triggers in your home. Common asthma triggers are the animal and house dust mite allergens, pollen, fungal/mould, chemical, as well as general traffic pollution.
Pet Dander
Cats, dogs, horses and smaller animals like hamsters and mice, rats, snakes and insects all produce proteins within airborne particles that can trigger asthma symptoms, although their source varies. With cats, it is the sweat and saliva that contain the allergen, while with mice, rats and rabbits, it is their urine. The size of animal allergen particles varies between 0.1 to 10 microns. Cat allergies are caused by particles that are at the lower end of this scale and are easily stirred up into the air, which means that they can readily be trapped by a HEPA (High-Efficiency Particulate Air) filter in an air purifier. This could be a satisfactory alternative to the more drastic and often dramatising solution of giving your pet away. You might also consider washing your pet with Pet+ Pet Shampoo, it is specially developed for people suffering from asthma and allergies. Keep in mind that using an air purifier and asthma friendly cleaning products will not only protect yourself and your family from increased asthma and allergy symptoms but can also protect your pets from developing respiratory problems.
House dust mite
The dead bodies and the droppings of this microscopic spider-like creature contain one of the most potent asthma triggers. Dust mites have been extensively studied. We know that dust mites live on house dust (which is mainly flakes of shed human skin) and they like dark and damp conditions. That should immediately suggest two simple, practical ways of dealing with the problem. 1.) Don’t allow clutter that collects dust around your home, and 2.) Keep humidity levels low by keeping the place well ventilated and refrain from using a humidifier. But what about an air purifier? Dust mite droppings are in the size range of 0.1 to 30 microns. Some dust mite droppings break into tiny pieces that are at the lower end of this size range, but the whole droppings are heavier than cat allergen particles and are less likely to be stirred up into the air. Therefore, an air purifier with a high filtration efficiency and a large enough air flow can take all dust mite allergens and other asthma triggers out of the air 2-3 times per hour. But you should also make sure that pillows and mattresses (a major source of direct inhalation) are as dust mite free as possible, and are washed with asthma-friendly laundry detergent, such as the Allergen Wash from Allersearch.
Pollen grains
Some people suffer from pollen asthma and will notice that pollen is their main asthma trigger. But, unlike those with hay fever, they tend to have asthma symptoms all year round. Like other forms of asthma triggers, pollen grains can easily travel indoors (through an open window or on your clothes when you come indoors, for instance). Pollen grains have a size range of 0.3 to 100 microns. Most whole pollen grains are between 20 and 35 microns in size but some plants, like ryegrass, produce tiny fragments of pollen which are nearer to the lower end of the size range. You also have to be aware that pollen grains can easily fracture and break into many small pieces - which can cause strong asthmatic reactions. A HEPA air purifier such as the IQAir HealthPro 250, however, will help you rid the air in your home of pollen allergens of any size.
Fungal/mould spores
Mould is a microscopic type of fungus (a mushroom is a much bigger fungus!) and its spores are like the seeds of a plant - they are the way it reproduces itself. Mould spores travel through the air and, like pollen, they are readily brought indoors. Mould spores can also be a severe asthma trigger. The best approach to tackling mould is to get rid of damp in your home. A HEPA filter can back up such efforts by filtering the tiniest mould particles out of the air.
IQAir HealthPro 250, HealthPro 150 models and 100 all contain a hospital grade HEPA filter called HyperHEPA which removes 99.5% of particles larger than or equal to 0.003 microns in diameter and are ideal for people suffering from asthma. The IQAir range of air purifiers can deal with all of the asthma allergens described above and more...
