did you know
Based on a 2002 survey conducted by the American Lung Association and 3M, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ranks poor indoor air quality among the top five environmental risks to public health. Interestingly, five out of ten Americans are unaware of this fact.
Indoor air quality (IAQ) has deteriorated greatly over the years due to strict laws enacted during the 1970s in response to nationwide power shortages. As a result of these conservation efforts, both homes and offices have been built to be airtight, thereby trapping dangerous pollutants such as dust, pollen, fumes, and microorganisms in homes and offices. Because of this, indoor air is polluted and this, coupled with the fact that Americans now spend up to 90% of their time indoors, has resulted in an alarming rise in symptoms associated with asthma, hay fever and other respiratory problems. .
Indoor exposure to workplace pollutants, tobacco smoke, mold and biological pollutants, hospital pollution, and pet dander and odors can trigger disorders such as multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS) as well as asthma and allergies.
In fact, exposure to airborne particles is one of the main triggers for asthma attacks. Indoor air pollutants have also been shown to cause and exacerbate symptoms such as eye, nose, and throat irritation; headache; tired; and dizziness. Long-term exposure to such pollutants can even cause heart failure, cancer, and other serious, debilitating, and/or even fatal diseases. Due to this relatively recent evidence showing the effects of indoor air pollutants, air purifiers have become increasingly popular for both home and commercial use. Even the EPA has noted that air purifiers and cleaners are an effective way to remove particles and pollutants from indoor air.
Consequently, with this increased interest in air purification technology, there has been a wave of air purifiers flooding the market, and choosing an effective air purifier can seem like a daunting task. With many air purifiers using technologies like HEPA filtration, ionization, ozone, and ultraviolet (UV) light, it’s no surprise that many consumers feel overwhelmed when shopping for an air purifier.
In general, air purifiers clean the air by any one of three ways or a combination of these methods: attracting and collecting particles using mechanical or chemical filters, emitting ions through an ion generator to charge and attract particles, or passing airborne particles through an ultraviolet lamp to change the DNA of microorganisms, rendering them harmless and unable to reproduce. When deciding on an air purifier, it’s important to choose a purifier with a filtration system designed for your specific problem.
Whether you’re an asthmatic looking to decrease the amount of dander in your home, or need to keep the air germ-free for your bedroom clean, a purifier can help remove airborne pollutants, leaving you with fresh, clean air.