| ed to hold your breath when you have an | | | | The Dissenters |
| effective room air purifier. There has been a lot | | | | There are a relatively small number of studies |
| of study and technology applied to the way room | | | | that seem to indicate that room air purifiers are |
| air purifiers work and how they help keep people | | | | neither necessary nor effective. This is small |
| healthy. Here are some of the findings of the | | | | minority, but there is some merit to their |
| work done to investigate if you really do need to | | | | research which really only leads to the need for |
| have an air purifier in order to breathe more | | | | more research to substantiate their findings. |
| safely. | | | | Some research has raised the concern about ionic |
| What the EPA Has to Say | | | | air purifiers because of the ozone these systems |
| The California Environmental Protection Agency | | | | release into the air. Others claim the ionic system |
| has looked into the effectiveness of home air | | | | of trapping air particles using negative ions is |
| purifiers to determine if there is really a need for | | | | ineffective. The truth is there is more evidence |
| these systems and if they really to what they | | | | that ionic and HEPA filter systems do capture a |
| claim to do. In a nutshell, the agency reports that | | | | substantial amount of even the smallest particles |
| they have found no air filter can remove every | | | | down to 0.3 micron. The impact of the amount of |
| particle from the environment, and should not | | | | ozone released as a bi-product still warrants more |
| claim to do so. This is especially true of particles | | | | research. |
| that quickly settle on surfaces. | | | | What You Can Do For Cleaner Air At Home |
| One of the most effective ways to remove large | | | | You can do a great deal to ensure your family is |
| particles is through your whole house systems. | | | | breathing the cleanest air possible. Follow these |
| Your furnace for example has a filter that should | | | | guidelines: |
| be changed annually. Your stove needs to be | | | | 1. Replace whole house system filters at least |
| properly ventilated too. | | | | annually. These are very inexpensive and easy to |
| After taking care of the systems within the | | | | replace. |
| home, the EPA has recommended a room air | | | | 2. Keep your home well ventilated. Open windows |
| purifier that uses a HEPA filter to help clean the | | | | and “replace” the air in your home. |
| air. These range in price from around $100 to | | | | If you are in a high pollution area, then opening |
| over $2,000 depending on size. A room air purifier | | | | windows and blowing air out with a fan will |
| that is placed in a central location, such as the | | | | remove pollution that enters the house. |
| kitchen can effectively remove smaller particles, | | | | 3. Taking smoking outside. Never allow anyone to |
| but don’t always work to remove gasses | | | | smoke in your home. |
| and odours. As a warning, it is important to not | | | | 4. Use a room air purifier to trap particles in the |
| rely on air purifiers to remove carbon monoxide | | | | air that are not removed from ventilation. Using |
| or radon. These are dangerous gasses than can | | | | central air conditioning during the allergy season will |
| build up in an unventilated home and cause serious | | | | help filter air entering the house. |
| illness and even death. | | | | |