Air Purifiers/Filters

[rupy]

Are air filters effective? If so which are the best types, can anyone recommend any?

I have been having some allergies in my new apartment and I think its something to do with dust (mites) so I am considering in investing in one provided they actually do what they say.

EG:
http://www.oreck.com/air-purifiers/air8.cfm?keycode=CK690

[Fridgemagnet]

That Oreck looks neat, and seems to double as a room ioniser too. The only thing I’d watch out for with this model is ozone production, a by-product of the negative ioniser on the tail end of the Oreck air path. Some ionisers produce more ozone than others, so the Oreck may be OK- you’ll know if it does produce ozone, as there’ll be a sharp, pungent smell at first, followed by an ever-diminishing sense of smell all round as the highly reactive ozone permanently burns out your olfactory bulbs.

But I reckon the Oreck should be OK if no-one has been complaining about a sharp smell. It’s amazing what a difference sleeping in a room full of clean air makes, whether one has breathing issues or not.

Mite tip: Always wash bedding linen at 100 C, lower temperature washes don’t kill mites and bugs, and they’re becoming more of a problem as people take advantage of detergents that work at lower temperatures.

[Emerald_Hawk]

@rupy

Are air filters effective? [snip]
EG:
http://www.oreck.com/air-purifiers/air8.cfm?keycode=CK690

By the way, the “well-known consumer products magazine” mentioned in that ad is Consumer Reports. It’s true that Consumer Reports found that Sharper Image’s Ionic Breeze was ineffective, however they had this to say about Oreck’s own air cleaner:

@Consumer Reports

Ads claim that Oreck’s XL Professional “cleans the air in your home of allergens, dust, and dirt” and include a Seal of Truth from the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. But the Oreck performed as poorly as other small ionizing models. As we noted in May, the AAFA’s seal means little, since it is neither an endorsement nor a statement of clinical efficacy.

I guess Oreck didn’t read the entire article . You can search Consumer Reports’ site for more reviews, and hopefully some member less lazy than I will post links to previous threads on the topic, since it comes up a lot. It’s too bad guests can’t search these boards.

Also, it may be worth talking to your allergy doctor about things like dust mite mattress and pillow covers as well, if you aren’t already using them. Unfortunately, getting rid of all allergens is nearly impossible and research has yet to prove that air filters significantly help with allergies. It’s really an area that needs more study.

[DrDeth]

What works is good fan sucking up the air and filtering it through a HEPA filter. There are plenty of them on the market. Your local hardware or drug store likely seells a few. A decent one for a single room runs around $50-$100.

Ionizers can take a small amount of dust, etc out of the air, and some dudes think they add a “fresh air” smell, but they don’t do much to really clean the air.