Cold Allergy Sufferers Benefit From Whole-home Air Cleaners

Cold, Allergy Sufferers Benefit From Whole-Home Air Cleaners

Summary: Despite your best efforts at preventing colds, do you frequently suffer from a runny nose, itchy eyes and sneezing? Research shows that irritants in the air - not germs - may cause chronic colds.

Cold, Allergy Sufferers Benefit From Whole-Home Air Cleaners

Article Body: Despite your best efforts at preventing colds, do you frequently suffer from a runny nose, itchy eyes and sneezing? Research shows that irritants in the air - not germs - may cause chronic colds.

The best way to find relief may be to follow the lead of allergy sufferers and eliminate as many of those irritants as you possibly can.

Some of the most common and potent irritants are dust mites, microscopic creatures that thrive in warm, moist surroundings like carpeting, upholstery and the insides of mattresses. Researchers say most homes generate about pounds of dust a year for every , square feet, and ounce of dust can hold , mites.

To combat the invasion of mites and other irritants, many consumers turn to portable air cleaners, often with disappointing results.

Studies show that most small air cleaners won't effectively remove allergens from the air because they don't have enough air traveling through them. In fact, according to the American Lung Association, "Small [air cleaning] devices are more about hype than air purification."

A more effective solution may be a whole-home air cleaner, like the Aprilaire Model . A whole-home air cleaner is attached to the furnace and installed by a professional contractor. Unlike portable air cleaners, the filter needs to be changed just once a year.

After the initial installation, operating a whole-home air cleaner costs about $ a year, compared to more than $ a year for portable units. Many homeowners would need portable HEPA air cleaners to equal the effectiveness of one whole-home air cleaner.

In standard industry tests, the Aprilaire achieved percent efficiency against airborne particles, including pet dander, mold, fungi, bacteria and pollen.

For best results with any whole-home air cleaner, run the fan on your heating and cooling system continuously.