Pollen, pet dander, dust mites and even mould can trigger your allergies. And while there’s no miracle cure for them, there are many ways to manage them and reduce your symptoms. But can an air purifier help with allergies? I asked the experts.
The best air purifiers are becoming increasingly popular, with people across the UK realising that they're one of the most important things to have in a home with healthy air quality. And while there are many benefits to these handy appliances, many people weighing whether an air purifier is worth it want to know whether they can help with hay fever, pet allergies, and more.
Thankfully, the general consensus is… yes! But while air quality experts all agree that air purifiers can help with allergies, it’s important to note that there are caveats to this. So, this is everything you need to know.
Can an air purifier help with allergies?
It’s important to understand how an air purifier works when looking into its effectiveness. In short, an air purifier sucks in and recirculates the air in your home while capturing airborne particles and pollutants in the process.
This means that an air purifier can prevent dust build-up, and even help to lessen hay fever symptoms. And Joshua Warren, air purifier expert at AO.com, says that this is key to keeping your home’s air quality stable.
He says, ‘If you suffer with allergies or live in an area with high pollution levels, an air purifier is an easy way to keep the air quality in your home at a comfortable level. They provide benefits such as absorbing unpleasant odours, removing pet dander, germs and bacteria, and keeping damp at bay.’
However, it’s important to note that an air purifier won’t cure your allergies, and it might not completely ease your symptoms either. That’s because there’s not a single air purifier out there that will remove 100% of the allergens in the air. Instead, the numbers are normally around 99.97% - with most models filtering down these pollutants to 0.3 microns in size.
Some higher-end, higher-quality models, like the Blueair Blue Max 3250i Air Purifier, can filter down to 0.1 microns, but this is very rare. Because of this, an air purifier will only help with allergies if you choose the right one. If you don’t, you may find that it doesn’t make a difference at all.
What to look for in an air purifier for allergies
1. The CADR
If you want to buy an air purifier to help with allergies, you need to look at the specs. After all, air purifiers are all so different. Most importantly, you should look at the recommended room size and the CADR rate (Clean Air Delivery Rate). This should also help you decide how many air purifiers you need in your home.
Lars Dunberger, head of technology at Blueair, explains, ‘The CADR shows how many cubic meters the air purifier will clean every hour. The higher the CADR value, the more air it cleans in an hour.’ And if you’re using an air purifier for a specific reason - i.e., to get rid of pet dander or to combat rising pollen levels - opting for a higher CADR value will suit you best.
2. The ACH
Alongside the CADR number, you should also keep an eye out for the ACH value. This stands for Air Changes per Hour, which measures how many times the air purifier replaces the total volume of air in the room with fresh, filtered air over a 60-minute period. Again, the higher the better.
Johnny Liang, Air Purifier Specialist at Levoit, advises, ‘For households with pollen allergies, pets, or exposure to poor outdoor air quality, increasing ACH to around 4.8–5 times per hour is recommended for more thorough air cleaning.’
3. The filter type
While it’s important to replace an air purifier filter regularly to keep it working as effectively and as efficiently as possible, there are so many different types of air purifier filters on the market. And if you want an air purifier to help with allergies, you need to choose the right one.
Chris Michael, Managing Director of Meaco, says, ‘Whether your air purifier will work for allergies depends on what sort of air purifier you buy. To be sure of removing most of the particles from the air, you need to choose a unit that has a HEPA filter. These filters are extremely fine, so can trap smaller particles than general air purifiers.’
FAQs
Is it worth getting air purifier for allergies?
Yes! Although it won’t be able to get rid of your allergies completely, an air purifier can relieve the symptoms of your allergies by removing these particles (such as pollen and pet dander) from the air.
As a result, you may find it easier to breathe, your eyes aren’t as itchy, you’re less congested, and you’ll have to take less over-the-counter allergy medication.
Just remember that you’ll need an air purifier with a HEPA filter if you want to experience the best results.
What is better for allergies humidifier or air purifier?
A humidifier makes the air more humid, which can relieve some of the symptoms of allergies. However, a humidifier can also add too much moisture to the air, resulting in mould and condensation build-up, which could make your symptoms even worse.
Because of this, an air purifier is better for allergies. This appliance actively removes the pollutants from the air without affecting your home in the process.
Does sleeping with an air purifier help allergies?
An air purifier helps allergies, no matter when you turn it on. But if you find that your allergies affect your sleeping patterns, there’s no harm in sleeping with an air purifier.
Just remember to choose one with a ‘sleep’ setting so the noise doesn’t disturb you.
So, it's safe to say that an air purifier is a must-have appliance for allergy sufferers.
