Air Purifier Summer Allergies

Although summer does give allergenics a bit of a break, it is also a season that can be better enjoyed when planned for. The sources of summer allergy problems stem from grass pollen, weed pollen, and mold spores. In early summer it’s the grass pollens that get airborne and find their way into our homes and lungs, in later summer the weed pollen becomes more prevalent. As in other seasons, it is important to make sure the pre-filter and the HEPA filter on your air purifier are not full so that the air purifier can absorb those pollens.

Lawn mowing can be a dismal activity for persons with allergies or asthma. Although you may feel conspicuous, it makes sense to wear protection over your mouth and nose when mowing. They are called “pollen masks” and are available in many drug stores, and sometimes at home and garden stores. Also, try to mow later in the day when pollen counts tend to be down. After mowing or gardening, shower and remove all clothing and get them out of the room (immediate washing is best). Before mowing, you might run your air purifier on high to make sure the room you’ll return to is extra clean, then remain in that clean room after mowing to let your body relax and breathe clean air. The air purifier models that ClearFlite sells are designed to run continuously, but it is always a good idea to run them on high occasionally to get the room as clean as possible. The higher the speed, the more the air purifier can pull in the air pollution from the farthest reaches of the room.

Many doctors now believe that the phenomenon known as the “summer cold” may not be a cold at all. It may well be caused by allergic reaction to airborne particles. The condition known as “allergic rhinitis” which is an inflammation of the nose, sometimes feels like a cold. Although you can’t reduce the particle count in the air when you are outside, you certainly can when you are in your home or office, by running your air purifier. If your air purifier has filters that can be washed, be sure to wash the filter during high pollen days.

Your air conditioning system may be bringing in pollens from the outdoors. You can set it on the “recirculate” setting. However, this is the time that it is particularly important to be running your air purifier. The recirculating air is not fresh but the air purifier will help to keep the air that is recirculating cleaner. It’s also very helpful to keep those air conditioner filters clean and changed regularly as well.

It does seem time consuming to keep your indoor air clean, but it is time well spent. Allergy problems are rising exponentially in the United States every year. People who have not had them in the past are experiencing them in the later years of life. A good, quality HEPA air purifier with long lasting filters will significantly help, and the maintenance required is much lower than on washable filters. Regardless of the type of air purifier you have, keep it in good working condition, change air conditioner filters often, and keep your indoor air as healthy and particle-free as possible.