Honeywell Air Purifiers for The Elderly

As people age, asthma and allergy problems can arise either for the first time or increase in frequency or severity. At ClearFlite, we continually hear from people who never had allergy problems before they reached their early fifties, yet suddenly find that they are unusually sensitive during the spring and fall allergy seasons. We also hear from customers who are trying to make the homes of their elderly parents healthier in terms of clean air and water. There are several issues regarding air purification that apply to the elderly. One of them is the cost of the air purifier. Although any of the air purifiers we sell will certainly make their air more breathable, the Enviracaire from Honeywell, is a less expensive model that elderly people on a fixed budget might either be able to afford themselves or might be affordable as a gift from their adult children.

With the Enviracaire, the HEPA filter can be vacuumed, although the carbon pre-filter should be changed approximately every three months. Carbon is not vacuumable or washable. By manufacturing the HEPA filter from fiberglass, Honeywell has made the Enviracaire less expensive than most air purifiers to operate, because the HEPA filter can be vacuumed instead of having to be replaced. The good news is that the more expensive HEPA filter can be vacuumed, but the bad news is that removing and vacuuming it may be problematic for some elderly people. If vacuuming the HEPA filter, or changing the carbon pre-filter, both of which involve opening up the unit, would be too difficult, it might be better for the elderly person to have an air purifier like the Austin Air HealthMate which has filters that can last up to five years.

The Enviracaire is fairly small so it won’t take up much space, and it’s round, so it can be placed just about anywhere in a room. It can be placed on a table or left on the floor, and can be placed right next to the bed, if necessary. Honeywell has made its line of Enviracaire air purifiers soothingly quiet. The QuietCare version has a remote control, however the unit is already so quiet that there probably won’t be a great need to use it.

Designed for rooms 375 square feet or less, the Enviracaire models are the right size for most bedrooms and for most living areas in retirement and nursing homes. Honeywell has a reputation for making quality products and is a brand that has been around for a long time which also may be reassuring. The Enviracaire models are entirely safe and do not emit ozone or anything else harmful. It should be noted, however, that the activated carbon pre-filter is relatively small, and although it will adsorb some orders and chemicals, it does not have the capacity to adsorb a lot like the Austin Air and Aller Air models. If removing particulate from the air is the most important thing, rather than removing chemicals which can be harmful to people with multiple chemical sensitivity, then the Enviracaire is a good choice and a good value.