Air Purifier - Helpful?

[garfunkel]

I spend a fair amount of the day in my bedroom (my writing/computer desk is there) and I think I need to do more to deal with the dust in this room. I've been doing some reading about air purifiers online and wondered if anyone here had used one, and if so, was it helpful in any way? My asthma has been pretty bad this year, so anything that could help would be great.

I've been looking at this one: amazon.co.uk/MELEDEN-Purifi...

Thanks!

[hilary39]

I love love my air purifiers and am always shocked and disgusted by how dusty they are when we change the filters, especially because we vacuum constantly with a HEPA vacuum, have no pets or rugs, and I do a deep clean every week. It's crazy how much dust and pollutants can fill the air even if you're quite tidy!

We keep one in the bedroom running 24/7 and then move our second one around the house. Both are HEPA and meant to clean a ~20 sq meter room.

They can be pricey but it's a worthwhile investment. The filters can be as much as 30 euros each depending on the purifier you get but if you only have to change it once or twice a year, it's totally worth the investment.

Our brands are AeraMax and BonEco and both are great-

[garfunkel in reply to hilary39]

Thanks for getting back to me!

To be honest, I don't deep clean anywhere near as often as I should, so that's something I'm trying to work on - I've ordered a small vacuum cleaner to try and help with this. I'm also decluttering, although progress is a bit limited than it would be in a normal year.

After something of a deep dive, I think I'm going to try this one out: amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B08... I was going to go for the LV-H132 by the same company, which is a bit cheaper, but apparently this one is superior.

It's definitely pricey, but if it helps with the asthma then I feel like it's more than worthwhile!

[hilary39 in reply to garfunkel]

I think you'll notice a difference right away. Often the air itself just smells better and cleaner and lighter within a few days. Like I said above we move one of ours to a different room every week or so and it's a great way to slowly clean the air in the whole house.

[alexa_s]

I started using an air purifier in May 2020 and can definitely see the difference. One of my asthma triggers is dust and since using the air purifier, my symptoms are better controlled. Speaking from experience, you should be very careful when choosing an air purifier, since there are several types. I made the mistake of first buying an air purifier which was producing negative ions , similar to the one you suggested. After 2 hours of use, it triggered an asthma attack and I needed 5 days of prednisolone. After further research, I chose this air purifier, which has a carbon filter and a HEPA filter: amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07... Also, when choosing an air purifier, you have to think about the size of the room or rooms where the air needs to be purified, since different purifiers have different capacities of filtering the air.

Hope this helps!

[garfunkel in reply to alexa_s]

Wow, that's pretty scary! I'm glad you're getting on better with the other filter and equally glad I didn't dive in with the one I was considering.

After something of a deep dive, I'm thinking of going for this one: amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B08...

The replacement filters are 'only' around £24/25, so it'll be a little cheaper to maintain in the long run than some of the other ones. Definitely tricky trying to pick one when there's so many models that sound similar!

Thanks for replying!

[EmmaF91 Community Ambassador]

Hi

There is no outright evidence that shows that filters help (hence why they aren’t officially recommended by docs/nurses), however there is a lot of anecdotal evidence to support that for those triggered by dust/pollen etc they can really help. I have one at work that I think really helps (and the amount of crap it collects is scary 😅), and have a couple in my flat that I use on and off.

I’d suggest going for a HEPA filter one. There are usually more expensive but are less likely to cause issues than the neg ion ones (or the ones that affect humidity). The only thing to check is that it’s the right size for the docs you’re in!

Hope this helos

[garfunkel in reply to EmmaF91]

Thanks Emma!

It's great to hear how helpful they are for a lot of people, even if the outright evidence isn't there yet. It sounds similar to SAD lamps, which I purchased earlier this year and have been finding helpful - limited scientific studies, but lots of anecdotal evidence of their helpfulness.

I'm thinking of going for this one: amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B08... The amount of choice is a little bit overwhelming, but it seems well-regarded, so hopefully it'll do the job.

[ccccc]

I bought a Dyson desk purifier for my bedroom about 4 years ago, one of the first models - I think it helps my asthma but it was expensive (about £350 at the time) though other manufacturers have produced their own since which are less expensive. The filter is supposed to only last 6 months but the app tells me there's 20% life left in it so I've never needed to change, I just clean it once a month which gets all the dust out of it! It nearly always come on when I enter the room which is either its way of saying hello or it's detecting all the dust and pollution we gather up every day in our clothes!

My opinion is it's probably one of those things that isn't quite as great as advertised but it's worth having as an extra bit of kit to help your breathing if you can afford it. There's been times in the summer when the pollen count has been high and I've sat in my bedroom with the window shut and the fan running and it does seem to improve my breathing. Just make sure it is an air purifier you're buying as some as just posh fans that don't filter the air.

[garfunkel in reply to ccccc]

Thanks for replying!

That's interesting about the filters, as all of them talk about needing to replace it every 6 to 8 months, and they're not cheap...

That seems reasonable - I'm not expecting miracles, but if it helps a bit, then I think it's definitely money well-spent. I'm thinking of going for this one: amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B08... Levoit seem to be well-regarded, so hopefully it'll not be a waste of money.

[starveycat]

I tried an air purifier but found it to powerful. I have severe asthma. I use a salt lamp, one in my bedroom on all night, and one in the living room . After they have been on for an hour they really seem to help me

[garfunkel in reply to starveycat]

Thanks for sharing - I'll definitely have to look into salt lamps (I believe one of my friends keeps one of them in her bedroom) if the air purifier doesn't work out for me.

[SteveLondon]

Hi how would you know if house dust / mites are a trigger? ( my recent allergy blood test came back no allergies )

[EmmaF91 Community Ambassador in reply to SteveLondon]

Simply put - if you are symptomatic in dusty environments, dust may be a trigger for you, whereas if you’re not then it’s not 😅. If you show signs of allergy (itchy eyes/sneezing/runny nose etc) than you are most likely allergic to dust. Allergy tests are known for false negatives so if you think you are allergic then you probs are (I have a friend with a massive allergy to cats and dogs and yet manages 2 blood tests showing she wasn’t until the 3rd which showed a massive issue 😅).

Hope this helps

[SteveLondon in reply to EmmaF91]

Hi correction now come back as dust & grass both triggers for my asthma , no allergies was referring to medicines / prescribed drugs.

[ChrissieMons]

You just have to try it and see if it works for you. Keeping a window open might be good too.

[stephnmiller23]

I totally get where you're coming from! I used to have the same issue with dust in my room, especially around my computer desk. However, after researching online, I decided to give an air purifier a shot, and it made a noticeable difference in reducing the dust and improving air quality. It's definitely worth considering, and I also found this website (diamondbackplumbing.com/ind... that helped me make an informed decision that might help you as well.