Suggestion for air purifiers for our home

6 years ago

last modified: 6 years ago

Can you suggest a quality air purifier for our home? We need one for our large den & one for each of our 4 bedrooms. We have allergies & battle horrible colds every winter which last for about month plus. Allergies are basically year round, but especially bad during the holidays thru January. Every morning I wake up with a runny nose & a bit of a cough. We've been looking at Alen, Blueair, & a couple others. A second question: does cleaning the ducts really work or a waste on money? Thanks so much!

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Comments (5)

mmmm12COzone5
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
I like the Winix ones on Amazon. I buy the pet one because I have pets but you can look at the various price points and see what you like. Be sure to get one with the odor and dust sensors. They really work well and ratchet up to clean the air when needed. The filters are expensive but that is the price you pay for really good filtration. I have 3 units right now, one in the bedroom, one near the entry and one in the living room. They are quite old and probably at least two should be replaced due to occasional fan noise. But I think they are well worth the money.

I think having your ducts cleaned is a good idea.

https://www.amazon.com/Winix-WAC9500-Ultimate-PlasmaWave-Technology/dp/B004VGIBZK/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1502915131&sr=8-4&keywords=winix
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klem1
6 years ago
I'll leave brand name reccomendations to someone else but would like to help you control dust and allergens in your home. When you change ac filters,is ductwork that is exposed behind filter covered in lint similar that from laundry dryer? It shouldn't be if you are using correct filters. Can you see lint on outlet vents and ceiling around vent? There shouldn't be any if proper filters are being used. The correct filter 100% cover's intake without space where air can get around filter. The correct filter is pleated paper,not woven fiberglass. If you found lint in both places mentioned,I suggest getting correct filters in place and running blower continuously at least 12 hours out of 24. If you increase set temp while away from home,that's the best time for continuous fan. You may also run fan 24/7 until dust is under control,it will not harm anything and will cost less than $5 extra per month. Duct cleaning is never required if proper filters are used. I don't recommend duct cleaning other than in exceptional cases where filters have been neglected for years. I do highly recommend coil cleaning "IF" a competent tech say's it's necessary. Otherwise,like duct cleaning,you should never need coil cleaning if proper filters are used. You should be using HEPA bags in your vacuum cleaner unless it is water bath. When you notice furniture need's dusting once a month rather than weekly,you are doing something right.
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Allergies are hard to address if you don't know what your daughter is allergic to. Could be pet hair, pet dander, dust, pollen, smoke, mold, chemical cleaners, off gassing (VOCs) or other causes. UV lights can kill bacteria, mold and fungi which either pass by the light or which the light shines on. In fact I've seen a test on a cooling coil, black with mold and one month later was clean and void of all mold. In fact it only takes 20 minutes per month for a UV light to kill & eliminate bacteria, mold & fungi on coiling coils & drain pans. A two bulb unit placed directly above the "A" coil is recommended, a single bulb unit will cast shadows and be less effective. In addition, a 5" pleated filter with a high MERV rating (Minimum Efficency Rating Value) to address dust, hair, dander & pollen should do the trick. Always consult your contractor to see if this is possible, due to the increased restriction of airflow. VOC's can come from carpet glues, adhesives, paint, partical board and other such items. Eliminating carpets which trap and hold pollutants is another step. Incorporating wood, tile or laminate floors which are easier to keep clean is a good alternative to carpeting. If your daughter has been tested to know what she could be allergic to, the direct cause could be addressed more economically. Hope it helps, Dan Martyn
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ionized_gw
6 years ago
Last I checked, objective testing indicated that air purifiers don't work. Do you have a source that says that they do? Duct cleaning is a hoax except under very special conditions and clumsy workers can do a lot of damage.

The first thing you need to do is find out what you are allergic to. After that, you can make a plan to avoid the allergens. For example, if is is an indoor source, eliminate the source and maybe consider a central vac system rather than air purifiers. If the source is outdoor, making your house slightly positive pressure (with purified air) might be the way to go.

Have you read Jeffry C. May's, "My House is Killing Me"? For allergy sufferers, it is a good resource even though it is a bit dated.
kat123 thanked ionized_gw
User
6 years ago

EPA On Duct Cleaning
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ionized_gw
6 years ago
Excellent resource!
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Suggestion for air purifiers for our home

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mmmm12COzone5

klem1

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