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Facts About Home Control of Allergies and Asthma
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What's In The Air?
Your home is a busy place. People are always working, playing, cooking, washing, cleaning and moving things around. All that activity is perfectly normal, but it can release small particles and chemicals that build up in the air you breathe. Whether your home is large or small, old or new, the air inside may be causing breathing problems, especially for people with allergies and asthma. But there are some simple things that you can do to clean up the air inside your home, so that everyone can breathe easier. This brochure will tell you how.
Asthma And Allergy "Triggers"
If you have allergies or asthma, you are sensitive to certain "triggers". These "triggers" can set off a reaction in your lungs and other parts of your body. Triggers can be found indoors and outdoors. They can be simple things like:
- Cold air
- Tobacco and wood smoke
- Perfume, paint, hair spray or any strong odors or fumes
- Allergens (things that cause allergies) such as dust mites, cockroaches, pollen, molds, animal dander tiny scales or particles from hair, feathers or skin and saliva from pets
- Illness, like colds and influenza
Other things may also trigger your asthma or allergies. It's important to learn which triggers a problem for you. Then you can learn to
avoid them to help keep yourself healthy. Identifying your triggers isn't always easy. You can experiment with staying away from one suspected trigger at a time.
Watch yourself to see if you get better. This may show you if that trigger was a problem for you. You can also ask your doctor to help. Your doctor may suggest
keeping an asthma diary, or having a skin test for allergies.
The Air You Breathe
Sometimes the air outdoors can trigger allergies and asthma. You may have to avoid outdoor air pollution, pollen and mold spores. Controlling your contact with
triggers outdoors is hard.
Any time air pollution and pollen levels are high, it's a good idea to stay indoors. The air at home is easier for you to control. Some people with asthma and allergies notice that their symptoms get worse at night. Trigger controls in the bedroom or wherever you sleep are the best place to
start. Air-conditioning can help. It allows you to keep windows and doors closed. This keeps pollen and mold spores outside.
It also lowers indoor humidity. Low humidity helps to control mold and dust mites. Avoid too much air-conditioning or too much heat. Room air temperature should be comfortable for someone with allergies or asthma. Some people can't tolerate a big change in temperature, particularly from warm to cold air.
There are air cleaning machines that you can buy that may remove some of the triggers in your home. But they will not remove them all. Some air cleaners use an electrical charge that makes ozone, which manufacturers claim will "purify" the air. But ozone can irritate the lungs, and is especially a problem for people with asthma.
The American Lung Association does not recommend the use of air cleaners that produce ozone. Look for mechanical air cleaners, such as HEPA air cleaners that don't produce ozone and can effectively trap large and small particles.
Removing the "Triggers" From Your Home
- TOBACCO SMOKE:
Smoking should not be allowed in the home. Ask family members and friends to smoke outdoors. Suggest that they quit smoking. Ask your Lung Association how you can help.
- WOOD SMOKE:
Wood smoke is a problem for children and adults with asthma and allergies. Avoid wood stoves and fireplaces.
- PETS:
Almost all pets can cause allergies, including dogs, cats and small animals like birds, hamsters and guinea pigs. All pets should be removed from the home if they trigger asthma and allergy symptoms. Pet allergen may stay in the home for months after the pet is gone because it remains in house dust. Allergy and asthma symptoms may take some time to get better. If the pet stays in the home, keep it out of the bedroom of anyone with asthma or allergies. Weekly pet baths may help cut down the amount of pet saliva and dander in the home. Sometimes you hear that certain cats or dogs are "non-allergenic." There is no such thing as a "non-allergenic" furry pet. Tropical fish or a reptile may be a good substitute.
- COCKROACHES:
Cockroaches can be a big problem for some people with asthma. Tiny pieces of dead roaches and roach droppings end up in house dust and the air you breathe.
Like people, roaches need food and water and a place to live. Help keep your home roach free by storing food in sealable containers and keeping crumbs, dirty dishes and other sources of food waste cleaned up; fixing leaks and wiping up standing water; and 'cleaning up clutter where roaches find shelter. If you still have a problem and you choose to use a pesticide, be sure to use it safely, and as directed on the label. Baits are less likely than sprays or foggers to harm your lungs.
- MOLD and MILDEW:
When moisture in the air is high, mold and mildew can be a problem in bathrooms; kitchens and basements. Make sure these, areas have good air circulation and are cleaned often. The basement in particular may need a fan or a dehumidifier. And remember the water that collects in the dehumidifier must be emptied and the container cleaned often to prevent growing mildew.
Mold may grow on foam pillows when you perspire. Wash the pillow every week, dry thoroughly and make sure to change it every year. Or change to a fiber-filled pillow.
Molds also grow in the soil of houseplants, so check them often. You may have to keep all plants outdoors.
- DUST MITES: Dust mites are tiny, microscopic animals usually found in house dust. Several thousand mites can be found in a pinch of dust. Mites are one of the major triggers for people with allergies and asthma. They need the most work to remove.
Following these steps can help get rid of dust mites:
1. Put mattresses and pillows in allergen-proof covers. Tape over the length of the zipper.
2. Wash all bedding every week in water that is at least 130 F. Removing the bedspread at night may help.
3. Remove carpeting, especially in the bedroom Dust mites thrive in it.
4. Dust and vacuum as often as possible. To reduce the amount of dust stirred up when cleaning; use a damp mop or damp cloth when you dust. Try to use a vacuum cleaner with a high efficiency filter or a central vacuum cleaner with a collection bag outside the home. Avoid cleaning when the person with asthma or allergies is around.
5. Use window shades or curtains made of plastic or other washable material for easy cleaning.
6. Remove stuffed furniture, stuffed animals (unless the animals can be washed) and clutter, especially in the bedroom.
7. Closets need extra care. They should hold only needed clothing. Putting clothes in a plastic garment bag may help. (Do not use the plastic bag that covers dry cleaning.)
8. Dust mites like moisture and high humidity. Cutting down the humidity in your home can cut down the number of mites. A dehumidifier may help.
- STRONG ODORS or FUMES: Perfume, room deodorizers, cleaning chemicals, paint and talcum powder are examples of triggers that must be avoided or kept to very low levels.
You Can Make A Difference In Your Home
Controlling the home environment is a very important part of asthma and allergy care. In addition to seeing a doctor regularly and taking medications as prescribed, the most important things that you can do to make a difference are:
- Reduce or remove as many asthma and allergy triggers from your home as possible.
- If possible, use high efficiency air filters and air-conditioners, and properly maintain them to keep your home cleaner and more comfortable.
- Pay attention to the problem of dust mites. Work hard to control this problem, especially in the bedroom.
- Contact the American Lung Association for more information. You can reach your local Lung Association by calling l-800-LUNG-USA.
Allergen Control: IQAir® HealthPro
Airborne Allergen Control
Good health starts with healthy air. But many of us suffer from airborne allergens and irritants. Allergens have various indoor sources, like pets, plants, fungi spores and house dust mites. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that the air in our homes and offices is two to five times as
polluted as outdoor air. Since we spend over 90% of our time indoors, controlling airborne allergens and irritants indoors can make a significant
contribution towards reducing our overall exposure.
The first steps in any allergy and asthma avoidance strategy is to identify and control the sources of allergens. Unfortunately, it is not always possible or practical to eliminate allergen and other indoor air pollution sources. That's where a high-performance air cleaner can make an important contribution. A good air cleaning device can dramatically improve the air quality in your home by constantly filtering out allergens and other irritants from the room air.
But with so many different air cleaners out there, how do you evaluate which air cleaner is best for you? Information about air cleaners is often confusing and misleading.
IQAir® believes in giving you detailed and accurate information. We are confident that when you take a closer look at IQAir®'s certified performance and guarantees, you'll know exactly why the HealthPro® is the air cleaner for you.
Not All Air Cleaners Are Created Equal...
And not all air cleaners produce the same clean air results. The ability to capture and retain microscopic particles varies widely among ordinary air cleaners, including true HEPA air cleaners. The HealthPro® is so efficient in removing these tiny particles that even sophisticated measuring equipment, using laser technology, will find virtually no particles in the HealthPro's clean air stream.
Actual, Not Just Theoretical Efficiency
Efficiency statements of many air cleaners look impressive at first glance. Air cleaners with HEPA (High-Efficiency Particulate Arrestance) filters often advertise efficiencies of 99.97% for particles of 0.3 microns (that's about 240 times smaller than the width of a human hair) and larger. However, these claims are based on the theoretical efficiency of the HEPA filter material used and not the actual clean air produced by the air cleaner. System leakage and inferior construction can reduce the actual particle filtration efficiency of HEPA air cleaners to less than 50%.
General Information
Experience the HealthPro® Difference
The current 0.3 micron DOP test for HEPA filters was developed in the 1950s. This testing standard is outdated, as it only tests filters at 0.3 microns. Over 90% of all particles in indoor air are smaller than 0.3 microns. Many air cleaners are much less efficient for these smaller particles, which are particularly damaging to human health.
Released in the year 2000, the EN (European Norm) 1822 is the world's most advanced and stringent air filter standard for HEPA filters. Many US hospitals and high-tech manufacturers, such as Intel, require their filter suppliers to supply them with EN 1822 certification. The EN 1822 test procedure has two parts. The first part of the test determines which size particles penetrate most easily through the HEPA media. Part 2 of the EN 1822 test uses a test rig to determine the HEPA filter's efficiency at exactly that most penetrating particle size. This creates a worst case scenario.
The IQAir® HealthPro® is the world's first air cleaner with an EN 1822 type-tested HEPA filter. Tested by an independent filter testing laboratory, IQAir®'s HyperHEPA T filter has received the official H 12/13 certification. This certification level is only achieved by the very best filters in the world.
IQAir®'s Efficiency Guarantee
They guarantee that every HealthPro® captures and retains at least 99.97% of all particles equal to or larger than 0.3 micron and at least 99.5% of all particles smaller than 0.3 microns (down to 0.003 microns). Our efficiency guarantee even applies to particles the size of viruses, usually some 100 times smaller than 0.3 microns. With this guarantee, you can rest assured that even the smallest of allergens are filtered and retained with at least 99.5% efficiency. IQAir Air Purifiers Guaranteed. Unlike conventional HEPA air purifiers, the HealthPro® guarantees entire system efficiency for all particles - not just the theoretical efficiency of HEPA filters for 0.3 microns particles.
Air Delivery Rates
To improve the air quality in a room, an air cleaner must constantly clean a significant amount of room air. The amount of air that an air cleaner is capable of cleaning is called its air delivery rate. Many manufacturers make misleading statements about air delivery rates. Some state the fan's free-flow capacity without filters installed. When filters are installed, it is not uncommon for the actual air delivery to be less than 30% of the fan's free-flow capacity. Even when manufacturers state the air delivery rate with all filters installed, their air cleaner's actual air delivery is often significantly lower. This is due to optimistic guesswork and "best-case-calculations" rather than factual, scientific measurements. IQAir® tests and certifies the the actual air delivery rate of each and every IQAir® HealthPro.
Gas and Odor Control
Many room air cleaners advertise to contain an activated carbon filter for the removal gases and odors. Unfortunately, most of these activated carbon filters are ineffective, because they use too little carbon - often only a few ounces of carbon dust glued onto a pad. And even those air cleaners that contain the more effective granular carbon are only capable of absorbing a limited selection of gases and odors. The HealthPro® Plus uses revolutionary V5-Cell T technology to provide superior removal of gaseous pollutants and odors. Rather than just using common activated carbon, the V5-Cell T uses a special 5 pound blend of broad-spectrum gas and odor control media. As a result, the HealthPro® Plus is able to trap a much broader range of gaseous contaminants and odors than conventional room air purifiers.
Which HealthPro® Model is Right for Me?
IQAir® makes the IQAir® HealthPro® Series available in two models. The standard HealthPro® model features high-performance particle removal. The HealthPro® Plus model features high-performance particle removal and outstanding gas and odor control with the additional V5-Cell T filter. You can add this filter at any point in the future to a HealthPro® and thus convert it into a HealthPro® Plus. Just order the V5-Cell T upgrade kit.
The standard HealthPro® model excels at particulate filtration. Looking for added gaseous chemical and odor controll Then select the HealthPro® Plus model. HealthPro: For Allergy Sufferers. The standard HealthPro® is recommended for allergy sufferers who don't have any particular need for gas or odor control. Instead of an activated carbon filter the HealthPro® features a pressure equalization chamber between the fan and HyperHEPA T filter to maximize air delivery (see Hourly Air Change Chart). HealthPro® Plus: For Asthma Sufferers addition to the filtration provided by the standard HealthPro® model, the HealthPro® Plus contains a V5-Cell T gas phase filter for the control of gaseous contaminants and odors. The HealthPro® Plus is especially recommended to asthma sufferers, since their respiratory systems are often sensitized to gaseous irritants, as well as allergens.
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