My daughter has allergies (1st year... sniffle, sniffle, sniffle). I'm going to replace my air return filters with the ones that supposedly help remove pollen, etc. from the air. I'm also thinking of one of those air purifiers for her room. Do they work? Will it help? what brand is good?
Too many variables to answer.
Do a GOOGLE search:
You need to identify *what* appears to cause the problem: pollen molds pets dust etc.
Is the house closed up with A/C on 24-7?
Does daughter's problem lessen when outdoors? At someone else's house?
Lots of factors...
Jim
Consumer Reports has rated both products. Check it out at your local library.
Read Consumer Reports they tested alot of filters
Having a like problem for the last 40+ years, I suggest she see an allergist and find out exactly what the problem is and then you can target that as well as consider other medical approaches.
Yes, the filters work. But they may not help your daughter. Don't expect the furnance filters to do a great job, but still they are a good idea, assuming they don't build up too much static pressure in the air handling system. The in room filter may well be important as I would expect it to do a much better job of cleaning the air in that room. As has been suggested check out consumer reports for some good information.
The pro's claim that no one is allergic to pine pollen because it is too big. Of course I'm sure other pollen arrived at the same time.
You didn't say what she was allergic to. Somethings are unavoidable unless he or she wants to live in a bubble. Has he or she been tested? If it is pollens which I'm thinking it may be because of the time of year, anything you do to purify outside air will help tremendously. Keep all windows and doors closed. A window AC unit is much better then central air. He or she can keep their door closed and at least get a good nights sleep. What medication are they on? I've been all all of them, I found Flonaise to be the best for me. Let us know!
Be sure to get an air purifier for her room which has a *HEPA* air filter in it. (Filters out *all* the tiny stuff.) Walmart and Sears sell these. Before buying, check the price of the replacement filters and buy the model with less expensive filters. (They all do the same job.)
Also listen to the sound of the different units running at slow speed. Some are quite noisy to where you can't hear the TV. Others are quiet.
A true HEPA air filter for your central air conditioning unit probably would require modification of the existing unit. HEPA air filters are usually quite thick. These can also be quite expensive. I would just go with the best (non-HEPA) air filter they can place in your existing system if you're on a budget, the get a couple of portable HEPA air cleaners for bedroom and living room.
So far as I am concerned, a portable HEPA room air cleaner in the room I'm sitting in will do me wonders in just a few minutes. Turning on the air cleaner "turns off" my allergies with a quickness!
Ah yes. I remember spring in Fayetteville when my gray car and my gold car and my white truck were all yellow.
Sue
Jo wrote:
I, too, suffer from allergies (although mine is year round). I am allergic to everything: pollen, mold, dog hair, cat hair, feathers, grass, dust (like, where can I possibly go without dust?) Anyway, I've had these allergies for the past 15 years or so. I also suffer a mild case of allergen-induced asthma--nothing serious, but definitely more noticeable during certain seasons. Oh, I'm also on 3 different types of allergy medication: Zyrtec, Singulair, and Astelin.
There are definitely things you can do to help with your daughter's reactions to allergens. You should be aware that once a person has allergies, s/he will always have allergies. The allergies themselves may lessen over time, or they may change completely (especially if s/he relocates). But I agree with the other posters here, the first thing you should do is have your daughter tested to determine what type of allergens she reacts to. Saying "pollen" or "grass" or whatever isn't enough--there are so many different types, and there may be some she's not allergic to at all. My allergies started when I moved to an agricultural area--where a lot of peat dust is generated.
The second thing is to remove as much of the triggers as you can. Removing the poor dog (if she's allergic to dog dander), or dehumidifying a room (if she's allergic to mold), or removing carpet (dust, pollen, etc.), will greatly alleviates the symptoms. Air conditioning units seem to intensify my reactions, so I never use it. I have replaced them with swamp coolers--they don't work quite as well as far as cooling a room down, but they're nice on my system.
Other considerations: "allergy relief" products such as dust mite covers on the mattress, or feather-free pillows, might be helpful. Even the simple things like washing my face before I go to bed at night really helps lots. Actually, her nighttime activities will indicate how well she responds in the morning, since those are usually the peak times for allergy reactions. I've also reduced my dairy consumption quite a bit, since dairy apparently contributes a lot to the "snot factor" (according to my allergist).
The third thing, if you can afford it, is to place a HEPA-filter air purifier in her room. This isn't your average air purifier. The HEPA filters are more costly than most because it's really the one that can truly filter out the allergens (they are a lot smaller than most things that float around). I bought an Austin Air for my bedroom and it seems to work fairly well. It's also more quiet than the others--emitting a nice "hum", which generally puts me to sleep. Plus, their filters are good for about 3 to 5 years, depending on usage. I've included a link here for you, if you're interested in checking out allergy-relief products. (I did not purchase anything off this site, but I think it's a good resource to peruse.)
You don't need all of that stuff. Just get a DeVilbiss atomizer and put some Listerine in it and spray it into nostrils and back of throat. Bacteria cannot live in this environment and it certainly clears out the nasal passages. It is also a preventive measure for colds and flu.
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Listerine is phenol and an antiseptic. Whatever, allergies are due to allergens deposited on sensitrive membranes and depositing phenol on it will only aggravate an already over sensitized area. Furthermore the allergens are not equivalent to a bacterial infection and bacteria are normal inhabitants of the nasal and throat passages. The science is therefore all wrong.
I do concede that gargling Listerine does give the throat and mouth cavity a freshening feeling. But this relief is temporary. Repeated application of Listerine in the nostrils and throat can't be good and may do a lot of harm.
This year was one of the lightest..for pollen in NC...not bad at all.
What we have been doing, and it works, is to completely go over the central air system, clean the evap, remove all the mold that MIGHT be in there (a properly maintained and service and sized unit wont have any) and install a high quality filter, and upsize the returns of the unit IF the original ductwork will not handle the higher resistance of the better filtration. After that, up to 4 UV-C band lamps are installed...one in the return, and one in the supply, or, 2 and 2, and most people claim a great benefit. My wife, was from Southern CA, and when we moved back home to NC, she was miserable. Shes not now, and has no alergic reactions in the home, and we have 5 cats and 2 dogs...an older home, and 2 UV units...
Allergens and bacteria are not the same thing. Bacteria, you can kill. Allergens, you cannot--no matter how much Listerine you gargle and spray. And for some people, Listerine is an irritant, in much the same way as chlorine is for some swimmers.
Jo, about the only two things you can do when it comes to allergies are avoidance and medication. Both require identification of the allergens, which will require testing. There are various types of tests, but the two most common ones are the skin (scratch) test, and the blood RAST test.
Don't be surprised that your daughter may not be allergic to things like pollen, etc. My mother for years bought OTC medication (which never worked) to treat her sneezing and sniffling. She finally gave in and went in for some blood test, only to discover from what is known as irritant rhinitis. It's a condition that is caused by odors, fumes, smokes, even atmospheric or temperature changes. (My mom is a swimmer, and reacts to the chlorine in the waer.) Some people suffer from food allergies such as wheat or soy or eggwhites. The symptoms can be similar to that of your typical allergies--sniffling, sneezing, itchy eyes--so it's very difficult to tell or diagnose on your own.
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