sianrecovery
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I've asked this before, but couldn't afford to act on the suggestions I gathered a year ago. Now I am definitely going to buy a decent air purifier.
Suggestions?
Suggestions?
Air purifiers
- Thread starter sianrecovery
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We went to our local hardware store and got one about the right size for the bedroom with a HEPA filter. I think the brand is Vicks. A HEPA filter is the important part.
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Get HEPA and one that is rated for over the size of the room. Consider the replacement cost for filters. If noise bothers you, read the reviews to find a quieter one.
I read some of the reviews on this site: http://www.air-purifier-power.com/ I thought the reviewer seemed quite genuine. Most of the reviews are for US models, but there are a couple available in the UK.
I looked at the Sharp Plasmaclusters from a Dutch supplier and found some UK websites selling Amaircare and Blueair models. A review on Amazon UK said the replacement filters were hard to get for the older Sharp models. They have some refurbished Naturopure HF 360 models on Ebay currently.
I don't really know what I'm looking for, but went the refurbished one. I'm not particularly chemically sensitive, but was getting headaches and nausea from a new shower and Ikea furniture recently. However, the only time it has registered any air pollution so far is when I stood next to it after putting some essential oil on my skin. It's quite big and a bit heavy too.
Edit: I ran my refurb purifier last night a bit and the air coming out the back had a plastic smell to it, though I suppose that isn't abnormal with something new. But when I looked in the back I noticed it looks a bit dusty, plus the filter inside had some fluff on it when it first arrived; I found this odd because there is a big scratch on the front so I assumed it was cosmetic factory damage, not a customer return. Maybe the dust is mine? Ah memories... I wish I had one.
I looked at the Sharp Plasmaclusters from a Dutch supplier and found some UK websites selling Amaircare and Blueair models. A review on Amazon UK said the replacement filters were hard to get for the older Sharp models. They have some refurbished Naturopure HF 360 models on Ebay currently.
I don't really know what I'm looking for, but went the refurbished one. I'm not particularly chemically sensitive, but was getting headaches and nausea from a new shower and Ikea furniture recently. However, the only time it has registered any air pollution so far is when I stood next to it after putting some essential oil on my skin. It's quite big and a bit heavy too.
Edit: I ran my refurb purifier last night a bit and the air coming out the back had a plastic smell to it, though I suppose that isn't abnormal with something new. But when I looked in the back I noticed it looks a bit dusty, plus the filter inside had some fluff on it when it first arrived; I found this odd because there is a big scratch on the front so I assumed it was cosmetic factory damage, not a customer return. Maybe the dust is mine? Ah memories... I wish I had one.
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This is an article on how to choose one and what features are available. http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/air-purifiers/buying-guide.htm
sianrecovery
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I have a mold issue, which is partly why I haven't bought one so far - like air con, air purifiers can really work against you. I am much too untrusting to use a refurbed one, but thanks for your feedback.
sianrecovery
What do you mean by air purifiers working against you if you have a mold issue. Could you elaborate?
What do you mean by air purifiers working against you if you have a mold issue. Could you elaborate?
Dreambirdie
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I finally gave in and bought a top of the line air filter made by IQ, a Swiss company. It was very helpful through pollen season, which is usually a bear for me. It also has a filter for chemicals. 5 year warranty included. Check it out here: http://www.allergybuyersclub.com/iqair-healthpro-air-purifiers.html?itemId=199
i got my air purifier this week.
it looks like a big egg with the top cut off.
it is a Bionaire filter in it.
Its from Littlewoods.
It smells plasticky but it ok.
I was pleased to find it is also an Ioniser - optional.
upon reading instructions though it states to only use ioniser in ventilated rooms and to be careful not to have it on too long if you have small animals as the ozone builds up or something ..... doesn't sound too good !
it looks like a big egg with the top cut off.
it is a Bionaire filter in it.
Its from Littlewoods.
It smells plasticky but it ok.
I was pleased to find it is also an Ioniser - optional.
upon reading instructions though it states to only use ioniser in ventilated rooms and to be careful not to have it on too long if you have small animals as the ozone builds up or something ..... doesn't sound too good !
sianrecovery
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Thanks Dreambirdie - the allerair IQ stuff does look like the best. Golden - I think the evidence on ozone is contradictory, if memory serves me right, state of Californian regards it as a lung irritant, (dont quote me, not sure) I wouldnt buy a purifier which didnt have the option to turn it on and off.
DSDMom - Mold spores are very tiny, and fragments of dead mold small enough to form a gaseous state. So if you are incautious in your use of filteration you may end up just moving mold about. Some mold reactors wont use filters, some will. I guess its a balance, and depends on what you regard as the most important environmental issue in your living space.
DSDMom - Mold spores are very tiny, and fragments of dead mold small enough to form a gaseous state. So if you are incautious in your use of filteration you may end up just moving mold about. Some mold reactors wont use filters, some will. I guess its a balance, and depends on what you regard as the most important environmental issue in your living space.
Thanks Sian recovery...
The ionizer is supposed to stick all the dirt in the air to make it easier for the purifier to suck it up
but i thought that didn't sound too good for my lungs ...
especially the part about it killing small pets!
i do like it however - but i have it on short periods and stress out about hoovering up the ions as they fall to the floor where my dogs are.
The ionizer is supposed to stick all the dirt in the air to make it easier for the purifier to suck it up
but i thought that didn't sound too good for my lungs ...
especially the part about it killing small pets!
i do like it however - but i have it on short periods and stress out about hoovering up the ions as they fall to the floor where my dogs are.
Sparrowhawk
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I bought the not-so-cheap Airocide this year, and it's made a world of difference for my allergies. Filter only needs replacing once a year. Supposed to use some kind of non-HEPA technology they use on the International Space Station.
FYI: https://www.airocide.com/
FYI: https://www.airocide.com/
Hip
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Indoor Air Pollution-Absorbing House Plants
For anyone who feels more groggy, headachy and perhaps slightly irritable in the winter, as a result of breathing the centrally heated stale air in the home during the cold winter months, when we keep doors and windows closed, you may be interested in indoor air pollution-absorbing house plants, which are a cheap but effective way of reducing indoor air pollution in the home.
One major home indoor air pollutant in formaldehyde, which causes health problems even in the minutes amounts in the air. Formaldehyde is generated by central heating: the heat causes formaldehyde to be emitted from the paint on the radiators. Plus many other furnishings constantly emit formaldehyde. Formaldehyde is linked to multiple chemical sensitivity.ᐞ
Ever since I put a large (3 foot tall) formaldehyde-absorbing house plant in my room, I have never once got that winter central heating groggy feeling anymore — and I used to get this a lot in winter. So the plant seems to be working.
NASA have performed research on air pollution-absorbing house plants, and details of this research can be found in the following book which lists the best house plants for absorbing indoor air pollution:
How to Grow Fresh Air: 50 House Plants that Purify Your Home or Office, by B. C. Wolverton
Two very useful tables in this book which list the best plants for removing the indoor air pollutants are as follows (from pages 23 and 24 of this book):
Best house plants for removing FORMALDEHYDE from the indoor air:
Best house plants for removing XYLENE and TOLUENE from the indoor air:
In these above tables, you can see that only two plants seem to be able to remove both formaldehyde and xylene/toluene; these are:
Kimberly queen fern (Nephrolepis obliterata) — the problem with any fern, though, is that they need high humidity.
Areca palm (Dypsis lutescens) — this plant can be bought reasonably cheaply, about £20 for a 3 foot plant, and it looks beautiful (see here). This is the plant that I bought.
In terms of actual figures, this study by the same author (B.C. Wolverton) says that a kimberly queen fern will remove 1328 mcg of formaldehyde from the air per hour.
Another table of indoor air pollution-absorbing house plants is this one from Wikipedia (though I think there are some errors in this Wikipedia page).
If you Google search on: NASA houseplants formaldehyde, you will find lots of articles on air pollution-removing houseplants. Here are some articles:
Indoor Plants Can Reduce Formaldehyde Levels
This Graphic Shows the Best Air-Cleaning Plants, According to NASA
Top 10 NASA Approved Houseplants for Improving Indoor Air Quality - DIY & Crafts
NASA Clean Air Study - Wikipedia
Remember, the larger the plant and the more leaf area it has, the more toxins it will break down. So a tiny plant that is just 4 inches high won't do much. You will get more toxin removal with a larger plant.
Note that the areca palm does not break down benzene, but I bought it because it is a large, cheap plant that is easy to look after, and good at removing formaldehyde.
For anyone who feels more groggy, headachy and perhaps slightly irritable in the winter, as a result of breathing the centrally heated stale air in the home during the cold winter months, when we keep doors and windows closed, you may be interested in indoor air pollution-absorbing house plants, which are a cheap but effective way of reducing indoor air pollution in the home.
One major home indoor air pollutant in formaldehyde, which causes health problems even in the minutes amounts in the air. Formaldehyde is generated by central heating: the heat causes formaldehyde to be emitted from the paint on the radiators. Plus many other furnishings constantly emit formaldehyde. Formaldehyde is linked to multiple chemical sensitivity.ᐞ
Ever since I put a large (3 foot tall) formaldehyde-absorbing house plant in my room, I have never once got that winter central heating groggy feeling anymore — and I used to get this a lot in winter. So the plant seems to be working.
NASA have performed research on air pollution-absorbing house plants, and details of this research can be found in the following book which lists the best house plants for absorbing indoor air pollution:
How to Grow Fresh Air: 50 House Plants that Purify Your Home or Office, by B. C. Wolverton
Two very useful tables in this book which list the best plants for removing the indoor air pollutants are as follows (from pages 23 and 24 of this book):
Best house plants for removing FORMALDEHYDE from the indoor air:
Best house plants for removing XYLENE and TOLUENE from the indoor air:
In these above tables, you can see that only two plants seem to be able to remove both formaldehyde and xylene/toluene; these are:
Kimberly queen fern (Nephrolepis obliterata) — the problem with any fern, though, is that they need high humidity.
Areca palm (Dypsis lutescens) — this plant can be bought reasonably cheaply, about £20 for a 3 foot plant, and it looks beautiful (see here). This is the plant that I bought.
In terms of actual figures, this study by the same author (B.C. Wolverton) says that a kimberly queen fern will remove 1328 mcg of formaldehyde from the air per hour.
Another table of indoor air pollution-absorbing house plants is this one from Wikipedia (though I think there are some errors in this Wikipedia page).
Areca Palm Plant: Good at Removing Toxins From the Air
If you Google search on: NASA houseplants formaldehyde, you will find lots of articles on air pollution-removing houseplants. Here are some articles:
Indoor Plants Can Reduce Formaldehyde Levels
This Graphic Shows the Best Air-Cleaning Plants, According to NASA
Top 10 NASA Approved Houseplants for Improving Indoor Air Quality - DIY & Crafts
NASA Clean Air Study - Wikipedia
Remember, the larger the plant and the more leaf area it has, the more toxins it will break down. So a tiny plant that is just 4 inches high won't do much. You will get more toxin removal with a larger plant.
Note that the areca palm does not break down benzene, but I bought it because it is a large, cheap plant that is easy to look after, and good at removing formaldehyde.
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Hip, Very interesting find. I'm definitely going to buy some of those plants.
I live in Bangkok and the air is heavily polluted down here. Genova detoxigenomics profile shows i have an elevation of α-Hydroxyisobutyric Acid (from MTBE) so i bought an expensive BlueAir purification system with hepafilter to filter that bad stuff out from my condo.
Unfortunately the thing is not helping me at all, some dust slides along the left side of the hepafilter and the other way blown out by the fan. If anyone's planning to buy a good air purifier system then i recommend you don't go for BlueAir.
The next thing i'm going to try is to change the whole airconditioning system. I believe MBTE is sucked in by the airco.
If anyone knows of a split-wall mount airconditioning system with a high quality built-in air purification system to neutralize all the car fumes then please let me know!
I live in Bangkok and the air is heavily polluted down here. Genova detoxigenomics profile shows i have an elevation of α-Hydroxyisobutyric Acid (from MTBE) so i bought an expensive BlueAir purification system with hepafilter to filter that bad stuff out from my condo.
Unfortunately the thing is not helping me at all, some dust slides along the left side of the hepafilter and the other way blown out by the fan. If anyone's planning to buy a good air purifier system then i recommend you don't go for BlueAir.
The next thing i'm going to try is to change the whole airconditioning system. I believe MBTE is sucked in by the airco.
If anyone knows of a split-wall mount airconditioning system with a high quality built-in air purification system to neutralize all the car fumes then please let me know!
Hip
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Thinktank
I read that MTBE comes from cars and vehicles (MTBE is put into petrol, where it acts as an anti-knocking agent). So presumably the MTBE is in the air (although I have also read it may be found it the water supply).
I always feel a little worse when I spend a few hours or more in an air conditioned room or building. Air conditioning makes me feel groggy-headed. I have assumed the reason for this is that air conditioning units can collect bacteria, and so the bacterial counts in air conditioned air are presumably higher. I get a similar groggy feeling when I visit someone who has a cat in their home, and there is a lot of cat's hair about on the furnishings, which I am allergic to. So my assumption is that something in air conditioned air — possibly the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) from the bacteria — triggers a mild allergic response, making me feel groggy.
But I I'd like to see some precise research on why air conditioning can make you feel groggy.
I read that MTBE comes from cars and vehicles (MTBE is put into petrol, where it acts as an anti-knocking agent). So presumably the MTBE is in the air (although I have also read it may be found it the water supply).
I always feel a little worse when I spend a few hours or more in an air conditioned room or building. Air conditioning makes me feel groggy-headed. I have assumed the reason for this is that air conditioning units can collect bacteria, and so the bacterial counts in air conditioned air are presumably higher. I get a similar groggy feeling when I visit someone who has a cat in their home, and there is a lot of cat's hair about on the furnishings, which I am allergic to. So my assumption is that something in air conditioned air — possibly the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) from the bacteria — triggers a mild allergic response, making me feel groggy.
But I I'd like to see some precise research on why air conditioning can make you feel groggy.
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Does anyone have any experience with the The Mold and Germ Destroying Air Purifier. http://www.hammacher.com/Product/81...655_The Mold and Germ Destroying Air Purifier
Hello,
@SickOfSickness do you think it is truly worth the investment? Is it usual that it helps people with CFS?
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Any more feedback on this old thread? I'm looking for an air purifier or two for my new apt. It's a clean place but I'm moving from an apt that has mold, and it's a leading factor in my CFS symptoms, based on my mycotoxin report which was through the roof.
I found this portable which seemed solid: https://www.walmart.com/ip/Miko-Hom...m-msg-id=3593c686-217c-42ac-800e-da2b81373960
I read these are good for bigger rooms:
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Blue-Pur...9?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=101003242
IQAir seems to get the most praise but I'm not spending that much on an air purifier. Their site recommended their pro model and a portable and it would cost well over $1000.
My apt has a bedroom, living room and office. My goal is to keep dust etc to a minimum in the bedroom and living room which are both about 120-150 sq ft each. I had bad asthma as a kid and the mold exposure in my current apt is a problem for my lungs. Discussing this with my doctor today. I might have COPD in addition to ME/CFS symptoms.
I found this portable which seemed solid: https://www.walmart.com/ip/Miko-Hom...m-msg-id=3593c686-217c-42ac-800e-da2b81373960
I read these are good for bigger rooms:
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Blue-Pur...9?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=101003242
IQAir seems to get the most praise but I'm not spending that much on an air purifier. Their site recommended their pro model and a portable and it would cost well over $1000.
My apt has a bedroom, living room and office. My goal is to keep dust etc to a minimum in the bedroom and living room which are both about 120-150 sq ft each. I had bad asthma as a kid and the mold exposure in my current apt is a problem for my lungs. Discussing this with my doctor today. I might have COPD in addition to ME/CFS symptoms.
Pyrrhus
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I don't know which are the "best" air purifiers these days, but make sure the filters can be easily cleaned.
The filters in many air purifiers can get clogged quickly, and I find that the best way to clean the filters is by using a vacuum cleaner with an attachment, so the dust in the filter doesn't get re-suspended in the air. I also wear a mask when cleaning the filters. Some air purifiers have disposable filters.
Hope this helps.
The filters in many air purifiers can get clogged quickly, and I find that the best way to clean the filters is by using a vacuum cleaner with an attachment, so the dust in the filter doesn't get re-suspended in the air. I also wear a mask when cleaning the filters. Some air purifiers have disposable filters.
Hope this helps.
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Thanks. I found this one which covers up to 400 sq ft and is a good price with a good set of features. I had ordered it last week and it just arrived.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Miko-Hom...st-Pollen-Allergens-Odor-White-Grey/452769720
But I'm not entirely sure how to evaluate square footage of my new apt relative to the air purifier specs. The living room and kitchen in my new apt are one large space and the floor plan, if I add up the dimensions of the kitchen and living, is 415 sq ft. But I've been told when a real estate company assesses square footage, they are taking into account the full building occupancy ie the walls too, and not just the livable interior space. I wonder how I'd know if this air purifier is working well enough for the space. It would be perfect to move into the bedroom which is about 200 sq ft. but was aiming to have a single purifier I could move around easily and see how it goes.
Option B and C are to get something with slightly bigger capacity like this. Both got good recommendations on Consumer Reports and are reasonably priced, though definitely way more $$$ than the Miko.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B073WJL99W?tag=drndpexaplo-20&linkCode=osi&th=1&psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BWYO53G?tag=drndpexaplo-20&linkCode=ogi&th=1&psc=1