Are you--or someone else in your family--an allergy or asthma sufferer?
Adding air filters to your home's AC/central heating system or air purification system could help purify the indoor air you breathe. HEPA (high efficiency particulate air) filters remove the most allergens -- dust, pollen and smoke -- and can be replaced when needed.
Air purifiers
If you must buy a separate air purification unit, study your choices carefully. The highly-touted electrostatic precipitators are nearly useless - Sharper Image, Brookstone, Honeywell, Oreck - and only give a false sense of protection. A couple of consumer-recommended units are Friedrich and Kenmore, priced between $370 and $500. (Consumer Reports, December 2007)
Efficient portable units should produce a clean-air delivery rate (CADR) of 350 or more. Recommended filter purifiers - most use HEPA filters - are Whirlpool, Kenmore, and Hunter, which cost less than $300.
Heavily-promoted electrostatic precipitators all produce some ozone, a known irritant that can cause chest pain, shortness of breath, and can actually worsen asthma. Consumer-recommended, professionally-installed electrostatic precipitators that emit less than 50 ppb of ozone - Trane, Aprilaire, Carrier - cost between $450 and $1,100. The Lennox produced no ozone and cost $350.
Vacuums
Some household vacuums use HEPA filters and offer similar protection. Carpeting, drapes, and upholstered furniture harbor some of the same airborne particulates that trigger asthma attacks.
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