apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

I think whether an air filter is necessary depends on what you think you need it for-if you are just concerned over the quality of your air, there are simple steps to take-the right sort of houseplants, non toxic furniture and finishings, opening your windows, cleaning often (with safe products) and taking your shoes off before going inside. However, if you suffer allergies or asthma (I do) then a HEPA filter can really be a miracle worker. The main problem these days is that many filters are advertising themselves as "HEPA-type" filters and do not actually work as well. On the product's box there is generally a little box that provides data regarding the size of particles it removes-the smaller the better, make sure you do your research. Also, my allergist explained to me that any filter with an ionic air feature is a big no-no because this actually creates ozone which irritates your lungs. I actually have the Honeywell filter in the photo up top because I got it on sale at Target and it tends to work pretty well.

My husband and I both have allergies and a cat that likes to sleep with us. We run a HEPA air purifier at night in our bedroom. We first got it for an apartment that had no windows in the bedroom. We have since moved, and still use our air purifier at night. I'm not sure if it really helps our allergies or not, but the prefilter gets pretty coated with dust particles. I won't give it up, because I need the background noise to get a good nights rest.

I have one but it eats a ton of electricity which doesn't seem so green to me, plus costs me a small fortune. So I haven't been running it lately...it was bought to alleviate the cigarette smoke that my neighbors so kindly bestow on me.

I live on a very urban corner and my air purifier catches a ton of soot (or whatever) in its filter, plus blocks out noise. I'm thinking of getting a second air purifier for the living room.

I know there are plants that help clean indoor air. eowes - can you remind us of what they are? That's a really great idea.

jblue - how can you tell how much electricity it uses?

I have seasonal and dust allergies (maybe mold too - I've just been to the allergist today). At any rate, I get about 2-3 kinds of seasonal allergies plus dust allergies so it was recommended that I get air purifiers for the house (especially since I live next to a very wooded cemetery).

I have 3 of these:
http://www.air-purifiers-america.com/product.asp?product=PinkAirPod

1 in each main room of my apt - kitchen, living room, bedroom. And my allergies have improved a lot.

I picked this version because:
- it was the only 4-star HEPA under $100 on the site I was looking at linked from about.com
- it didn't have a plastic casing and the HEPA filters are housed in cardboard
- it picked up decent % of particles

Granted, for certain dust mite allergies you really need a HEPA vac because the particles are supposedly too heavy to be airborne but this has seemed to help.

Their site says this with regards to it being more environmentally sound:

" More efficient use of material, lighter weight, energy efficiency, ease of assembly and less packaging are design criteria applied to every Blueair product. The AirPod is no exception.

It uses approximately 60% less material to manufacture, 50% less packaging and 85% less energy than other air purifiers with comparable performance. It also runs on less than five watts of power where other units require 40 watts. No chemicals are used on the filter or elsewhere and no ozone by-products are released from the unit. In addition, all components and the packaging are 100% recyclable."

I recently purchased a memory foam bed which is still giving off a bit of a chemical odor. I am concerned about sleeping in it so I was looking into Activated Carbon Air Purifiers... any other ideas? Thanks!

Here's a good list of plants that clean the air of the chemicals that cause "sick building syndrome:"
http://www.oxford.net/~steve/sick.htm

The following is from http://www.care2.com/greenliving/top-ten-houseplants-for-cleaner-air.html

It is suggested that one plant should be allowed for approximately 10 square yards of floor space, assuming average ceiling heights of 8 to 9 feet. This means that you need two or three plants to contribute to good air quality in the average domestic living room of about 20 to 25 square yards.

Research has shown that these 10 plants are the most effective all-around in counteracting offgassed chemicals and contributing to balanced internal humidity.

* Areca palm
* Reed palm
* Dwarf date palm
* Boston fern
* Janet Craig dracaena
* English ivy
* Australian sword fern
* Peace Lily
* Rubber plant
* Weeping fig

thank you eowes -- I'm definitely going to look into expanding my air-washing plant collection (and hope the cat doesn't eat them all, like she's gnawed at all the others.)

Pixie - because my electric bill would get very high the months I used it. Near summer rates.

I have allergies, too, and use a Venta Airwasher, available various places, including Gracious Home in New York, and now at Bed Bath & Beyond. They are expensive to begin with, but I love them -- they work just by running the air through water, which also humidifies the air in winter when it's so dry inside. After a week (when you change the water), the water is full of dirt and dust that would otherwise have gone into our lungs. I really recommend these filters.

Pixie - don't get the Peace Lily as it is toxic to cats. More toxic plants are listed here http://www.cfainc.org/articles/plants.html

I've been looking into an air purifier as I have two cats and it seems that it would keep things a little cleaner and definitely make guests with allergies more comfortable.

Thanks HopeK. Cat eats plants, so that's vital to know.

TRUE HEPA air purifiers, trap the dust and particles with a minimum efficiency of 99.97%, up to 0.3 microns as measured with my particle counter seen on ABC news here - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8pJMsskDQ0c&feature=channel_page

Over the years, HEPA filtration has become a marketing scheme deployed by both vacuum cleaner and air purifier manufacturers to lure customers to buy products that do not meet the HEPA definition. Most vacuums and air cleaners that I have tested on the market claim to be "HEPA" however, lack the filtration efficiency and other important benefits that are intrinsic to HEPA technology so they are fake HEPA.They are simply imposters that do not deliver what they claim in other words, they do not trap the dust.

To precisely find real HEPA machines, I test products (where the air flows through) with the particle counter. It is important to note, that I not only test the middle of the filter, but also the side edges and other areas of the chasis, where more often than not, there is high readings due to leakage.

Also check-out my blog called Consumer Reporter - a vehicle to educate consumers about the vacuum and air purification market at http://consumer-reporter.blogspot.com

If you appreciate the information I provide on Miele vacuum cleaners via You Tube and my blog, please support my on-line store, http://www.KillDirt.com - you'll get free shipping and no tax (as long as you do not live in NJ). We will be sure to make your shopping experience a pleasant one.

Thank you
Gerry Rubin