How to Buy the Right Air CleanerChronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a progressive lung disease wherein the airways (i.e. tiny tubes that carry air in and out of the lungs) are partially blocked, making breathing more and more painful over time. Emphysema and chronic bronchitis are two of the diseases which fall under the umbrella of COPD and often occur together. COPD is the fourth leading cause of death in the United States, and many people do not realize they are affected. While some think of the disease only in relation to smokers, in reality, even non-smokers who are exposed to secondhand smoke can have problems with COPD. Others may be at risk for COPD because of exposure to pollutants in the air, a history of respiratory infections as a child, or even genetic predispositions to conditions like emphysema. Over 12 million Americans have been diagnosed with COPD in one form or another, but it is believed that twice as many actually suffer from it. Can an air purifier help?

Air purifiers can certainly ease breathing by providing clean air. However, medical treatment is required for airways and lungs that are already damaged. Prevention is always the key to remain healthy, so placing air purifiers in your home, particularly in the bedroom, and in your workplace will help prevent airway and lung damage. If you or a loved one already suffer from COPD, air purifiers will undoubtedly make breathing easier, because your stressed airways will not be further stressed by having to filter out new particulate and chemicals. We recommend BlueAir HEPA air purifiers for COPD, because they are able to filter particles as small as .03 microns at 99.9% efficiency and even tinier particles .01 microns and smaller at 99.7% efficiency. AllerAir air purifiers also has some models that can handle large amounts of smoke and heavy particulate if you live in a polluted area or with a smoker. Our expert team of product specialists are familiar with COPD and can help you choose the right air purifiers for your particular living and working situations.

In babies, the lungs are the last organ to fully develop. It is very important to provide clean indoor air for babies and children so that their airways, which are far tinier than adults, will not be damaged early on. COPD robs children of a true childhood where they can run and play, never taking a thought for their breath. Never smoke or allow anyone else to smoke around children, and always provide quality air purifiers for the child's bedroom.Homes For Sale Murrayfield UkTalk to an expertVacuum Cleaner Bury St Edmunds Tap here to talk to an expertBundeena Buy And Sell Facebook Air Quality News - Page Title Media Room - Boilerplate This online publication is brought to you by The IQAir Group, which develops innovative air quality solutions for indoor environments around the globe.

IQAir is the exclusive educational partner of the American Lung Association for the air purifier industry Media Room - View Previous Story < View previous story Media Room - View Next Story View next story >Do Air Purifiers Help with COPD and Emphysema? Share this page with others: Residential Air Purification and Lung Conditions While air purifiers can help with many respiratory issues, it is just part of the cure. The EPA estimates that up to 24 million Americans -- primarily over the age of 45 -- suffer from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and many more are diagnosed with similar symptoms caused by emphysema. Both conditions restrict airway passages and are aggravated by airborne contaminants, especially cigarette smoke and synthetic surfaces that create volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Most residential air purifications units remove a portion of these irritants from the immediate environment, but their effectiveness is limited and determined by the features included in each model.

Both emphysema and chronic bronchitis sufferers experience: Shortness of breath, especially after engaging in physical activity A feeling of tightness in the chest A chronic cough or wheezing (image courtesy of Wikipedia Commons) These symptoms are no doubt affected by air quality, and studies by the EPA in 1990 ranked indoor air quality as a "high-priority public health risk," especially for persons suffering from such serious respiratory conditions. Although proper air purification may help alleviate many irritants and possibly even prevent the development of these ailments, it is by no means a cure and will only help lessen the symptoms once the patient's airways have been compromised. Consequently, just having a top-of-the-line air purification system will not replace medically prescribed treatments such as inhalers, antibiotics and steroids that may be recommended to keep the disease from escalating. Do Doctors Recommend Air Purifiers? Most doctors do, however, highly recommend air purification equipment as part of a restorative regime for patients who have COPD or emphysema, and physicians can recommend the right type of system on a case-by-case basis.

Traditional HEPA filters only remove particles down to .03 microns, and bacteria can be as small as .01 microns. so these are not adequate for combating the types of infection for which that COPD and emphysema suffers are especially susceptible. To effectively remove the majority of the irritants, patients with respiratory illness need to select a multi-stage filtration system. For ultimate protection, residential air purification systems (portable or HVAC) should contain several of the following: A pre-filter for removing large particles UV light exposure long enough to eliminate mold and mildew A membrane filter or a micro-filtration unit to capture pollutants down to .01 microns Does NOT emit ozone which can further restrict lung capacity The National Air Filtration Association recommends that to obtain maximum effectiveness, there should be an advanced filter and UV light system hooked up to the HVAC unit in the residence so that the large amount of the contaminants can be removed before entering the home in the first place.

Standard air filters for these units are limited by the small horsepower output of the fan motor, so a self-contained filteration system with its own fan will be more effective.  However, since a high rate of air flow is necessary for HVAC systems, HVAC filters typically cannot incorporate HEPA filters due to air flow restriction.  HEPA-type filters are usually sufficient to filter most of the larger particles. No Air Purifier is a Complete Solution Medical professionals always point out that no air purification system can be expected to eliminate all airborne contaminants, especially those stirred up by walking across a carpet or laying on a pillow since they must enter the airstream of the unit before they are filtered out. They strongly recommend that steps should be taken to remove items that generate dust and eliminate any mold or mildew at the source. Frequent vacuuming and dusting of surfaces is highly recommended. Sources Used in This Guide: EPA - Guidelines for healthy homes: http://www.epa.gov/region1/healthyhomes/iaq.html