Best Air Purifiers for Older Adults with Asthma

Air purifiers are a household appliance that filter and clean the air to remove pollutants and toxins. They can help to prevent asthma attacks and other respiratory conditions by creating better air quality and reducing the risk of flare ups caused by airborne particles. Additionally, air purifiers have a range of benefits related to reducing allergens, odours and germs in the air. Find out if you should invest in an air purifier and the best models on the market for asthma sufferers.

What is an air purifier?

Indoor air purifiers are appliances that are designed to filter and clean the air inside your home or workspace. They work by processing polluted air and releasing it as purified air, improving the air quality inside the home and ensuring a safer and healthier environment for occupants or visitors. 

Air purifiers have become increasingly popular in recent times, especially as people become concerned about bacteria and viruses being carried on the air. Although air purifiers cannot stop all allergens and particles from polluting the air inside, they can dramatically reduce cases of breathing difficulties and allergic reactions.

How does an air purifier work?

Air purifiers work by taking in the air inside a room, filtering out any particles, sanitising the air, and releasing it back into the space. Different models will achieve this in slightly different ways, such as trapping particles as air moves through the purifier, or neutralising particles in the air without filtering them first. 

There are some products that many people may confuse with an air purifier. An air filter, for example, acts in a similar way but will only remove particles from the air. An air purifier, in contrast, goes the extra step by sanitising the air as well. 

Air humidifiers are also a different product. These are appliances which add moisture in the air and are designed to treat dryness. Humidifiers can be used to relieve colds, sinus infections, dry throats, and nose irritation. However, overuse can make respiratory problems worse. Humidity can also contribute to poor air quality, so it is important that air humidifiers are not used for too long or too regularly.

How effective are air purifiers?

Air purifiers are very effective at improving the air quality in your home. They can help to remove a range of particles from the air, including allergens, mould, toxins, particles caused by cooking, particles caused by cleaning products, and smoke. Many people who use an air purifier report being less troubled by breathing problems and allergies.

However, an air purifier can only remove particles that are airborne or floating freely around in the air. Many particles that can cause problems actually sit dormant in your carpets and rugs, bedding, soft furnishings, and even on hard surfaces such as your walls, windows and blinds. The best way to ensure that your home is clean and free of allergens and other particles is to clean regularly and take steps to prevent these particles from entering your home in the first place. Some recommendations include:

• Vacuum at least once a week
• Ensure your home is well ventilated
• Avoid activities that promote humidity, such as drying laundry indoors
• Don’t use open fireplaces
• Never smoke inside
• Use rangehoods and fans when cooking
• Use a bathroom fan when showering
• Remove your shoes before coming inside
• Regularly wash pets
• Choose a pet that doesn’t shed hair if possible.

Do you need an air purifier?

Air purifiers have many benefits and investing in one of these simple appliances may be the best thing you can do to deal with your asthma and respiratory problems. Aside from filtering out the microbes that can contribute to asthma, they also can help to create a healthier environment in other ways.

Reducing allergens

Some of the most common allergic reactions are to particles in the air, such as pollen. Especially during hay fever season, these particles can enter the home and cause uncomfortable symptoms such as a runny nose, sore eyes, and an irritated throat. 

Air purifiers remove these allergens from the air and ensure the air you are breathing is clean and healthy, preventing allergic reactions.

Reducing odours

Our homes can fill with odours for all sorts of reasons. Some common smells, such as those produced by cooking, can be pleasant at first but become aggravating when they don’t disperse. 

Air purifiers take the tiny particles of food and other odorous items out of the air you breathe so you can enjoy that delicious meal and not be bothered by it for hours afterwards.

Remove germs and bacteria

When a loved one is sick, it can be very hard to avoid catching the same cold or flu when you are sharing a space. In the workplace, sickness can affect an entire team when someone is coughing at their desk and the air is being breathed in by everyone.

Air purifiers help to avoid the spread of germs. Some models can kill off bacteria in the purifying process, so that the cold or flu doesn’t end up affecting the whole household.

Reduce stress

A surprising benefit of an air purifier is to improve mood and stress levels. Studies have shown that breathing cleaner and healthier air is good for your mental state. Additionally, some people report that the gentle sounds emitted by an air purifier assist in getting a good night’s sleep. The sounds are often compared to ocean waves or calming breezes.

Protect from mould

Mould is more than unsightly; it can be dangerous when mould infects your living and working spaces. Mould spores begin as tiny particles and grow in humid air. Air purifiers can trap these mould spores before they have the chance to multiply, keeping your home clean.

Benefit skin 

Some people can have a negative reaction to pollutants in the air that affects their skin. Air purifiers can help prevent symptoms such as acne, rashes and itchiness by removing the toxins that contribute to these common conditions. 

Can air purifiers help with asthma?

Asthma is a condition that causes inflammation in your airways, making breathing more difficult and triggering an asthma attack. Asthma flare ups can range from mild and annoying instances to life-threatening attacks. As a condition it cannot be cured, but it can be managed effectively.

There are three main triggers, or causes, of asthma attacks. These are:

• Exercise-induced asthma, caused by breathing heavily during exercise
• Environmental asthma, caused by factors such as when the air is very cold
• Allergy-induced asthma, caused by substances in the air including pollen, particles and mould spores.

Air purifiers can help to prevent asthma flare ups of the third type. Our homes and workplaces are often full of the kind of particles that can cause an asthma attack, including dust and mould. 

What should you look for in an air purifier?

When choosing an air purifier, it’s important to consider your goals. For general cleaning and sanitising of the air, a simpler and cheaper model may be appropriate. If you are using an air purifier to control your asthma symptoms, you may want to use something more substantial. An HEPA filter is the best option, as these can trap up to 99 per cent of dust, smoke and other particles.

Type of filters 

There are multiple filter options available when choosing air purifiers. The top performing models feature a filter than can work on very small particles and that both filters and sanitises the air. The cleanest air is achieved when the air purifier features two filters: one for gasses and one for particles. 

Size of room 

If you are looking to purify a large space, you will need a big and powerful air purifier to achieve this. It can often be more effective to purchase several small air purifiers and use them in different rooms. When you purchase an air purifier, it should come with guidelines for the space and size of the room that it can accommodate. 

Environmental factors 

Air purifiers are designed to improve the quality of the air inside, but this can often be directly affected by the air outside your home or office as well. During the summer months, environmental events such as bushfires can dramatically reduce air quality and cause serious problems for people with asthma and breathing difficulties. You will need an air purifier with the highest-grade filter (HEPA) to deal with bushfire smoke.

What ongoing cleaning and maintenance is involved?

Like all household appliances, air purifiers require ongoing cleaning and maintenance to keep them working properly. 

Air purifiers that come with the highest grade HEPA filter will allow you to remove, clean and re-use the filter. The best way to clean a washable or permanent filter is to remove it from the air purifier, wash it using warm water and soap if necessary, and allow it to dry completely. If the filter is particularly dirty, you may consider soaking it in hot water. 

Some filters are not designed to get wet. For these filters, you can clean these using a dry cloth and vacuum to remove the build-up of dust and particles.

Other air purifier brands feature disposable filters. Some people prefer to remove and replace the filter rather than clean it regularly. For these, simply remove the old filter and replace with a clean one. You may want to wipe down the front grill of the air purifier with a damp cloth as well. 

The frequency of maintenance required for your air purifier will depend on a variety of factors. Use the manufacturer instructions as a guide. In general, filters should be cleaned or replaced every three months. HEPA filters only need to be replaced once a year. You may need to clean or replace your filters more regularly if you use your air purifier very often, or if you have particularly poor air quality (for example, due to a bushfire or recent mould problem). 

Best Air Purifiers You Can Buy in Melbourne 

 You can purchase air purifiers at a range of price points across major appliance stories in Melbourne. Some of the popular models of the market include:

•  Lenoxx AP20 Air Purifier – $129
• Beurer LR200 Triple Filter Air Purifier – $269
• Breville Smart Air Connect Air Purifier – $369
• Samsung AX3300M Air Purifier – $449
• Dyson Pure Hot+Cool Link HP03 – $599
• Phillips Series 2000 Air Purifier – $649
• Hitachi Glass Panel Air Purifier – $899
• Blueair 480i Air Purifier – $1,299
• IQAir HealthPro 250 NE – $2,300

What other steps can you take to manage asthma?

Although purchasing an air purifier and using it regularly around the home can improve your asthma and prevent flare ups and attacks, there are other steps you should take to manage your condition. It’s a good idea to speak to your healthcare professional to make sure you have a holistic approach to asthma management and are doing everything possible to remain healthy.

Avoid allergens, smoke and other triggers

While an air purifier can help to remove allergens from the home, it is important to avoid these in all aspects of daily life. Be aware of anything that consistently causes asthma symptoms for you and avoid these triggers. It may be not exercising on cold mornings, not using strong perfumes or colognes, or avoiding campfires and other smoky environments.

Prevent sickness

Common sickness like colds can trigger asthma attacks. Take extra precautions to avoid viruses and getting unwell. Wash your hands regularly, avoid contact with people who are sick, and keep your immune system strong by eating well and getting plenty of sleep. If you can’t avoid crowded places where people may have a cold, you may consider wearing a face mask.

Use medication

Remember that other preventative measures should never replace your asthma medication unless approved by your doctor. Although some asthmatics will only use medication or an asthma inhaler during flare ups, others will take regular preventative medicine. Daily medication eases airway inflammation and can prevent asthma symptoms. Speak to your doctor about finding the right balance for your condition.

Air purifiers can dramatically improve air quality and contribute to healthier conditions for people with asthma. Combined with other preventative measures, they can prevent asthma attacks and flare ups.