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Do Air Purifiers Help with Pet Allergies?
Do you find yourself sneezing or clawing through itchy, watery eyes when you're around your furry friend? Back hurt from endless vacuuming to keep up with the shedding and dander? As pet owners, we love our four-legged companions, but for those with pet allergies, it can be difficult at times to share in the love. If that’s you, then you’re probably here to see if an air purifier is a good solution, and wondering “will an air purifier help with pet allergies?”
According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, about 30% of people with allergies are allergic to cats and dogs. If pet-related allergens are left unkept, they can have a significant impact on your home’s indoor air quality, which can lead to increasingly dangerous allergic reactions and even respiratory issues like asthma in the future. This makes it vitally important for you to maintain clean air in your home to prevent it.
The good news is there are steps you can take to reduce the amount of pet-related allergens in your home and improve indoor air quality at the same time.
In this article, we’ll cover:
- How air purifiers work for pet allergies
- How air purifiers reduce pet allergens
- Do air purifiers help with allergies to dogs?
- Do air purifiers help with cat allergies?
- Do air purifiers help with other types of animal allergies?
- Answer the question “do air purifiers help with pet allergies?”
Let’s jump right in!
How Do Air Purifiers Work for Pet Allergies?
Air purifiers are a popular choice for pet owners looking to reduce the amount of pet-related allergens in their homes. But how exactly do they work?
According to the Mayo Clinic, allergens from cats and dogs are found in skin cells the animals shed (dander), as well as in their saliva, urine, sweat, and on their fur. These particles can be so small that they're invisible to the naked eye, making them very difficult to remove from the air. However, air purifiers equipped with the right filter are designed to capture even the smallest of particles from the air, including pet-related allergens.
Air purifiers clean the air by using a fan to pull in airborne contaminants and a filter to weed them out before recirculating fresh air back into the room. In your search for an air purifier, you’ll come across several different filter types like HEPA (High-Efficiency Particulate Air), activated carbon, and UV-C light. Each filter works differently to remove different types of contaminants from the air, but some are better suited at removing pet allergens than others.
- HEPA filters are the most common type of air purifier filter and are highly effective at removing pet-related allergens and dander
- Activated carbon filters work best at soaking in pet-related odors and household chemical fumes
- UV-C light filters use ultraviolet light to kill airborne germs that your pet may bring inside the home
It’s also not uncommon for air purifiers to use a combination of filter types to achieve a holistic goal. For example, an air purifier built to remove pet-related allergens like the Austin Air Allergy Machine utilizes both a Medical Grade HEPA filter and a Military Grade HEGA (High-Efficiency Gas Arrestance) cloth to capture pet allergens and neutralize harmful germs and gases.
How Do Air Purifiers Reduce Pet Allergies?
Air purifiers reduce pet allergies by using a fan to pull in airborne allergens and trap them in a filter before recirculating the air back into the room. One of the most common filters you’ll see in reducing pet allergies is the HEPA filter but do HEPA filters work for pet allergies? Or are there better options out there?
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, HEPA filters are the most effective filters for removing pet-related allergens. Air purifiers utilize HEPA filters by forcing air through a fine mesh that traps particles as small as 0.3 microns. This means that pet-related allergens, which typically range in size from 2.5 to 10 microns, are easily captured by the filter. Once trapped, these allergens are removed from the air, resulting in cleaner, healthier air to breathe.
But HEPA filters don't just trap pet-related allergens. They can also capture other common indoor air pollutants like dust mites, pollen, and mold spores. And if you’re wondering, “do air purifiers help with pet dander?” They can help with that too!
Do Air Purifiers Help with Allergies to Dogs?
Your dogs are like family, but allergies to your pups can make it difficult to enjoy their company. If you're allergic to dogs, you may be thinking to yourself, “are air purifiers good for dog allergies?“ and if so, “how will an air purifier help with dog allergies?” The good news is that air purifiers can be very effective in reducing dog-related allergens in the air and providing relief for allergy sufferers like yourself.
Dog allergens can come from a variety of sources, including dander, saliva, and urine. These allergens can become airborne and circulate throughout your home, making it difficult to avoid exposure.
HEPA filters are the most effective type of filter for capturing dog allergens, trapping up to 99.97% of particles as small as 0.3 microns. As air passes through the filter, these allergens and dander are trapped, preventing them from circulating back into the air and causing allergy symptoms.
Pro Tip: High-quality air purifiers for pets will use a combination of filter types to solve a dog allergy problem. For example, the Airpura V700 Air Purifier uses both a HEPA filter to remove dog allergens and dander from the air, and an activated carbon filter to soak in dog smells to give you a fully-encompassing solution.
Do HEPA Filters Help with Cat Allergies?
Air purifiers equipped with HEPA filters are very effective at helping to reduce cat-related allergens in your home. However, their effectiveness will depend on a variety of factors.
- It's important to recognize that cat allergens are not just fur or hair, but rather a combination of dead skin cells, saliva, and urine. These particles are very small and can easily become airborne, making them difficult to capture and easy for you to breathe in.
- When searching for an air purifier for cat allergies, it's important to choose a model with a quality, medical-grade HEPA filter, which is specifically designed to remove particles as small as 0.3 microns. Cat allergens and dander typically range in size from 2.5 to 10 microns, so this type of filter is great at capturing them.
- A final thing to note, it's important to take additional measures to reduce and prevent the number of cat allergens and cat dander in your home. Regular cleaning and maintenance, such as vacuuming with a HEPA filter and bathing your cat, can help a lot in reducing cat allergens in your home.
Do Air Purifiers Help with Animal Allergies of All Types?
If you find yourself allergic to birds, rodents, or any other type of animals that emit allergens or dander then it can be a real challenge to find relief. In your search for a solution, you probably came across air purifiers as a viable option but may still be wondering, “do air purifiers work with animal allergies?”
Yes, air purifiers are highly effective in reducing animal allergies and dander which can help tremendously in preventing allergic reactions.
However, it's important to note that not all air purifiers are created equal. Models specifically designed to remove animal-related allergens typically have HEPA (High-Efficiency Particulate Air) filters, which are great at capturing small particles in the air like animal-related allergens, and dander to help prevent animal allergies.
Good to Know: When searching for an air purifier for animal allergies it’s important to know that most units will use a combination of filter types to clean the air. It’s not uncommon for an air purifier to use a HEPA filter to capture allergens and dander and an activated carbon filter to remove animal-related odors in the air to give you the results you’re looking for.
Finally, remember that air purifiers are not a complete solution to reducing animal allergens in your home. No matter if your pet is a parrot, ferret, or horse, regular cleaning, bathing your pet, and minimizing their access to certain areas of your home can help a lot in reducing the number of allergens present.
Do Air Purifiers Really Help with Pet Allergies? Yes!
Air purifiers are a great tool for reducing pet-related allergies and improving indoor air quality in your home. They’re designed to pull in and filter out tiny particles from the air such as pet allergens and dander, then recirculate clean air back into the room. However, it's important to keep in mind that air purifiers are not a complete solution to your pet-allergy problem, and you should continue to take additional measures to reduce pet allergens and dander in your home. Regular cleaning and grooming of your pets can be one of the best steps in helping to reduce the number of allergens in the air.
When choosing an air purifier for pet-related allergies, it's important to consider the size of the unit to the size of the room. A small air purifier may not be powerful enough to capture all the allergens and pet dander in a larger room. To ensure the best results, it's recommended to choose an air purifier that is rated for at least 1.5 times the size of the room it will be used in. This will ensure it has enough power to clean the air many times over every hour.
Investing in an air purifier for pet allergies can make a significant difference in your quality of life and for people who suffer from allergies or respiratory issues like asthma. Ultimately, the decision to buy an air purifier is a personal one. But if you're a pet owner looking for ways to improve indoor air quality, an air purifier is definitely worth considering.
Want to purchase an air purifier for pet allergies, but unsure of where to start? Check out our latest list of the best air purifiers for pets to find the perfect unit for you.
Still have some questions? Speak with our team of world-class air purifier experts at (877) 791-8083 or send us an email at support@wellnesjunction.com and we’d be happy to help.
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