Health and lifestyle - 3M
Room to breathe
Over 15 million people in the UK suffer from allergic reactions triggered by airborne particles such as pollen and dust. A room air purifier can help ease symptoms
 |
The air you and your family breathe can contain millions of microscopic dust, pollen and mould spore particles. It’s these particles, along with a host of others, that are causing allergic reactions including asthma attacks and hay fever for so many people in the UK.
Airborne particle Allergies – The symptoms |
There are several allergic reactions caused by airborne particles including:
- Asthma attacks
- Hay fever
- Sore, dry or itchy eyes
- Runny nose
- Itchy mouth, nose or throat
- Excessive sneezing
- Poor sleep and headaches.
Which particles cause these reactions?
There’s a wide range of particles that can trigger different reactions for sufferers. Pollen Pollen is produced by trees, crops, grasses and flowers and is best known for triggering hay fever. When suffering from hay fever, the body’s immune system is overreacting to the presence of pollen in the air. The time of year that hay fever affects an individual depends on which pollen they are allergic to. During spring (March to May), tree pollen is most prevalent. During the summer months (May to July), grass and flower pollen is more prevalent.
Dust and dust mite debris Household dust is made up of a wide variety of things, including dead skin from humans and pets, finely-ground plant and insect parts, and debris created from dust mites. An allergy to dust or dust mites can bring on asthma attacks, as well as cause sneezing and some cold symptoms.
Mould Spores Mould spores are generated from mould, which is a fungus that grows in damp or very humid areas. Mould spores can often produce allergic reactions, including sneezing, runny nose and congestion.
Smoke Smoke can be generated by a number of things including cigarettes, cigars, open fires and cooking. In addition to several known carcinogens, smoke can contain particles including wood tar, soot and ashes. In addition to causing typical allergic reactions such as sneezing and runny nose, exposure to smoke can cause burning eyes, bronchitis and even trigger asthma attacks.
What can I do to solve the problem?
Room air purifiers, such as those from 3M Filtrete, are an increasingly popular method of removing particles from the air. Air purifiers circulate the air through a filter that is specifically designed to trap airborne particles.
How do I choose a room air purifier?
Always look for the purifier’s Clean Air Delivery Rate (CADR), which describes the rate at which clean air is returned to the room. CADR is independently tested so is a very reliable guide to the effectiveness of a purifier. The higher the CADR number, the faster the air will be cleaned.
Choose a room air purifier which uses a replaceable filter. 3M believes that replaceable filters offer improved longterm filtration and ease of use compared to washable or vacuum clean filters. 3M is a leader in filtration technology and produces an excellent range of Filtrete Room Air Purifiers, which are up to 99.9% effective at filtering dust, pollen and smoke from the air.
For more advice or a free brochure contact:
Tel: 0845 603 5575
Website: www.filtrete.co.uk
