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Allergies lead to medication and avoidance. A few years back, many people gravitated to bottled-water claiming a healthier and purer refreshment than what was comming-out of their taps in the kitchen or bathrooms. To some extent there are proven studies that show that depending on where you live, tap-water may contain several foreign chemicals that the end-users were not aware-of.

Air is the next wave. Most of us take for granted that the air we breath is healthy and safe to breath unless some media outlet tells-us otherwise. We may not have much control over the air we breath when we leave our homes and head outside. There are however products on the market that can help with our indoor air-quality which could help with allergies or other respitory issues that we or members of our family could suffer from.

Before venturing out and spending your hard earned money on a product that claims to clean the air in your hom, do some research. Systems that are 'True HEPA' are the best. What is HEPA? As we know it, it is the most efficient filtration currently available. First developed by the U.S Atomic Energy Commission it is now used by many hospitals and computer facilities to help clean the air. HEPA removes particles that are as small as .3 microns. This is important because any matter that is .3 microns in size can pass through lungs and enter the blood-stream. If some of these particles are harmful or can cause allergies then we are automatically exposed without knowing. Some particles that are this minute include latex, diesel soot, car exhaust, pollen, ragweed, dust mite feces and more. Every breath we take can mean that we ingest such particles. We also breath-in air that could contain viruses or bacteria that could eventually harm us. Air pollution contibutes to asthma and allergies.

Over our lifetime we can breath-in more foreign matter than our body-systems can manage. Summer is the worst-time for breathing ailments as the air can become saturated with foreign particles, many that we cannot see or even know that they are there.

How can we combat these foreign particles that can lead to allergy issues? Well it may be nearly impossible outdoors. The Chinese have resorted to face masks in some of their cities but we are not there yet. We can certainly start by cleaning the air we breath when we sleep or when we are just existing in our home. I installed a HEPA system on my A/C and furnace unit. Though it has only been 6 months and it has been through the winter, the accumulated effect has been; better sleep, less headaches, no viruses and a general sense of feeling better. The only thing that I can attribute these to is that we installed the HEPA system which cleans the air in the home. The research I did on this subject told me that there would be a noticeable difference over time. We are heading into the spring allergy season and it will be interesting to note if this unit has a similar effect on the allergy sufferers in the home. It is also interesting to note that pets seem healthier and more energetic since having this air-purification system in place. (this could be good or bad depending on your pets).

Many good HVAC shops will have a portable Micron tester and can come-in to do a particle-count in your home. This will tell you how amny invisible particles are in the air you breathe. Thi could be valuable information for you when making a decision as to the benefits of any system you may put in your house. Some governments have made the cost of such systems tax-deductible if they are purchased to alleviate allergy or asthma conditions. There is a great deal of information available on this subject so I recommend that you read-up on it and be informed before you buy.

Learn more about this author, Bjc Chartier.
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