What is HEPA?

Before I started working for Allergy Be Gone, I didn't really know what "HEPA" meant. While air purifiers and vacuum cleaners have made it a fairly common term in the last few years, I didn't really know what it meant and I certainly didn't know what it stood for. Since HEPA has become such an important concept in the allergy and asthma world, I thought I'd answer a few common questions about it.

What is HEPA and what does it mean?

HEPA stands for High Efficiency Particulate Air. That signifies that HEPA filters are especially good at trapping particles (such as pollen, dander, and other allergens). All HEPA filters trap at least 99.97% of particles .3 microns in size. That's the standard for HEPA.

Why .3 microns?

.3 microns is the hardest size of particle for a filter to trap. That's why it's the benchmark. Any filter that can catch over 99% of these particles can take care of other particles with ease.

What is HEPA-type and how is it different from true HEPA?

A HEPA-type filter is made in the same way as a HEPA filter, but it doesn't meet the same exacting standards as actual HEPA filters. True (or absolute) HEPA filters are held to even higher standards than most HEPA filters.

What is sealed HEPA and what does it mean for my HEPA vacuum cleaner?

HEPA vacuums are great because they filter out more dust, dirt, and allergens. This means that you're not releasing dirty, allergen-laden air back into your home when you vacuum. But in order to really provide HEPA filtration, all the air that's sucked in the nozzle has to go through the filter . Sealed HEPA just signifies that the vacuum cleaner is a completely sealed system with no place for air (and particles) to leak out.

Why do I need HEPA?

The air around us is filled with dust, pollen, and other allergens. HEPA filters (be they in an air purifier or a vacuum cleaner) keep us from breathing in those particles. A HEPA filter could mean the difference between an allergy or asthma attack and breathing freely.

Having a HEPA vacuum and air purifier is just part of a complete allergy-fighting system; it shouldn't be the only defense against allergens. But it's a good start.

Related posts: 

• Breathe Free With an Air Purifier
  
• Canister Vacuum vs. Upright Vacuum - Does It Still Matter?
• 6 Reasons You Need a Central Vacuum Cleaner
• Do Robotic Vacuums Really Save You Time?

Achoo! Either that Dog Goes or I Go!

As someone who's had both a cat (at least one) and cat allergies for many years, I know what it's like to live with the source of my sneezing and itchy eyes. I'm not alone. I'm joined by approximately 2 million other people who are allergic to their cats.

Sometimes, though, it's not so easy. Your allergies might be a lot more severe than mine. And what do you do when you're moving into a new place where a cat or dog is present? Or if your child is just showing signs of allergies?

First, know what you're allergic to. We give this advice for every situation. Before you blame your pet, make sure that it's actually the source of your symptoms. See your allergist or immunologist and get an allergy test. Or, get away from your pet for a week or two and see if your allergies improve (removing the pet is not as effective, as pet allergens can linger in the home for up to six months).

If a pet allergy has been confirmed, the best way to control it is avoidance. It can be hard, but sometimes the best solution is to find your pet another home. If you would rather keep your pet, there are ways to minimize your symptoms by avoiding pet allergens.

• Always wash your hands, face, and arms immediately after touching your pet to remove dander.
• Keep your pet out of your bedroom. Letting your cat or dog sleep on your bed (even when you're not there) means lots of dander and hair left behind on your bedding. Not fun when you're trying to sleep.
• Always wear a protective mask and gloves when grooming your pet. Change your clothes afterwards, and keep them out of the bedroom. You can wash it with Allergen Wash to remove dander.
• Use a HEPA air purifier to cut down on the amount of allergens in the air. Houses with forced-air heating and air-conditioning can be fitted with a central air purifier or filters.
• Vacuum often, since pets always give off allergens, even when they aren't shedding. A HEPA vacuum or high-efficiency vacuum bag will trap more pet allergens and keep them from getting pumped back into the air.
  
• Nothing beats a bath for your pet, especially if you use a shampoo that minimizes dander (such as Allersearch Pet Shampoo). If you start bathing a cat when it's a kitten, it will usually not mind being washed as an adult.
• Place the cat's litter box somewhere that is unconnected to the air supply for the rest of the home, and avoid it if you're allergic.
  

Dander (skin flakes) aren't the only cause of cat and dog allergies. Saliva and urine can also cause an allergic reaction in some people. There is no relationship between the pet's hair length and allergen production, and there is also no such thing as a non-allergenic breed. Also note that, since pet dander is sticky, it gets carried on clothes to places where pets have never been present, such as schools, workplaces, and other public spaces.

I've talked specifically about cat and dog allergies, but this advice also applies to other types of pet allergies. Other common pet allergies include hamsters, rabbits, and birds. There are even people who complain of allergies to reptiles (usually thought to be "hypo-allergenic").

It can be hard to give up a pet because of allergies. It's also hard when you can't give your pet as much love and affection as he or she deserves because of allergies. In the end, only you can make that decision. each person's allergies are different, and might require a different course of action.

For more information and tips, see: About Pet Dander on Allergy Be Gone

The Secret World of Dust Mites

Dust mites are microscopic arachnids, in the same family as spiders and ticks. They are only about 1/100th of an inch long. They eat the dead skin that falls off the bodies of humans and animals and on other organic material found where they live. They love warm, humid areas filled with dust. Pillows, mattresses, carpets, upholstery, and stuffed toys are all favorite places for dust mites to live and breed.

For most people, dust mites are simply disgusting. However, the cast skins and feces of dust mites are a major constituent of house dust and induce allergic or asthmatic reactions in some people. House dust contaminated with dust mite allergens is one of the most strongly allergenic materials found indoors. It is estimated that dust mites may be a factor in 50% to 80% of asthma attacks, as well as contributing to countless cases of eczema, hay fever, and other allergic ailments. For most people, symptoms are limited to sneezing, itching, watery eyes, or wheezing, but in some cases may include a red rash around the neck, headaches, fatigue and depression.

If you have dust mite allergies, you don't have to live with them. There are a lot of things you can do to combat dust mites in your home. Since most dust mites in your home are in the bedroom, it's a good place to start fighting back.

• Enclose mattresses, box springs, and pillows in allergen-proof covers. The barrier will prevent dust mites allergens from getting out of your bedding. Since mattresses are a favorite home of mites, specially woven mattress encasings will keep dust mite allergens away from you while you sleep.
  
• Wash bedding - including pillow cases, sheets, blankets, and mattress pads - every other week in hot water (130°F). This kills not only dust mites and their allergens, but other allergens as well. Using an anti-allergen laundry detergent or anti-dust mite laundry additive will ensure that there are no dust mites left alive and inhibit their growth until the next washing.
• Since fabric is a great breeding ground for dust mites, the less you have of it around the better. Get rid of, or at least reduce, fabric wall hangings such as tapestries or pennants. Ditch curtains or drapes in favor of plastic shades and blinds.
• If you can, give up your carpet, since it's a great breeding ground for dust mites. If you need to have carpet, don't install it directly on top of concrete, because the warm space between rug and concrete is a good place for mites to live.
• Vacuum often with a HEPA vacuum cleaner and throw away the vacuum bag afterwards. Dust mites can leave the bag while it sits in the vacuum. Regular vacuuming greatly reduces the dust mite population.
• Because dust mites love warm, humid places, keep the humidity low by using a dehumidifier or air conditioner. Special air filters can help reduce dust mites in the air. A HEPA air purifier will also reduce the quantity of dust mite allergens in the air.
• Get a product to neutralize dust mite allergens inside your home. Tannic acid-based solutions can neutralize the dust mite proteins that cause allergic reactions. For those rare people who are sensitive to tannic acid, there are also carpet sprays that are not tannic acid based that will neutralize dust mite allergens.
  

Following these guidelines should help anyone, whether you have mild or severe allergies, reduce your symptoms.

Breathe Free With an Air Purifier

Air is the most important thing we take into our bodies. While we can go days without food and water, we can only last a few minutes without air. It is our most basic necessity. Unfortunately, with the pollution of the modern age, what is most important to us can actually hurt us. One very effective way to raise the air quality in your home is by using an air purifier. Also called air cleaners or air scrubbers, air purifiers come in many shapes, sizes, and types. But with many varieties, what are the features you should look for?

Better quality air purifiers use HEPA filters. HEPA stands for High Efficiency Particulate Air and means that the air purifier has been rated by the US Department of Energy. Originally designed in the 1940s to prevent the spread of airborne radioactive contaminants during the Manhattan Project, HEPA filters are used today in hospitals, nuclear facilities, clean rooms, and anywhere that air quality is truly vital.

HEPA filers trap 99.97% of particles as small as .3 microns. This means that for every 10,000 particles that enter the filter only 3 particles will get through. The efficiency of HEPA filters is measured in particles of .3 microns, because this is the most difficult size to capture, and the size that passes most easily into the human respiratory system. To give you some idea of how small a micron is, one micron is equal to 1 millionth of a meter. It takes 25,400 microns to equal 1 inch. Pollen is between 5 and 100 microns, and a human hair is between 70 and 100 microns.

HEPA filters can protect you from almost all airborne particles, including pollen, mold spores, pet dander, and dust. But a HEPA filter, no matter how efficient, won't capture airborne chemicals and toxins. We don't realize what a toxic world we live in. Everything in our homes, including our carpets, wood furniture, upholstery, and cosmetics, lets off some toxic chemicals that make their way into our lungs. Some common toxins that are probably in our homes right now are benzene, formaldehyde, toluene, methanol, and ozone. These can cause cancer, blindness, and damage to the central nervous system. Our bodies have no defense from these chemicals, so we have to stop them before they get into our bodies.

To trap toxic chemicals, some air purifiers use activated carbon. Activated carbon is carbon that has been processed so that it has tiny fissures. These pores trap toxic chemicals as they enter the purifier. One pound of activated carbon has 200 miles of pores. Low quality air cleaners usually only have pre-filters that consist of a sponge material sprayed with carbon dust. These last a very short time (a few days), and don't trap a lot of toxins. The best air purifiers have carbon filters with several pounds of carbon, enough to last for years of continuous use.

Another air quality concern is viruses and germs. This is especially true in homes with young children, who can pick up all sorts of germs from their friends at school and bring them home. To help solve this problem, many air purifiers come with UV lamps to kill germs before they can make you and your family sick. Used in both water and air purification, UV-C (also called "short wave" or "germicidal" UV waves) break down matter and destroy the DNA of biological contaminants. Having a UV bulb in your air purifier will kill viruses, germs, dust mites, and mold - anything with DNA. The UV light is contained within the air purifier, so you don't have to worry about exposure to it. Most UV bulbs last a long time - at least 10,000 hours of continuous use.

Air purifiers range in price from tens of dollars to several hundred dollars. Getting a really good quality air purifier (one with all of the elements listed above) is an investment, but it's an investment that pays off in your family's health.

8 Simple Things You can Do to Decrease Your Pollen Exposure

It would be a massive understatement to say that seasonal allergies are no fun. Across the United States each spring, tens of millions of allergy sufferers begin sneezing. The most common cause? Pollen.

Pollens are the tiny male cells that grasses, weeds, and trees release each spring to continue the life cycle. Because they're spread mostly by the wind, they're carried far and wide, easily infiltrating our homes.

Now, short of locking yourself in a pollen-proof box for most of the year, there's no way to completely avoid pollen, but there are some simple ways to decrease your exposure and alleviate some of your symptoms.

1. Knowing is half the battle: First, you should see an allergist or immunologist for an allergy test. This will tell you what type of pollens and molds you're allergic to (it will also tell you what other allergies you might have, such as dust mites or pet dander). Once you know what you're allergic to, you can try to avoid exposure to it.
   
   
2. Track the source of your problem: It's possible to track pollen counts online. The National Allergy Bureau tracks different types of pollen in the air all across the country. Some newspapers and TV weather reports also give pollen counts. Avoid spending too much time outside on days when the pollen count is too high.
   
   
3. Sometimes it's best to stay home: After months of cold weather, it can be nice to get outside for a change. However, it's best to stay indoors when the pollen count is high, usually between 5 and 10 am. If you are outside during those hours, avoid intense outdoor activities, such as exercise or strenuous work. You can also minimize pollen exposure by wearing a pollen and dust mask while outdoors.
   
   Weather also affects the amount of pollen in the air. Pollen is usually highest on hot, breezy days. Gentle, sustained rain washes most of the pollen out of the rain, but thunderstorms can stir it up.
4. Wash the problem out of your hair: Since pollen sticks to clothing, skin, and hair, take a shower and wash your hair before going to bed so that pollen from your hair can't be transferred to your pillow. Also, washing your hands after being outside can keep pollen from being transferred from hands to eyes, where they can cause irritation. It's a good idea to use a special anti-allergen laundry detergent, which will remove not only pollen, but pet dander and other allergens as well.
   
5. Spring freshness isn't the only thing getting into those sheets: Even though you might want to take advantage of that fresh spring breeze to hang your laundry up outside, hanging clothes are like a filter trap for pollen. Using a clothes dryer instead minimizes the amount of pollen that can get on clothes and sheets. The heat of the dryer also neutralizes the pollen.
   
6. Do some spring cleaning: Pollen and other allergy-causing agents can be reduced, although not eliminated, through regular cleaning. Using a HEPA vacuum cleaner is best, but if that's not an option you can upgrade the air filtration in your current vacuum to include exhaust filters and multi-layer bags for high allergen containment. Be careful, however, as cleaning without a HEPA vacuum or HEPA air cleaner can stir up more dust and pollen, sometimes making your symptoms worse.
   
7. No pollen allowed: If you have pets that spend time outside, keep them out of the bedroom. If that's not feasible, at least keep them off your bed. Pets not only carry (and deposit) pet dander, but can also have pollen stuck to their fur.
   
   If your pets spend a lot of time outside, you should bathe them frequently. Using a pet shampoo that minimizes allergens will help reduce both pollen and pet dander
8. Lock out pollen: Keep your windows and outside doors closed as much as possible during the pollen season. Using central air conditioning as much as possible (if you have it) will keep keep pollen outside. If it's not possible to air condition the entire house, use a room air conditioner in the bedroom of the person with allergies and keep the windows and doors to that room closed. Check A/C filters often to make sure they're clean. This not only increases their efficiency, but saves energy and money.
   
   If you don't want to give up that fresh outdoor breeze, you can get a window screen that will lock out pollen and other allergens.

For more information:
National Allergy Bureau Pollen Count by Region (courtesy of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology)
Allergy Be Gone Allergists Directory by state