Kara Zorn on October 9, 2013 0 Comments Anyone with allergies knows that managing the symptoms and avoiding key triggers are the most important steps to getting through the allergy season. While most people associate allergies with the spring, it’s not uncommon to experience those same symptoms during the fall. Not only are there different allergens in the air but people start spending more time inside as the temperature cools. There are a number of different steps you can take to minimize your exposure to allergens, but an air purifier is often the key to success as you begin spending more time indoors. Let’s take a look at the most common fall allergens, and why the right air purifier can help you stay healthy. 5 Most Common Fall Allergens To find out whether or not an air purifier will help you improve your control over managing allergy related symptoms it is important to understand what the most common fall allergens are. Weeds In the spring, your allergies are probably triggered by tree pollen and weeds. During the fall there are a number of new leaves which begin to bloom and are often associated with fall allergies. They include ragweed, English plantain, and mugwort. To complicate matters, the pollen of fall weeds is often much smaller and more difficult to see. Pets Another common source of fall allergies are your pets. Even if you’re not allergic to pet dander, it’s possible that your pets will carry in outdoor allergens any time they reenter your home. Along with using an air purifier, it is recommended that you bathe your pets at least once a week during the fall to remove all potential allergy triggers. Here’s our list of the best air purifiers for pet dander. Dust & Dust Mites As the temperature drops, we tend to spend more time indoors. While this is more comfortable, it also exposes you to the number one indoor allergen which is dust mites. These microscopic bugs thrive in warm, humid areas. In your home, they are most likely in or around your upholstery and bedding. An easy trick to helping remove moisture from your betting is simply leaving it unmade during the day. Mold During the fall mold thrives. It serves an important role because it helped the breakdown fallen leaves. Unfortunately, while it does this it releases millions of mold spores which end up covering much of the ground during the fall. Similar to managing pollen allergies, it is important to limit your time outdoors and take precautions to prevent mold from entering your home. Here’s our list of the best air purifiers for mold. Cockroaches Believe it or not cockroaches have proven to be a unique fall trigger. While they are around all year, their population tends to spike during the fall. Unlike all of the other common fall allergies, you can take proactive steps to rid your home of them by keeping it clean and making sure your food is always secure and stored properly. 2 Types of Air Purifiers For Fall Allergies (and 2 to Avoid) IQAir HealthPro Plus Air Purifier with HyperHEPA Filtration There are a growing number of different types of air purifiers on the market. Some can be extremely effective in helping you control your fall allergies while others are designed to serve other purposes. The most effective type of air purifier for allergies is a mechanical filter. This type of air purifier forces air through a special screen or filter which traps microscopic particulates including fall allergens. A HEPA filter is often the most popular type of mechanical filter because it is extremely efficient at cleaning particulates out of the air. To be a true HEPA filter it must be able to capture at least 90 percent of all particles 0.3 microns or larger. Electronic filters have become popular options for controlling fall allergens as well. Instead of mechanically forcing air through the filter, this type of air purifier relies on electrical charges to attract and deposit allergens in the filter. The particulates are then captured within the system rather than sticking to room services. Electrostatic precipitators are considered to be the most efficient type of electronic filter. Over the past several years, a growing number of hybrid filters have hit the market. Hybrid filters come in a variety of shapes and sizes and contain elements of both mechanical electrostatic filters. This type of air purifier is particularly helpful when dealing with a moderate amount of allergens. When purchasing an air purifier to help with fall allergies stay away from gas phase filters and ozone generators. Gas phase filters are designed to remove odors and non-particulate pollution which means they will not likely help you control your fall allergies. Ozone generators are devices which intentionally produce ozone which may help clean the surrounding air. Unfortunately, there is currently little proof that ozone generators can actually remove indoor air contaminants.