For some of us, allergens are our worst enemy — the fresh pollen of spring, fall foliage, and of course the ever present dust, mold and animal dander. Sometimes the only solution is a high-tech air filtration system, but these complex systems can cost up to $800. But if you’re an allergy sufferer, today is your luck day as Dr. Jeffrey E. Terrell of the University of Michigan Health System’s Sinus Center shows us how to make our own easy air filtration system, for just $30!
Cleaning the air in our homes, especially the bedroom, is imperative to avoiding sinus problems and other allergyrelated side effects. High Efficiency Particulate Air filters (HEPA) are what doctors suggest for optimal results, but they can get pricey. Luckily, a comparable DIY solution can be found at your local hardware store. Terrell suggests first buying a twenty inch by twenty inch box fan, which usually run around $10-15 (unless you are in New York, which will run you about $20).
Then head to the furnace and heating section, and pick up a twenty by twenty furnace filter. There are many qualities of filters, so it is important to make sure that the filter is both a HEPA filter, and that it has a MERV (Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value) rating of 13 or higher. This will be indicated clearly on the packaging, and cost around $15. The rest is easy, just tape the filter (arrows out) to the face of the fan.
Just note that your DIY purifier will be more effective on the floor, rather than in a window, because it will then filter out air in your home, rather than from the outside. Terrell recommends keeping windows closed, and to simply buy another filter when the color turns from white to brown. Your new DIY system can filter allergens up to 90%!
+ University of Michigan
Via Newswise
