Studies show that raising your children with a puppy in the house can benefit their body's immune system in the future, so when you decided to let Bella, the new baby, play with Rocko, the new puppy, you probably didn't stop to consider the effects that Rocko's dander might have on you, Mommy. So it's springtime and a couple months and four photo albums have passed with Rocko and the newborn, and your allergies are worse than ever. Your child's immune system might have built up a resistance against puppy dander, but they can develop allergies affected by almost any type of small particle found within your household. The chances of your child having a mold allergy is 1 in 4, and most allergies go undiagnosed in younger children so it's hard to tell early whether or not your child is allergic to the substances in your household. The situation worsens in July when Grandma Rosie comes to stay for a month. Her respiratory issues are evident and you wish there was something you could do to alleviate her suffering.



So what can you do to ease the allergies that you or your child might be experiencing in a household with constantly changing conditions or the respiratory constraints on an elderly member of the household? One might simply ask, what's the answer to cleaner household air?

HEPA air filters were first designed by the Military in order to rid the air of free-floating nuclear material (HEPA stands for High Efficiency Particle Air-filter). The filters also eliminated dust and mold particles from the air without emitting a byproduct or any secondary substance back into the air. HEPA filters can be found in hospitals or any other facility that requires the cleanest air possible. If allergies are severe enough, then investing in a HEPA filter unit for your household might be something to consider, but on a smaller scale, HEPA filters in vacuum cleaners can easily do the trick.

HEPA filtration entered vacuum cleaner design back in the 90's when it was noted that some dust would escape the vacuum once it had been sucked into the machine. The dust became airborne and could simply float out of the holes. This was a huge and disappointing predicament, as vacuums were clearly failing at the performance of the major functional intent of their original design. Nevertheless, the answer to their problem was simple; design a vacuum that included the most effective way of trapping and removing tiny particles from the air.

Likewise, the answer to your question is equally as simple; your old vacuum cleaner needs to go. Yes, the dust is seeping out of the vents even though you saw the head of the vacuum suck it out of the corners in your hallway. They are now floating about your home, waiting to be inhaled. Your baby is fine because she hasn't experienced enough physical growth yet to demonstrate symptoms of allergies, but grandma's in the other room hacking up a lung, and you're dropping precious diaper money on allergy pills and eye-drops.

HEPA filters will definitely remove most dust, mold, and dander from the air in your household, but they are not 100% effective and cannot be considered a complete treatment for someone with allergies. Most people who suffer from allergies are actually allergic to more than just one thing, so while HEPA filters in vacuum cleaners will certainly help the situation, they cannot be considered a cure to the person's condition. Yet HEPA filtration in vacuum cleaners remains a positive step in the right direction. They are included in the majority of new designs of vacuum cleaner and have become an essential step in the direction of cleaner household air.