Air purifiers that use glass-fiber HEPA material are said to reduce contaminant in the air that can cause illness, including cold and flu viruses, cigarette smoke.
One example is, Are Air Purifiers Beneficial for Good health? << Air Purifier Reviews, Guides and Ratings:
These days, the air we breathe is dirtier and more polluted than ever before. After all, the factors that have contributed to global warming are of course destructive to the environment, but can also be hazardous to the health of everyday people. [...] One of the most important things one can do to improve their air quality is to use an air purifier.
Since many of the common illnesses (cold, flu) are airborne, improving the quality of the air you live in can ultimately lower the chances of getting sick.
There are many silent, invisible contaminants floating around the air that most people don’t even think about. The fact is, they can be harmful, especially if one lives amongst them. Household contaminants are extremely common, and avoiding them can be impossible without an air purifier. Common household contaminants include cigarette smoke, dust, aerosols and pet dander/odors.
While household contaminants are certainly one of the main reasons to use an air purifier, they are equally useful in eliminating harmful microorganisms that float through the air. Mold, pathogens and viruses are all airborne hazards that many people come into contact with on a daily basis. Continual exposure to these and other hazards can have a very negative affect on one’s health, which is why it is wise to take any and all necessary measures to ensure that your air is as clean as it could possibly be.
(I am excluding any improvements in reducing allergens, such as pet dander, which presumably only affect people with specific allergies, and special cases such as industrial/construction settings.)
Is there scientific evidence that air purifiers reduce the risk of illness?
