Understanding PM 2.5 & How An Air Purifier Can Protect You

We are living in an era when being more conscious of what we eat and drink is vital to our health and happiness. However, caution is required not just when it comes to the food we eat, but also when it comes to the air we inhale. 

While it may be impossible to manage outdoor pollution, there are techniques to monitor and maintain appropriate interior air quality, which will protect your body against illnesses and diseases caused by airborne toxins.

By simply looking at or smelling tainted food or contaminated water, the human eye can detect it.

However, determining whether the air we are breathing is safe or if it is harbouring hidden threats that we are inhaling into our lungs can be challenging. Some of the more visible particles like pollen are unmissable.

But there are other particles that are near-invisible. Such dangerous toxins can move deep into our respiratory tracts, lungs, and bloodstreams, completely undetected.  

What Is PM2.5 Pollution?

PM2.5 is a term that refers to contaminants that are invisible to the human eye. PM2.5 levels are defined as inhalable particles with a diameter of 2.5 micrometres or less. What is the size of PM2.5 particles? Let's compare a PM2.5-rated contaminant to human hair to put things in perspective.

A human hair is around 70 micrometres long and 70 micrometres wide. This indicates that a single strand of hair is 30 times the size of the smallest particle. It comes as no surprise then that we don’t know when we’re breathing dangerous toxins like these in. 

Why We Can't Ignore It 

PM 2.5 is primarily released through combustion. It comes from a variety of sources, including fireplaces, vehicle engines, and coal or natural gas-fired power plants.Trees and plants are in fact, also natural producers of this pollutant, through the release of secondary particles as a result of chemical interactions between gases like sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides. This makes it essentially inescapable. 

No one is immune to the harmful effects of PM2.5 levels. While those plagued by allergies, asthma, or heart disease are particularly susceptible to its effects, there is no way to avoid the harm that breathing in PM2.5 particles can cause.

Because these particles are so small, they not only stretch to the deepest parts of your lungs but also worm their way into your bloodstream, which, let's face it, is a highway to every area of your body. 

Eye, nose, and throat discomfort, coughing, sneezing, and shortness of breath are some of the most common symptoms of PM2.5 pollution exposure.

People who stay in areas with alarmingly high PM2.5 levels risk lifelong harm to their health and well-being. This is because they undergo regular exposure to PM2.5 levels and are therefore more likely to develop asthma, chronic upper respiratory infections, and potentially heart disease.

Are there ways to reduce my exposure to PM2.5?

Staying indoors when PM2.5 levels are high outside might limit your exposure, though it's inevitable that some particles will travel indoors. PM2.5 levels could be the same as or even greater than outside if there are major sources of it within your home. Indoor air is often more contaminated than outdoor air, and using a high-performance air purifier is the best way to ensure that indoor air is pure at all times.

Let us clear the air 

Luckily, all hope is not lost. 

Even though PM 2.5 has a negative impact on air quality both inside and out, using an air purifier is one of the most effective strategies to reduce air pollution within the home. With the right option, your space will not only be rid of dust and other airborne pollutants but will also be protected against PM 2.5 particles. 

New & Improved Solenco CF8500 Air Purifier

Fresh from a makeover, this fan favourite now comes with a PM2.5 display sensor and auto function, allowing the fan speed to adapt to the air quality and clean the air efficiently!

Say goodbye to stale, unhealthy air, and watch as our product eradicates indoor pollutants, keeping you and your family safe and working for your overall wellbeing! 

If you head on over to our store and make your purchase today, you can be sure your body will be thanking you for a long time to come. But if you’re not yet convinced, have a look at the many awesome additional features that make this air purifier a must-have: 

• Allergy Foundation of South Africa's Seal of Approval
• Multistage Air Cleaner to prevent allergies, relieve asthma & improve sleep.
• UVC Light which can be turned off and on and kills viruses and bacteria
• PCO to destroy particles as small as 0.001 microns
• H13 Medical Grade HEPA Filters that traps up to 99.975% of particles 0,1 microns in diameter
• Reduces VOCs, toxic fumes and odours
• Filter change indicator- 6 to 12 month life span
• Operates in rooms up to 25m2 at 4 ACH
• Night Mode