Edmonton Air Quality Issues and Air Purifier Recommendations
Why You Need an Air Purifier in Edmonton
While many Canadian cities have seen a reduction in airborne particulates over the past decade, Edmonton is a notable exception. As in other cities, the growing number of vehicles on the road contributes to poorer air quality, however, Edmonton is unique in that it is bombarded by hazardous pollutants from three large coal-fired electricity plants in the west, as well as refineries in the east and northeast. Sulphates and nitrates from these sources react in the atmosphere to form fine PM2.5 particulates, which then drift into the city and beyond. In addition, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are emitted by the oilsands, which react with sunlight to form tiny aerosol particles. These fine particulates are considered particularly dangerous as they can travel deeper into your lungs and become permanently lodged there.
In the winter, smog can be a major cause of respiratory issues for Edmontonians. The colder weather can lead to temperature inversions, trapping fine particulates and other pollutants at breathing level, where they react with each other to create a toxic brew of new chemicals. On bad days, figures from the city’s monitoring stations show that ambient fine particulates can exceed the legal limit of 30 micrograms per cubic metre.
FACT: On some days, PM2.5 readings in Edmonton exceeds that
of Toronto, despite having a much smaller population.
Neighbouring wildfires are also to blame for large spikes in Edmonton’s particulate readings. The fires in Fort McMurray led to several air quality advisories being issued in 2016, while drift from the Washington State wildfires triggered advisories the year before. There are hundreds of wildfires in Alberta each year, and as the province’s boreal forest matures, the risk of such fires will only increase.
Apart from outdoor air pollution filtering indoors, many of our Edmonton customers report having serious allergies or aggravated cases of asthma due to the abundance of pollen producing trees and grasslands in and around the city. However, the most common allergy in Edmonton is to outdoor molds (e.g., from grain crops), which can trigger allergies in the late summer to early fall.
Faced with these issues, many Edmontonians have begun to rely on high-quality air purifiers to maintain a healthier indoor living environment. Advanced air purifiers featuring both HEPA and activated carbon components are able to handle allergens, particulates and chemicals, allowing you to breathe cleaner air while indoors and reducing the severity of any respiratory symptoms.
Modern Alchemy Air Purifiers Recommends...
IQAir HealthPro Plus Air Purifier
Second to None for Fine Particle Filtration
The Swiss-made IQAir HealthPro Plus is regarded as the best air cleaning system in the world, and rightly so. Able to capture ultra-fine particles down to an incredible 0.003 microns (100x smaller than a standard medical-grade HEPA filter can), this air purifier can easily handle the ambient fine particulates (PM2.5) that filter in from outside. In addition, the V5-Cell Gas & Odor filter offers protection from wide-spectrum chemicals and gases.
Epurair MA-1P Air Purifier
Quiet and Effective Particle Capture
The Canadian-made Epurair MA-1P air purifier offers a hermetically-sealed HEPA filtration system designed to capture dust, pollen, mould spores, pet dander and, of course, fine particulates. In addition to the medical-grade HEPA filter, this air purifier features a carbon pre-filter and VOC carbon trap filter to adsorb light chemicals and gases. The MA-1P is one of the quietest air purifiers on the market and comes with a lifetime warranty.
Modern Alchemy Air Purifiers offers expert advice, outstanding products, great prices, unparalleled customer service and free shipping on all air purifiers within Canada. We are happy to answer any questions you may have about the products we sell so contact us today!
Phone: 613-894-0331
Toll Free: 1-877-GO-7-PURE (1-877-467-7873)
Email: info@modernalchemyair.com
