The first instinct is to make sure the air filter is clean, if not replaced immediately. However, there are a few more steps you should take. There are also many types of filters on the market – the simple ones filter only large impurities, dust particles, and calamine but do not filter spores and pollen and are not anti-allergenic. So how do we prepare?
- Clean the inside of the car thoroughly
- Wipe the dust vents
- Sanitizes the air conditioning system (ozonation)
- Replace the cabin filter with an anti-allergic one
What are the options?
There are several types of cabin air filters on the market, from simple ones for impurities to pollen ones that filter out spores and pollen, to activated charcoal filters that neutralize odors, and to antiallergic and antibacterial, which are recommended for people with asthma or severe allergies.
Among the first manufacturers to launch filters that ensure 100% filtration of the air in the passenger compartment were those from MANN FILTER, followed by other manufacturers such as Filtron, Mahle, Bosch, Valeo, Denso, Plan, UFI, Pilenga, Campion, NIPPARTS, Sakura. The price of an anti-allergy filter starts from 15 Euro and can go up to 50 Euro if you choose the OE version from a certain manufacturer.
What are the benefits of an allergy filter?
An anti-allergy filter incorporates all the technologies of the other filters in one place and gives you the best air filtration for the car interior. Thus with the purchase of a single filter, you have the best protection on the market because the filter contains 3 layers:
- Particle filtration layer (stops dust and pollen)
- Activated carbon coating (removes odors and gases)
- Bifunctional layer (fights allergens and bacteria)
How does it protect me?
Being a filter that encompasses all 3 layers means that you and the car’s passengers have the most efficient air filtration. The advantages of the antiallergic filter are:
- Captures and neutralizes allergens – no cough or stuffy nose
- Filters toxic substances – diesel particles and other harmful particles
- Prevents the formation of unpleasant odors – kills bacteria
When do you need to replace it?
The filter is generally replaced depending on how many km you have traveled (with the oil change) but also depending on the operating environment – in a wetter environment, it should be replaced more often. Then we need to pay attention to the following signs:
- When the windshield gets steamy
- When unpleasant odors appear in the passenger compartment
- When you start sneezing in the car
In the end, we leave you with a study done by VW which determined that if you sneeze at a speed of 50 km / h you drive about 13 meters without seeing. But at 130 km? Leaving this issue aside, many drivers die each year from problems caused by polluted air (bronchitis, asthma), and more suffer from respiratory illnesses.
The problem is even more serious due to the congestion in the big cities, the fleet of old cars, and also the particles generated by diesel engines. Better safe than sorry.
