Powerful Fans Can Spread More Than Cool Air – Why HEPA Filtration Matters

Powerful fans without HEPA filters can spread dust, pollen and allergens around your home or office. Discover why HEPA-filtered fans are a healthier choice.

As temperatures soar, powerful electric fans become an essential feature in homes and workplaces across the UK. 

They can make a room feel significantly more comfortable by increasing airflow and helping sweat evaporate, but there is an important downside that many people overlook.

If a fan doesn't include an effective HEPA filter, it may also circulate dust, pollen, mould spores, pet dander and other airborne particles around the room. 

For many people this is simply an inconvenience, but for those with allergies, asthma or other respiratory conditions, it can make symptoms considerably worse.

Why ordinary fans can be a problem

A standard pedestal, desk or tower fan works by moving the air that is already in the room. Unless that air is being cleaned first, everything suspended within it is also kept in circulation.

This includes:

House dust

Pollen

Pet hair and dander

Dust mite allergens

Mould spores

Fine airborne particles

Smoke residue

The more powerful the fan, the more effectively these particles are distributed throughout the room.

If you have ever noticed sneezing or itchy eyes shortly after switching on a fan, this may be the reason.

Who is most at risk?

Airborne particles can be particularly troublesome for:

People with asthma

Hay fever sufferers

Those with COPD or other chronic lung diseases

Young children

Older adults

People recovering from respiratory infections

Anyone with weakened immune systems

For these individuals, poor indoor air quality can trigger coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath or irritated eyes and noses.

The HEPA difference

A fan equipped with a genuine HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air) filter offers a very different approach.

Rather than simply moving contaminated air around the room, it continuously draws air through the filter before circulating it back into the living space.

A true HEPA filter is designed to capture at least 99.97% of airborne particles measuring 0.3 microns in diameter, including many of the allergens and pollutants commonly found indoors.

This means the air gradually becomes cleaner while the room is being cooled.

Many premium air circulators and air purifier fans combine cooling with filtration, providing two benefits at once.

Ideal for homes and offices

HEPA-filtered fans can be particularly valuable in:

Home offices

Bedrooms

Children's rooms

Care homes

GP surgeries

Waiting rooms

Offices with large numbers of staff

Retail premises, especially smaller shops

They may also help improve comfort during allergy season when windows are open and pollen levels are high.

Don't forget maintenance

Even the best HEPA-equipped fan needs regular maintenance.

Filters should be replaced according to the manufacturer's recommendations, and dust should be removed from the fan housing and air intakes to keep the unit operating efficiently.

The bottom line

When shopping for a cooling fan this summer, don't focus solely on airflow or noise levels.

If someone in your household or workplace suffers from asthma, allergies or another respiratory condition, investing in a fan with genuine HEPA filtration could improve indoor air quality as well as comfort.

A powerful fan without filtration simply moves air around. A HEPA-filtered fan helps make that air cleaner too, a difference that could be especially important for the most vulnerable members of your family or workforce.

You can learn more about what types of HEPA fans are available and purchase them at the That's Health online shop, here https://amzn.to/4f7vUHE

How to Reduce Humidity in Your Home

Excess humidity is a common problem in UK homes, especially during colder months when windows stay shut.

Left unchecked, it can lead to condensation, mould, musty smells, and even health issues such as asthma or bronchitis. 

Fortunately, most humidity problems can be tackled with simple, everyday changes.

What Causes High Humidity?

Everyday activities add moisture to the air, including cooking, showering, drying clothes indoors, and even breathing. Poor ventilation, sealed windows, and cold rooms all make the problem worse.

Signs of a Humidity Problem

Condensation on windows

Damp or musty smells

Mould on walls or ceilings

Peeling wallpaper or paint

Rooms feeling cold despite heating

Simple Ways to Reduce Humidity

Open windows daily, even in winter (even just 10–15 minutes helps)

Use extractor fans in kitchens and bathrooms

Keep trickle vents and air bricks clear

Dry clothes near open windows or use a dehumidifier

Use lids on pans and wipe down wet surfaces

Heat rooms evenly to avoid cold spots

Improve airflow by moving furniture away from walls

Use Dehumidifiers Where Needed

Dehumidifiers are especially useful in bedrooms, bathrooms, and poorly ventilated spaces. In colder homes, desiccant models tend to work best.

Aim for Balanced Air

Healthy indoor humidity levels sit between 40–60%. A simple hygrometer can help you keep track.

Why It Matters

Reducing humidity helps protect your home from damage, improves air quality, reduces mould, and supports better breathing and sleep.

A few small changes can make a big difference — fresher air, a healthier home, and fewer damp-related problems year-round.

You can purchase dehumidifiers at this link which might generate a modest income for us https://amzn.to/3LXSkzo

Emotional breathlessness: 7 in 10 unaware of the hidden burden of chronic lung disease

Millions of people who are living with chronic lung conditions like COPD, asthma, and long COVID don’t just struggle with physical breathlessness, they also face emotional breathlessness.

Anxiety, fear, depression, and social isolation often go unseen and untreated, yet they have a profound impact on quality of life.

A recent nationwide survey of over 2,100 UK adults, commissioned by Dr. Devi Sundar founder of Tele-Therapies and MindBody Synergy CIC, based in Gloucestershire, reveals a striking lack of public awareness. 

Only 31% of adults recognise the emotional toll of chronic respiratory disease, leaving nearly seven in ten completely unaware.

The survey reveals striking patterns: younger adults (18–24 years) and men (28%) are least aware, while older adults (55+, 36%) and women (34%) are slightly more informed. Working-age adults are the most under-informed: only 14% are “very aware,” while one in four admits being “not aware at all.”

Life experience matters too. Separated or divorced adults (38%) and widowed individuals (33%) show higher awareness, likely reflecting personal illness or caregiving experiences. Married adults (29%) and parents (33%) are moderately aware, highlighting the need for targeted education in workplaces, families, and communities.

Regional differences add another layer: awareness is highest in Wales (37%), the South West (35%), and Northern Ireland (33%), and lowest in the South East (27%) and East of England (29%). These disparities show that public health messaging and local support services are unevenly reaching those who need them the most.

Emotional breathlessness isn’t just invisible, it can worsen physical symptoms, reduce treatment adherence, and delay help-seeking. 

Physical breathlessness can be treated, but anxiety, despair, and social isolation often go unnoticed. That’s why integrating mental health support into respiratory care is essential.

“Our findings show a significant gap in public perception, which can delay help-seeking and under-recognition of psychological distress in people with chronic respiratory illness,” Dr. Sundar, founder of Tele-Therapies and MindBody Synergy CIC, to That's Health.

"At Tele-Therapies and MindBody Synergy CIC, we combine psychotherapy, neuroscience, Ayurveda, and breath-based rehabilitation into trauma-informed, culturally sensitive programs. Patients who receive this integrated care cope better, recover faster, and feel less isolated. Treating mind and lungs together is not a luxury, it’s a necessity."

Immediate action is required:

1. Public awareness campaigns highlighting the emotional burden of chronic lung disease.

2. Psychological screening embedded into pulmonary rehabilitation programmes.

3. Clinician training in trauma-informed, culturally sensitive care.

4. Targeted funding for integrated mind–lung care models.

The mind and lungs are deeply connected through breath and the nervous system. Ignoring emotional suffering is no longer acceptable. Greater awareness, integrated care, and targeted funding could change the lives of millions across the UK.

Every breath matters,  it’s time our health system treats patients holistically, not just physically.

Support ther public awareness campaign“ Integrate Mental and Physical Health Care for COPD Patients in Gloucestershire” https://www.change.org/MentalHealthCOPD

Voices of Hope Charity announces launch of online breathing course

Everyone knows how to breathe, as it is the first thing we do after our birth. But for some people, after a long-term respiratory condition breathing no longer comes naturally, or easily. 

To help people with breathing difficulties Voices of Hope, the Kingston-upon-Thames based charity, today announced the launch of its informative Active Breathing Course (ABC) website.

The six-week online course, originally launched in 2021, is designed to help people who need to recover from long-term respiratory conditions and to help them manage their fatigue, stress and anxiety levels. It's approved by the NHS and is led and guided by specialist professional tutors.

Having run in excess of 60 courses in the three years since its original creation, ABC has nine expert tutors leading the sessions who have worked with in excess of 600 people.

89% of participants found the course to be either helpful or very helpful.

Over 60% said they'd noticed great or good improvement in their overall breathing capacity.

Whilst the course originally came about in response to the devastating symptoms and impact of long-Covid, the courses now help people with a range of ongoing respiratory illnesses, plus benefitting those who are struggling with anxiety disorders.

Explains Voices of Hope CEO, Sarah Clay, BEM: “Respiratory disease impact one in five people in the UK. It's actually the third largest cause of death throughout England. 

"Not only does it have a distressing impact on the lives of the people involved and their families, it also puts a massive economic strain on our Health Service, with the cost of asthma and COPD treatment alone estimated at a staggering £4.9 billion each and every year."

She went on to explain: "Through our Active Breathing Course, we aim to help people manage their symptoms via a range of techniques, including the teaching of Diaphragmatic Breathing, controlled breathwork and singing exercises to help to strengthen the intercostal muscle. And it's all done in a creative, inspiring and empowering way.

"The course has been shown to have a positive impact on our participants and we partner extensively with charities, healthcare providers (including hospitals, GPs and social prescribers) and businesses, too. As a charity we can offer individuals a cost-effective way of improving their breathing and quality of life.”

Sarah Clay continued: “ABC can also offer great benefits to businesses, too. With bespoke courses available, we support businesses in improving staff well-being. Benefits can include higher energy and better creativity levels; a reduction in stress and anxiety levels in the workplace; improved posture and the positive release of endorphins.”

For more information about the Active Breathing course visit www.voh.org.uk/abc.