kotatsu with air purifier?

[salarymankinta]

My gf just moved in since fall and I didn't know she has serious asthma in winter. Normally I wanted to tuck in kotatsu whole weekend but it seems drying the air while sucking up dust and other particles, which worsen my gf health condition. I just bought an air purifier from Clair (www.go-clair.com) and it helps but I feel like one producing (pollen) and one removing at the same time.

Do you think should I find another alternatives for kotatsu?

 

[13ryu]

Hmm, I think dust and allergens mostly come from kerosene or electric space heaters, not kotatsu, because kotatsu heats only a small space, with the hot air being contained by a blanket.

If you house is too cold without heaters (which really have health hazards), you can set up central heating = .= Either way, air purifier will help improving indoor air quality, and that Clair only takes up to 6W compared to normal 500W of kotatsu. Or they have many modern kotatsu in Rakuten, you can check it out.

 

[undrentide]

Kotatsu is not a plant thus does not produce any pollen. ;-)
If you are sure that your kotatsu is the cause of your gf's allergy (i.e. her reaction becomes worse after you started using kotatsu), then the cause is not the kotatsu itself but a futon (or blanket) could be the reason as "house dust" is one of the worst allergen (including for asthma.)
If you are living on the Pacific Ocean side of Japan (like Kanto area, for example), the air gets quite dry during winter and the combination of dry air + dust can cause severe allergy/asthma.
Air purifier may help, but also a humidifier may help (but you need to keep its filters clean, otherwise it becomes another cause of asthma!).
It is also important to keep your futon for kotatsu clean, using futon dryer and vacuum cleaner. Futon could make a lot of dust and attract mites, and the "house dust" is actually a mixture of dust with dead mites (they care minute and cannot be easily seen.)

 

[salarymankinta]

My bad - I mean particles.
Yeah, I think the problem lies in the futon as well. I moved the kotatsu to my room yesterday and my gf claimed she definitely feel better with the air purifier. However, only the living room with hardwood flooring gets colder than ever in spite of we use heater...

 

[Mike Cash]

Take the kotatsu quilts to a coin laundry and give them a good washing and thorough drying.

 

[nice gaijin]

I think the combination of washing the quilts and using the purifier and getting a small humidifier will help considerably. If the quilts are old and washing doesn't make a difference, you could look for a new replacement

 

[salarymankinta]

Take the kotatsu quilts to a coin laundry and give them a good washing and thorough drying.

That's what I did. As long as I keep the air purifier on, I think it stays clean, but not completely dust-free.

I think the combination of washing the quilts and using the purifier and getting a small humidifier will help considerably. If the quilts are old and washing doesn't make a difference, you could look for a new replacement

humidifier will cause more mold, we live nearby the sea so that's why...