Whole house system may be better

Q. I'm thinking of using an ionic filter system in my home, but I have a dog that sheds a lot. Will the hair clog up the filter too much?

A. Yes -- portable ionic filters that are designed to work in only one room at a time can become clogged very quickly. They can and should be regularly cleaned, so check the owner's manual.

Your pet hair problem sounds pretty major. If you'd like to do your entire house a favor, look into whole-house electronic air cleaners. This type of air filtration system is normally installed as part of your home's HVAC system. The collection surface area of such a system is much larger and therefore requires less frequent cleaning than smaller, portable units.