HEPA Air Purifier Filters
Do HEPA Air Purifiers Really Work?
If you are concerned about the health of your family then buying an air purifier is something that you may want to look at. Air purifiers are used in the home for removing pollen, dust mites, pet dander plus chemicals found in carpets and building materials. There are a number of different types of purifier, one of the most popular is HEPA.
Efficiency Particulate Air Filters (HEPA)
HEPA filters are able to filter impurities from the air which are 0.3 microns (at worst, the best models filter particles even smaller) and work to an efficiency level of 99.97%. They can be used in the home to remove dust mites, dust, pollen, bacteria and dander from the air, whilst commercially they are used to remove asbestos and for the cleaning of toxic spills. The HEPA machine will trap particles in its filter and will only allow clean air back into the room. In order to filter out cigarette smoke, chemical fumes and viruses you will need to buy a HEPA purifier which is combined with other technologies. More on that later.
It is important to note that HEPA is not a brand name; it is just a type of purifier. Brands of HEPA include, Delonghi, Austin, EZ Air, Honeywell and TRACS, plus many more.
Where to Place Your HEPA Purifiers
Before buying a purifier you will need to understand that only one unit can clean the air of the room it is in. You should also not place the purifier in a hall with the doors open and expect the unit to clean the air of all the rooms. Instead you should look to locate your purifier in the room/rooms which you and your family spend the most time, this will usually be in a bedroom, family room or maybe a home office.
Initial Cost versus Ongoing Cost
As with everything in life, you will want to get the best value for money when buying a HEPA air purifier. The problem is that there are a number of different models to choose from, each with a different price tag. You will not only need to compare all the features that each HEPA purifier provide but also look at how long the filter will last for. This is very important because the unit which is cheapest to buy may end up costing you a lot more due to the cost of buying replacement filters over the years.
Air Exchange – The More the Better
When shopping around for the best purifier for your home, one of the things you need to look at is the air exchange rate. The more times the air is filtered per hour the cleaner the air is going to be. The best models have an exchange rate of 15 times per hour whilst the worst is a pitiful 2-4 per hour.
HEPA and Other Technologies
As wonderful as HEPA air purifiers are, they cannot filter out every impurity from the air, which is why you will see some models combined with other technologies.
- Medical Grade UV Light - Kills viruses, bacteria and mold.
- Activated Carbon and Zeolite removes chemicals and odours. Some brands spray the filters with carbon dust; this is just a marketing gimmick and is nowhere near as good.
- Ionizers - Cause fine particles to magnetically attach to each other which make it easier for them to be captured into the filter.
- Ozone Generators - the debate is still on as to whether these are any good.
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