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cleaning on February 21st, 2010
The term HEPA has become synonymous with clean air. We hear about vacuum cleaners with HEPA filters that keep the dust particles from your carpets from floating back into your air. You may be aware of your office building have a HEPA filtration system because you’ve seen the maintenance crew come through and periodically change the filters. But do you really know what a HEPA filter is and does. This article should clear the air about what is fact and what is fiction as it relates to a HEPA air cleaner.
The HEPA Standard
First of all HEPA stands for High-Efficiency Particulate Arrestance. Any air filtration system that claims to contain a HEPA filter must be able to remove 99.97% of particulates larger than 0.3 microns in size from the air consistently. That is a high standard to follow and why the places with the most critical air quality requirements rely on HEPA filters. This high rate of filtration can also never dip below the 99.97% to maintain true HEPA quality.
Another distinguishing feature of HEPA filtration is that once the air particles are trapped into the filer, they cannot be allowed to re-enter the air. A HEPA filter is removed and washed or replaced to eliminate the trapped particles.
HEPA filtration systems also cannot produce any bi-products from the filtration process. Other methods such as ionic air filters emit ozone as a part of the filtration process.
One point of distinction regarding HEPA filters is that the high standard is the ideal. Not all HEPA filters perform at this level all of the time. As filters get dirty or if the air is excessively polluted a HEPA filter will not be able to always remove 99.97% of air particles.
Be cautioned that many products claim to be “HEPA type” filters and this is not the same product. The requirements for filtration on products labelled “HEPA type” are only 95% filtration of particles larger than 0.3 microns in diameter.
HEPA Filters for the Home
Home applications of HEPA filters are found in air conditioning systems, furnaces, and even vacuum cleaners and bags. There are also appliance-like filtration systems that resemble a piece of furniture. You can create an environment of fresh air in your home with a table top air purifier that contains HEPA technology. This may or may not be combined with a humidifier system that also adds moisture to the air creating the perfect blend of clean air and humidity.
An important part of creating a safe and healthy home environment is regular maintenance of home appliance and systems that contain filters. Also, use care to properly ventilate your home and make a home improvement project out of replacing and/or cleaning your filters regularly.
Any improvements in air quality can impact your health for the better. If you are prone to allergies, it is important to use air conditioning and filtration systems to keep pollens out. Keeping surfaces free of these allergens with regular dusting will allow air purifiers and filters to do a better job of trapping air borne culprits.
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Are you a smoker? What about a pet owner? If so, there is a good chance that the air inside your home isn’t as healthy as it could or should be. That is why you may want to think about purchasing an air purifier. Air purifiers are electronic machines that work to cleanup the air. They do this by trapping, and often eliminating, harmful bacteria and air particles. In fact, you don’t even have to be a pet owner or a smoker to benefit from the use of an air purifier; anyone can. For that reason, there is a good chance that you may be interested in purchasing an air purifier for your home.
If you are like most other Americans, when it comes to purchasing an air purifier, you may make the decision to purchase one and then go right out and buy one. Although it is nice to get a product when you want it, often right away, there are disadvantages to doing so. Essentially, you may be purchasing a product that is poor in quality. Without the proper amount of research, you will never know.
As mentioned above, it is important that you examine the quality of an air purifier before purchasing it. You can easily do this online. A large number of online websites allow internet users to comment, rate, or write reviews on a product that they have purchased. These products also include air purifiers. If you know of anyone who uses an air purifier in their home, you may also want to think about asking them for suggestions. Feedback from those who own the same product is the best way to learn about the quality of it.
In addition to the quality of the product, it is also important that you examine the size of the air purifier you are interested in buying. When it comes to the size of an air purifier, you do not necessarily need to focus on the size of the actual machine, but you should focus on the size of the space that it is designed for. With cheaper, low-cost air purifiers, you will find that they only tend to treat the air in small rooms. These rooms commonly have a square footage of about 250-350 feet. If you are looking to treat the air inside a larger room, you may need to spend more money on a larger air purifier.
It is also important to consider the cost of an air purifier. Many individuals, regrettably, make a mistake when doing this. That mistake is believing that the purchase price is the only cost that they need to worry about. While there are some air purifiers that are filter-less, not all are. Many of these air purifiers, the ones that require filters, need to have their filters changed every so often. This can be as little as once every couple of years or as much as a couple of months. It is important that you keep the cost of replacement parts, including filters, in mind. When doing this, you may find that an otherwise low-cost air purifier turns into one that is too expensive for you to afford.
Since, in many cases, air purifiers are considered expensive, you are advised to look for air purifiers that come with warranties. In most cases, you will find that many air purifiers have a manufacturer’s warranty. That warranty typically tends to last about a year. If you are spending more than $400 on an air purifier, you may want to think about getting an extended warranty. If you purchase your next air purifier from a retail store, you may need to pay for the warranty. Despite possibly having to pay for an extended warranty, you will find that it is worth the cost. Should anything happen to your expensive air purifier, a warranty would, in most cases, prevent you from being out of luck.
The above mentioned points are just a few of the many that you need to take into consideration, when buying an air purifier. As previously mentioned, an air purifier can be a large purchase. That is why you are advised to fully research and examine all aspects of that purchase before making a final decision. It is the only way to make sure that you are not wasting your money.
It is estimated that each year millions of Americans think about purchasing an air purifier for their home or their business. Are you one of those individuals? If so, have you purchased an air purifier yet? Unfortunately, a large number of individuals think about purchasing an air purifier, but not everyone ends up making that purchase. One of the reasons for that is because many individuals wonder whether or not they really need one.
When it comes to owning an air purifier, anyone can own one. You do not necessarily have to meet certain criteria to be able to benefit from the use of an air purifier. Honestly, you could just be someone who is looking to breathe clean air. If that is the case, you could definitely benefit from the purchase of an air purifier. Despite the fact that some individuals have no set reason for wanting or needing an air purifier, there are others who do. If you find yourself one of these individuals, as described below, you may want to seriously think about purchasing an air purifier for your home or your business.
Air purifiers work to clean the air. They do this by preventing harmful particles from passing through their collection grids or filters. These particles may even include dust particles. For that reason, if you have allergies associated with dust, you may very well find that an air purifier works to remove or completely eliminate your allergy symptoms. In turn, this may make your days and nights more pleasant and enjoyable.
In addition to reducing allergies associated with dust, air purifiers can also help those with allergies that are related pets. You will find that multiple air purifiers not only trap pet hair, but they also trap the air particles created by pet droppings. These dangerous particles are not only harmful to those who have allergies, but to everyone else who is in the home. In addition to eliminating particles created by pets in the home, you could also use an air purifier if you have a business that is centered on pets. These types of businesses include pet grooming shops and vet offices.
You may also want to think about purchasing an air purifier, especially if you have young children at home. Children tend to be more susceptible to illness. With cleaner air, your child’s health may improve by a ton. In addition to being used in traditional homes, you may also want to purchase an air purifier if you run or operate a daycare center. An air purifier may not only improve your health, but the health of all of your children. Essentially, this will make for happier and healthier children, which is extremely important when running a daycare business.
An air purifier may also be ideal for those who are smokers. Even if you are not a smoker, there may be someone inside your home who is. If this is the case, you will want to seriously consider purchasing an air purifier. Most air purifiers, especially those designed specifically for smoking households, may help to reduce secondhand smoke. Secondhand smoke is bad for everyone, but it is especially bad for children. Of course, you will want to try and not smoke around your children, but if you do, you will want to purchase an air purifier, if not for your own benefit then for the sake of your children.
As mentioned above, those operating a business centered on pets or kids could benefit from the use of an air purifier; however, they are not the only types of businesses who could benefit. If you are business owner, whether you run a small retail store or an office, you may want to think about getting an air purifier. As mentioned above, air purifiers help to keep the air clean. In reality, this means that your employees will be healthier. In addition to better performance, you may also find that an air purifier helps to reduce the illnesses being spread throughout your building. In turn, this may not only result in better performing employees, but employees who end up requesting less sick time.
If the above mentioned examples describe you, in any way, you are advised to purchase an air purifier. Whether that air purifier is for your home or your business, you will reap an unlimited number of benefits to owning and using one.