HEPA filters are renowned for their superior ability to capture particles, trapping much more than standard filters. However, when it comes to concrete dust, this may not make a difference. The downside is that your performance can be affected; if you force your way through a dust collector that gets clogged faster, you may be breathing in more particles than you think. HEPA vacuums are recommended to reduce dust, dandruff, and other common household allergens. However, just because a filter or vacuum bag says HEPA doesn't mean you're getting true HEPA performance.
The American Asthma and Allergy Foundation (AAFA) has a certification program with guidelines for vacuum cleaners, but these don't specifically require HEPA filters. In an effort to control COVID-19 and reduce airborne transmission rates, air purifiers equipped with HEPA filters can play an important role in homes and public environments such as waiting rooms.Fortunately, the airborne particles that cause allergy symptoms are relatively large in size and can be easily trapped by a HEPA filter. When placed in a vacuum, HEPA filters capture the smallest particles that would otherwise not be trapped by the vacuum, providing additional relief for allergy sufferers and cleaner air for everyone. So, if you keep your house clean from the start, using a HEPA filter in your vacuum probably won't make much difference in terms of having a runny nose during pollen season. Allergens enter the house through open doors and windows; a single drafty window can let in millions of suspended particles.
HEPA filters do not guarantee the removal of all allergens. According to the EPA Guide to Home Air Purifiers, the use of HEPA air filters in portable air purifiers and HVAC systems can help reduce allergy and asthma symptoms. While they can be good filters, they haven't been tested or certified to meet the DOE standards for HEPA filters. The Department of Energy (DOE) specifies that the HEPA filters used by DOE contractors must be able to remove 99.7 percent of airborne particulates of 0.3 microns or more, but there are no federal or national regulations for the consumer industry. A whole-house HEPA air purifier connects to the main trunk of a home's HVAC intake duct and filters out harmful contaminants every time the oven or air conditioner is running. Users should not assume that an air purifier equipped with a HEPA filter will fully protect them from infection.
The term HEPA (high-efficiency air particles) describes filters designed to capture 99.7 percent of all particles that are 0.3 microns or smaller (too small to see, but the perfect size to penetrate the lungs). Yes, by using HEPA filters in both vacuums and air purifiers, users can reduce the amount of airborne allergens and pollutants in their home. A HEPA filter traps most bacteria, pathogens, microbial spores, accumulated soil particles, soot particles from combustion, some construction dust, and some virus particles (which stick to larger particles).HEPA is a type of filter that can trap a lot of very small particles that other vacuums would simply recirculate to the air in the house. In conclusion, it is clear that using HEPA filters in both vacuums and air purifiers can help reduce allergy and asthma symptoms as well as airborne allergens and pollutants in your home. It is important to note that while these filters are effective at trapping small particles, they do not guarantee complete protection from infection.
Therefore it is important to take other precautions such as regularly cleaning your home and using masks when necessary.
