HEPA filters, which represent high-efficiency air particles, are designed to trap small, harmful particles, such as pollen, pet dander, smoke, and dust mites, by forcing air through a fine mesh. In consumer products, these fine-mesh filters are often used in vacuums and air purifiers. When used in both air purifiers and vacuums, HEPA filters offer the best option for cleaning indoor air. However, other measures, such as keeping windows closed, not having indoor plants, and washing curtains regularly, are also necessary to reduce the amount of airborne pollutants in a home. Using a HEPA filter in the home can remove most airborne particles that could worsen allergies.
But it's not just airborne particles that can cause problems. There are many more in rugs, bedding and curtains, and they can be found on countertops and tables. That's why it's important to keep these areas clean. It is also important to eliminate the source of the allergens and irritants whenever possible. For example, the only effective way to keep tobacco smoke out of your home is to not smoke.
The first HEPA filter was developed in the 1940s as part of a classified government project, according to the National Air Filtration Association. While they can be good filters, they haven't been tested or certified to meet the DOE standards for HEPA filters. You'll find HEPA filters in many personal air purifiers, which clean indoor air by drawing it through the filter. Since allergens enter the house through open doors and windows, a single drafty window can let millions of airborne particles into the air. HEPA filters cannot guarantee the removal of all allergens.
Fortunately, the airborne particles that cause allergy symptoms are relatively large in size and are easily trapped in a HEPA filter. A HEPA filter is a type of mechanical air filter; it works by passing air through a fine mesh that traps harmful particles. By purchasing a HEPA air purifier that contains additional filters, such as a carbon filter and a prefilter, the unit will remove a maximum amount of contaminants from the air. In an attempt to control COVID-19 and reduce airborne transmission rates, air purifiers equipped with HEPA filters can play an important role when used in homes and public environments, such as waiting rooms. The three most common appliances that use HEPA filters are whole-house filtration systems designed to treat entire air conditioning systems, portable air purifiers, and vacuums. Yes, by using HEPA filters in both vacuums and air purifiers, you can reduce the amount of airborne allergens and pollutants in your home.
A whole-house HEPA air purifier connects to the main trunk of your HVAC intake duct and filters harmful contaminants every time your oven or air conditioner is running. HEPA filters were designed in the 1940s to protect workers at nuclear facilities from inhaling radiated particles in the air. A HEPA filter labeled “True HEPA” or “Absolute HEPA” has been tested and meets high efficiency criteria. Users should not assume that an air purifier equipped with a HEPA filter will fully protect them from infection. When researchers monitored air quality for 12 weeks in the homes of people with breathing difficulties, they found that HEPA filters reduced fine particulate matter indoors by 55% and reduced the amount of outdoor particulate pollution by 23%.
