Air Purifier Filters And Their Types

By Tracy Littleton

Most of the air purifier filters that you find in stores are the ones that consist of a sheet of fiberglass strands within the filter. These filters are the ones that most people use in their holes, and function through hundreds of thousands of fiberglass shards that function to keep any airborne particles. You may be wondering how can something like that keep out anything with any sort of efficiency. The way it works could be considered luck, but it is actually far from it.

The fiberglass particles are packed very tightly into the small space of the filter and held together by wire. Due to the fact that they are placed so closely together they form a barrier against anything 0.2 micrometers to 0.7 micrometers, though that amount varies depending on the filter itself. Some higher grade HEPA air purifier filters can protect against airborne particles that are 0.1 micrometers, which will give you the best protection possible against airborne particles.

The highest grade of commercial and residential filter is HEPA, which is the gold standard for air filters. Though their industrial or medical strength models are used in places that need absolute sterilization, their residential filters are as close as you can get to pure oxygen. These filters are 99.97% effective against incoming particles and allergens. Any filters that say they are HEPA-type or 95 percent HEPA are not truly what they say they are: filters that only say they are HEPA are high quality.

If you have an electrostatic purifier, then obviously you need electrostatic air purifier filters. These work by charging airborne particles and attracting them to the system's internal metal plates. These are second only to HEPA fiberglass filters, and in the long run they can be more affordable. Instead of replacing electrostatic filter models, all you need to do is give them a good scrub down, then they are back to full effectiveness. If you are planning to use your air purifier for at least another few years, investing in an electrostatic model will be cheaper in the long run, even if they are more expensive at the start.

Filters that are not high quality or are poorly made are not good enough to truly protect you from the particles that could be coming into your home, which is what purifiers are supposed to do. If your respiratory health is a concern to you, it is going to be a much more sound investment to put some extra money towards a filter that is more expensive than almost all of the other ones you can find on discount shelves. You shouldn't have to put your wallet before your health, and good air purifier filters are just one more measure to keep you happy, healthy, and protected from harmful airborne allergens.

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