What is HEPA filtration? Learn why a HEPA filtration system is different and how often it needs to be replaced. The claim that High Energy Particulate Air (HEPA) filters remove 99.97% of all particles 0.3...
The claim that High Energy Particulate Air (HEPA) filters remove 99.97% of all particles 0.3 microns and above, from the air your breathe at home, is a double edged sword. The benefit is certainly valid and true, but only if the filter is in working condition! Some unscrupulous manufacturers are not above making wild claims, but the ones which build their enterprises on solid consumer interests never mislead the public. Sylvia Crunk, for example, owner of Aire Serv Heating and Air Conditioning in Austin, Texas, which specializes in air purification systems for the home, makes no bones about stressing that HEPA filters should be changed every month.
HEPA filters are made from layers of fibrous sheets, which makes it act as a kind of sieve, trapping particles which can act as allergens or pathogens for your family and you in the air you breathe at home. HEPA filters were originally developed for industrial applications, and have been gradually adapted for indoor air filtration systems for private residences. The technology has evolved rapidly over the past six decades since it was first developed, and finds applications in a variety of situations in which indoor air quality is a concern. HEPA filters are so reliable that they are used in the most sophisticated manufacturing processes, including in nuclear plants. The US Department of Energy sets stringent standards for HEPA filters that are used in sophisticated industrial settings, and your family and you deserve nothing short of these top standards in the interests of your continued good health.
Experience with HEPA filters shows that regular replacement holds the key to indoor air quality. This is logical since the system physically traps threats to your family health in the air of your home, without actually eliminating them. Pet dander, dust mites, molds and similar particles occupy spaces between the fibers in your HEPA filter. This gives your ventilation equipment a fixed capacity beyond which it can no longer function effectively. The rate at which a HEPA filter reaches the limits of its capacity depends on the quality of incoming air and the sources of allergens and pollutants in your home. A well ventilated home may be seasonally full of allergens when pollen density peaks outside. You could also clog a HEPA filter rather quickly with along haired pet at home, especially if its sheds more dander than usual. There are a variety of other factors that can fill up your HEPA filter much quicker than a manufacturer claims. Checking HEPA filters for standards is an intricate task, which even has the Department of Energy foxed at times! That is why the sanguine advice of Sylvia Crunk from Aire Serv Heating and Air Conditioning makes such good sense. So make entries in your calendar right away and "change your HEPA filter every month," she says. This will eliminate the need for frequent technical inspections and will safeguard your family health from poor air quality at home at the same time. Breathe safe!
