The quality of the air we breathe undoubtedly defines our physical health. Moreover, contaminated air is a nuisance where quality control is vital. Hence, one cannot undermine the importance of air filters, especially of highly efficient filters like HEPA filters. Since its invention, HEPA filters quickly rose to prominence, and many industries and homes use these filters.
Therefore, it’s crucial to ask the right questions, like:
“Why have HEPA filters amassed such massive popularity?” or “How efficient are HEPA filters” or “Are then any possible disadvantages?” To help you learn about HEPA filters, we will discuss these queries in detail, allowing you to make better decisions when it comes to choosing your filters.
What Are HEPA Filters And Why Are They So Popular?
It all started in 1940, courtesy of the Manhattan project, when nuclear scientists and engineers devised a way to clear the air of nuclear contaminants. Consequently, they settled on the mesh of randomly aligned fibers made out of glass or other materials. This mesh or HEPA filter turned out to be quite efficient in filtering up to 99.97% of contaminants out of the passing air. The HEPA filter can easily obstruct the passage of anything larger than 0.3 microns in diameter. However, it will struggle with anything smaller than 0.3 microns.
It is because of their high efficiency that these filters became popular. Even the full form of the HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air filter) points towards their outstanding performance.
What Are A Few HEPA Filter Shortcomings?
These filters work like a charm when you want to filter out significantly large irritants, like dust and dirt. However, they can be a free pass for anything smaller than 0.3 microns, such as viruses. Moreover, these filters might also be ineffective against other microorganisms, like bacteria and fungi.
Bacteria: HEPA filters will trap them just fine, but that’s not where it ends. When trapped bacteria are on their deathbed, they release endotoxins. These toxins might cause lung irritation or allergies.
Fungi: HEPA filters will also trap fungi, but the entrapped fungi don’t die out. Instead, they can survive and even thrive on the filters feeding on other trapped particles. Consequently, when fungi mature, they can release spores out of the filter into your home.
In addition to the filter’s inability to deal with microorganisms, they can not filter out harmful gases and fumes. In a nutshell, these filters work best if you want to keep your house clear of fine dirt and particles.
Conclusion:
HEPA filters will provide you the most optimum protection against fine dirt, dust, and other particles, but not against microorganisms and toxic gases. Thus, if you are looking for filters that can deal with the latter, HEPA might not be for you. However, for dirt and dust, HEPA will perform well.
Now, before you go out to buy HEPA filters, keep in mind that some filters might be labeled as HEPA-like. These pseudo HEPA-like filters may fall short of HEPA standards. Therefore, always opt for original HEPA filters, like those sold by Clean Liquid Systems. For more inquiries related to HEPA filters, you can call us at 713-253-0100