HEPA filters are currently considered to be the best filters for removing airborne particles, such as mold spores, dust, dander, and pollen. HEPA-type filters only have an efficiency rating of 99% and are effective at capturing 0.2 micron particles. While this may seem more impressive (compared to True HEPA's 0.3% effectiveness), it's not. First of all, there is no such thing as an “air purifier” or, as the name suggests, an air filter that purifies the air.
Some units equipped with ultraviolet (UV) light kill viruses and bacteria, but even this doesn't purify all the air you breathe. The best thing any air filter can do is to remove small particles that pass through the filter. An official website of the United States government Official websites use. gov A.The gov website belongs to an official United States government organization.
All air filters require regular cleaning and filter replacement to work properly. Follow the manufacturer's recommendations for maintenance and replacement. Minimum efficiency values, or MERV, indicate a filter's ability to capture particles larger than 0.3 to 10 microns (µm). Average particle size efficiency in microns.
ULPA filters trap more particles and are smaller than HEPA filters. ULPA filters are 99.999% effective in removing submicron particles of 0.12 microns or more in diameter, while HEPA filters are 99.97% effective in removing particles of 0.3 microns in diameter or more. HEPA filters can be combined with prefilters to trap larger particles before come into contact with the main filter. HEPA air filters are particularly good at removing particles such as mold, pet dander, dust and other allergens.
These considerations about HEPA filters are essential when the objective is to reduce viral transmission by aerosols. The carbon prefilter also captures smoke, odor, harmful gases and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which HEPA filters cannot capture. HEPA and ULPA filters are designed for use in a variety of applications, including industrial vacuums to remove asbestos, remove toner dust from office equipment, prevent the spread of airborne bacteria in surgical operating rooms, and other crucial applications of air filtration for medical use. Ultra-low particulate air filters (ULPA) and high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters are used in commercial air filtration systems to trap extremely small particulate contaminants.
ULPA filters usually let 20 to 50% less air through than HEPA filters, resulting in fewer air changes per hour in the room. These complex HEPA filters exceed the typical MERV rating scale, making them the most effective and popular choice for many industries.
When looking for portable air purifier solutions for your facility, it's critical to know the difference between HEPA, True HEPA, HEPA-type and other types of HEPA filters.
These filters remove more contaminants from the air than HEPA filters, and require 99.99% with a target particle size of 0.1 microns. This reduction is due to the fact that air first passes through the HEPA filter and goes through the UV-C process. While the filter may still be able to capture 0.3 micron particles and capture a high percentage of them, unless it is confirmed to be a true HEPA, it cannot claim to meet DOE HEPA standards.Both filters use layers of dense fibers to create a fine-mesh filter that removes contaminants as air passes through them. HEPA filters are the most commonly used filtration technology in both commercial and residential environments. According to the EPA, a HEPA filter must remove at least 99.97% of the largest particles, at least 0.3 microns in size. Many consider HEPA air purifiers to be the best option, but there is a filter that technically blocks more contaminants in the air.
HEPA filters can be used in any environment, including industrial, commercial, healthcare and for consumers.