All You Need to Consider When Purchasing a HEPA Air Purifier
Air purifiers have filters built in them to trap nasty airborne particles and dust. These air-cleaning devices eliminate pollutants, allergens, bacteria, pollen, odour, mould, gas and virus.
In this light, the demand for air purifiers has increased when the COVID pandemic has become a factor of worsening air pollution.
One of the most important filters is the HEPA type. HEPA stands for high-efficiency particulate Air.
What Should I Know Before Buying an Air Purifier?
Here are things you should know before buying an air purifier.
- Types of Filters
- Ultraviolet light
Ultraviolet light functions to kill pathogens like fungi, viruses and bacteria that are found in air, thus giving you cleaner air for your home. This is often used in hospitals for added safety.
- Activated carbon
Foul odour in the house can be addressed with an air purifier that has activated carbon because it can trap odour effectively. However, it is not able to trap viruses.
- HEPA filter
Not all purifiers come with a HEPA filter. This filter is effective in trapping bacteria and viruses.
What Should I Look for in a HEPA Filter?
- HEPA filters are able to remove 99.97% of particles in the air and trap particles as little as 0.3 microns. Avoid purifiers with labels, such as ‘like HEPA filter.’ Instead, look for terms, such as ‘True HEPA’ or ‘absolute HEPA.’
- The Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value or MERV rating is also important when looking for HEPA filters. The higher the rate in catching particles, the more effective it is. A good HEPA filter has 14 to 16 in MERV ranking.
- Size
Getting the right size for your room is important for efficient cleaning. Buying the right size also means you get to save on energy use.
- Noise
Noisy purifiers can make it difficult for you to sleep. The noise for many HEPA purifiers range from 35 to 70 decibels, but to ensure a good sleep, look for a unit that has a quiet operation but is powerful.
- Air Change Rate
Air change rate or air change per hour (ACH) refers to how many times the purifier cleans the whole room in an hour. When the ACH is 5, clean air is delivered every 12 minutes. Opt for a purifier with ACH 5 or 6.
- Clean Air Delivery Rate
Clean air delivery rate lets you see how fast an air purifier works. It shows how many cubic feet of air it can deliver in a minute. The higher the CADR rate is, the better a purifier is.
- Service and Warranty [H3]
Usually, an air purifier needs to be changed or maintained after 12 to 18 months of use, so ensure the brand offers good after-sale service. There should be a warranty to protect you from any unit defect.
Why HEPA Air Purifier Is Important
Many airborne pollutants thrive indoors, which can lead to serious health issues. But the good thing is that poor indoor quality can be addressed with the help of HEPA air purifiers.
HEPA purifiers can filter up to 99.97% of small particles, such as mould, smoke and dust. They can trap particles up to 0.3 micron, making HEPA air purifier the best feature of a purifier.
In general, air purifiers are useful, but if your purifier has a HEPA filtering system, these are the things it can do:
- Reduces Asthma Episodes
Stale air can exacerbate asthma, trigger allergies and, in the worst case scenario, contribute to respiratory infection.
HEPA air purifiers reduce the likelihood of being sick indoors. Eliminating triggers, such as pet dander, dust or pollen, can make a huge difference in the health of asthma sufferers.
- Removes Harmful Chemicals
HEPA filter air purifiers also remove carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide. Prolonged exposure to these chemicals indoors increases the risk of dementia or Alzheimer. Cleaning agents in your home also release toxic chemicals, which compromise the quality of indoor air.
VOCs or volatile organic compounds often cause breathlessness, nausea or dizziness. VOCs are usually found in paints, sprays and air freshener. Too much exposure to VOCs can impact your cognitive function and disrupt productivity.
HEPA air purifiers that come with a carbon filter can eliminate any toxic gases that are present indoors. They can trap the odour and smoke, thus minimising pollutants in the air.
- Minimise Risk of Airborne Diseases
Flu, common colds and even COVID-19 can easily spread in the form of airborne particles.
Air purifiers with HEPA filters provide better air quality by trapping all these viruses and bacteria. This is particularly important when you are living with people who have weak immune systems like the elderly and young children.
What Is the Best Air Filter for COVID-19?
If you are looking for the best air purifier in Australia that can protect you from COVID, here are popular options:
- XPOWER’s Powerful HEPA Purifiers and X-Power X-3400 HEPA Filtered Air Purifier
These air filtration units provide clean indoor air for offices, schools or hotels. They have a three-stage filtration system with a thick HEPA filter. They can trap 99.975% of particles in the air.
- Rensair Hospital Grade HEPA Air Purifier
Used widely in Europe and USA, Rensair from XPOWER is a popular purifier in hospitals, schools and offices.
Its patented design comes with HEPA filters and UVC light that can kill viruses and bacteria. It has H13 level filtration with low noise and 9,000 hours of use before filter change. It also comes with an indicator when the filter or UV lamp needs to be replaced.
For more options on air purifiers in Australia and its replacement, contact us today.
