About HEPA Air Filters

What does HEPA stand for?

HEPA stands for High Efficiency Particulate Arresting. This means that HEPA filters have a high efficiency at arresting, or capturing particles. HEPA is a type of air filter. Many people often mistake this for believing it to be a brand or manufacturer and this is not true. It is important to note that HEPA is a type of air filter.

How effective is a HEPA air filter?

True HEPA air filters are 99.97% effective in capturing particles as small as 0.3 microns. This is as efficient and effective as an air filter gets. If you suffer from allergies or simply want to breathe clean air, then note that a HEPA air filter is what you are looking for.

What are some examples of particles that a true HEPA filter will capture?

• Dust Mite Debris: 0.5 to 50 microns
• Household Dust: .05 to 100 microns
• Human Hair: 70 to 100 microns
• Bacteria: .35 to 10 microns
• Spores from plants: 6 to 100 microns
• Mold: 20 to 200 microns
• Smoke: .01 to 1 microns
• Human Hair: 70 to 100 microns

What is a micron?

A micron is a measurement that is one-millionth of a meter. Read more about micron.

What uses a HEPA filter?

HEPA filters are often found in air purifiers and vacuum cleaners. These air filters help to protect you and the environment when picking up hazardous material. HEPA filters trap and prohibit particles as small as 0.3 microns from being exhausted or released from the air purifier or vacuum back out into the air.

What about air filters that are not HEPA? Are those air filters just as good?

No. A standard air filter, like a HEPA air filter, will capture particles and prohibit them from re-entering the air. However, a HEPA filter will capture particles as small as 0.3 microns. Also note that standard filters are not certified. A certified HEPA filter must pass stringent government standards in order to be qualified as a certified HEPA filter.

Are all air purifiers and vacuums that claim to be HEPA really true HEPA?

The filter must contain a certified label with a written efficiency test result measurement.