Choosing Your Air Filter: Navigating The Confusing World Of Air
Cleaners

We all want to do everything we can to ensure that the air we
breathe in our homes and office environments is clean and
healthy Luckily, there are now dozens of consumer products now
on the market that work to filter air and reduce the presence of
indoor pollutants These air cleaners may be purchased as
portable units that fit easily you’re your living space, or in
the form of in-duct systems to be installed as part of your HVAC
system (the industry abbreviation for your heating, ventilation
and air conditioning system)
With such different types and so many products available for us
to choose from, how to decide which is best? Let’s take a look
at the basic categories of air filtering devices and what each
group offers:
HEPA Filters
HEPA stands for “high efficiency particulate air,” and a HEPA
filter is basically a sieve that collects offensive particles so
they won’t circulate in the air HEPA filters are highly
effective, trapping nearly one hundred percent (9997%) of
pollutants down to a size of 3 microns (to give you a sense of
scale, a human hair is about 70 microns in diameter)
These filters are so good at cleaning air that they are often
considered the most efficient of all filtration units But don’t
rush out to buy one yet-there are a few important factors to
consider HEPA filters need to be replaced frequently, which
makes sense when you consider that they function by trapping
contaminants Depending on the cost of filters and the frequency
with which you need to change your particular model, this can be
an expensive choice Moreover, HEPA filters are good at cleaning
the air within small spaces, but they are not a home-wide
solution Of course you could place a filter in each room, but
this may not be practical
Still, if you want a great bang for your buck, HEPA filters are
a terrific choice and very, very effective Just keep the above
considerations in mind when choosing one (or several) portable
filter units for your home
Pleated Filters
These may also be called “media” filters They are similar to
HEPA filters but are pleated, or folded, with the result that
they are substantially less effective A pleated filter will
trap as little as half the particles as a HEPA filter, but it
will do well with containing larger particles So, for example,
if your main problem is dust, this may be a good choice for you
Electrostatic/Electronic Cleaners
Whereas HEPA filters physically block and remove pollutants,
requiring replacement of filters, electrostatic or electronic
cleaners work in a slightly different way These units contain
electronically charged plates that impart an ionic charge to
floating air particles, causing them to be attracted to the
plates (remember high school science class?) and forced through
what is known as foam pre-filter
You won’t have replace the plates contained in these units, but
you will have to wash them periodically to clean them of debris
and buildup If you don’t, you run the risk of the particles
getting re-re-released into the air A clean and well-maintained
unit will keep down the amount of dust, mold, and bacteria in
your home environment
Cleaners with Activated Carbon
Filter and electrostatic cleaners grab offending particles from
the air, but a different technology is needed in order to rid
your living space of odors and invisible chemical contaminants
That’s where carbon comes into the picture-some air cleaners are
sold with mats of activated carbon, which pulls these teeny
molecules out of the air to keep it squeaky clean Note that
many electronic filters do contain carbon filters
Charcoal Filters
A charcoal filter, or any air cleaning device that contains a
charcoal filter, can be very useful if you battle unwanted odors
in your home environment This is because charcoal is a porous
substance with a great capacity for trapping gases with
offensive smells Charcoal, when used in a filter, may be
treated with chemicals in order to enhance its ability to
eliminate odors from the air
Hybrid Filters
Simply put, hybrid filters are filters that are combinations of
multiple types of air filters For example, a popular type of
hybrid filters involves both an electronic charge, as described
above, as well as a pleated fabric to capture and collect
particles in the air This can be a good all-around solution to
your clean air concerns, but just be sure to keep the filter
itself clean, otherwise it won’t function properly
In making your decision, choose based on the amount of space you
wish to treat, as well as your largest areas of concern For
example, if you smoke or live in a place where the air has been
exposed to smoke, you may wish to use a filter that removes odor
as well as particles If dust is your main concern, then a
pleated filter may do the job for you Whatever you choose, you
will be well on the way to a healthier and happier home
environment!

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