HEPA Filters: What You Need to Know

Many people experience allergies in the year, and springtime is one of the worst seasons for allergies. If you think being outside is bad, you might be surprised to find out that it could be worse inside. Do HEPA Filters work for everything? No. But they can significantly improve your indoor air quality.

These types of air filters are also known as high efficiency particulate air filters. In theory, a HEPA filter can remove over 99.97 percent of dust, pollen, mold, bacteria, and any airborne particles with a size of 0.3 microns. That 0.3 microns is usually referred to as the most penetrating particle size, which is why the HEPA filter puts a big focus on that.

One of the earliest uses of HEPA filters was in hospitals, where they were put in place to help stop the spread of airborne germs and particulates. Soon after that, the HEPA filter could be found in many household appliances, like vacuum cleaners or air purifiers. 

While HEPA filters are superb at what they do, they won’t remove every particle from your indoor air. Allergens can enter your home through a variety of avenues, like doors and windows, and the HEPA filter cannot guarantee the removal of every single particle. 

Not only that, but smaller particles cannot be filtered by a HEPA filter. Viruses can be smaller than 0.1 micron, which allows them to pass right through. Most bacteria will be trapped in a HEPA filter, but as bacteria die, they decompose and release endotoxins, which are small enough to pass through as well.

HEPA filters will catch mold spores from the air. However, in the presence of enough moisture, mold spores can grow within the filter, and eventually those spores will pass through the filter with the air.

But those are just a few things that could pass through a HEPA filter. Just imagine all the particles that cannot and do not pass through a HEPA filter. Those are also dangerous allergens that you should be thankful are not just floating freely though your home, thanks to your HEPA filter. 

Like any air filter, HEPA filters also need to be replaced regularly. As they are much denser, they will trap more particulates and will need to be replaced more often. 

Striving for better indoor air quality should be the goal of every household, and that can be achieved by using HEPA filters. For more information on indoor air quality, call the professionals at Sunrise Heating and Plumbing today at (616) 293-9326. We pride ourselves in providing nothing but exceptional customer service.