Allergies and High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) Vacuum Filtration
Do you know what happens when you vacuum? If you have the wrong kind of filtering system tons of tiny dust particles are stirred up in the air. These can cause allergic reactions like runny eyes, runny noses, and congestion. But there’s a filter system called High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) that can trap microscopic dust so that they don’t just swirl around and land again to repeat the process.
So here’s the dirt. The primary cause is – well I might as well tell it like it is – dust mites and their poo. Folks who have allergic reactions from indoor contaminants don’t like to admit that or may not even know that they are causing discomfort. Can’t really blame them can you.
Though the HEPA filter wonderfully helps there is a peculiar thing to consider when buying one. There are two types on the market. One is the real thing and the other is an imposter. Well, maybe not an imposter, just a less effective filter that has the same name. The real one has to be certified.
Let me explain. The absolute or true type is the real thing. Makes sense right? It must meet a rigorous testing procedure in which the standard particle size is .3 microns. That is microscopically tiny of course. And it must trap at least 99.97% of the little buggers.
Here is where it gets a little confusing so bear with me. The other “sort of” is called a HEPA Type filter. No need to certify this one because it is not absolute or true. That one only needs to capture those huge 1 micron particles 85 to 90 percent of the time. Those are those dust mite droppings we were discussing earlier.
But the “true” HEPA filters and the uncertified ones look alike so examine them to ensure you are getting the real McCoy. There’s a couple ways to tell the difference. Price – true ones cost more. Certification number – guess which one has it. And it will say right on the filter that it captures down to .3 microns 99/97 percent of the time.
You don’t have to have itchy eyes, runny nose, or congestion caused by indoor contamination. Consider a True HEPA filter. They are well worth it.
Filed under: Allergies