Cleaning Tips
Hints on HEPA Filters
HEPA is an often-misunderstood piece of vacuum technology. Here's a useful guide to HEPA filtration and hints for how to get the most out of it – and your air!
History
HEPA is an acronym for High Efficiency Particulate Air. The first HEPA filters were developed in the 1940's by the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission for the Manhattan Project to filter radioactive particulate contaminants. Today, HEPA is a standard by which residential and commercial filters are graded.
The HEPA Standard
The HEPA standard demands that a filter must capture 99.97% of all particles (.3 microns or larger).
This is a very exacting standard. It includes particles we cannot see with the naked eye. To give you an example of how small .3 microns are, a human hair is 70 to 100 microns and dust mites are 10 to 30 microns. So .3 is extremely small!
HEPA and You
The HEPA standard is a wonderful development that can be used in most household vacuum cleaners. A HEPA-quality filter removes dust and allergens from the air that would have affected family or guests with sensitivies.
Just remember that, while many vacuums may feature filters that meet HEPA standards, many do not really offer the filteration they say they do. That's because all the air passing through the vacuum must also pass through the filter in order to get HEPA standard filtration. Unfortunately, cheaply-constructed vacuums leak air that hasn't yet been filtered. Make sure that if you're looking for HEPA standard filtration, you have a high-quality, air tight vacuum with sealed filtration.
If your vacuum didn't come with a HEPA filter, you may be able to purchase a HEPA filter for it. Simply search our vacuum filters to see. If you don't see what you're looking for, give us a call and we'll help you find what you need.