Lately is seems like you can’t get away from the term HEPA. You can find HEPA filter air purifiers, as well as HEPA filters for vacuum cleaners and air conditioning units just by going to any local hardware or department store. None of that labeling explains what HEPA actually is, though. We’ll examine HEPA air purifiers to get a grasp of what, exactly, HEPA is and means.

Why is HEPA Capitalized?

HEPA is written in caps because it’s an acronym, like DARE or MADD. The acronym stands for “high efficiency particulate absorbing”. Or, alternately, it could mean “high efficiency particulate arrestance”, which is basically the same thing. In everyday English, HEPA air purifiers either stop or absorb particles of matter that are way too small for the human eye to detect.

How Can A HEPA Air Purifier Help Me?

As many of these particles come from manufactured sources, our respiratory systems often take exception to their presence. We will sometimes notice these particles as allergens or odors, but not always. In all too many situations, or bodies have no way of recognizing these particles, leaving them to wreak havoc with our bodies. This is why having something either stop or absorb these tiny particles can be such a boon to our health.

Are HEPA Air Purifiers Special Compared To Others?

Some air purifiers are not as effective as others. Most anyone who rates air purifiers go by what is called the HEPA standard. This is because HEPA air purifiers are widely known to be the best at filtering air, and have been for a while now. HEPA filter air purifiers are so vaunted because they stop air particles that are 0.3 micrometers in diameter. There is a purpose behind the focus on that specific particle size. The human body’s respiratory system have a hard time stopping that particular size, and they are the most dangerous to us, moreso than particles both larger and smaller.

Is There Really A Difference Between HEPA-Type And HEPA Air Purifiers?

HEPA standards ensure that every true HEPA air purifier is up to par. To pass, they must be capable of stopping 99.7% of all 0.3 micron particles. There is a lot of science behind this, and the buyer can expect a price tag that reflects this. HEPA air purifiers are generally not cheap. You can also purchase HEPA-type air purifiers, generally right along side the true ones. These cheaper purifiers are not held to any standards at all. If you purchase a HEPA-type air purifier, you could easily get nothing but a highly ineffective fan. Don’t put too much stock in HEPA air purifier reviews, either. The vast majority of things that we can smell are not 0.3 micron particles, which means our noses have no way to know which is the best HEPA air purifier.

Still not sure that a HEPA air purifier is for you? Visit HEPA Air Purifiers Info for answers to all of your questions.