HEPA is a popular household name as its full form is High Efficiency Particulate Arresting air purifiers. These air purifiers are used for the removal of minute particles that are found in the air and so help in the “cleaning” of air around you. This reduces the risk of allergies for many.

HEPA air purifiers use materials that are made of polymers or fibers. The microscopic particles suspended in air are trapped by the material. Other than that, mold spores and various bacteria and viruses are trapped by HEPA air purifiers. There are various brands in the market that offer HEPA air purifiers in the market. These air purifiers are about 99.97% efficient. They can filter particles that are small up to 0.3 microns. The air purifiers purify air which flows through them and hence, this claim made by the companies may not be valid. There are indeed some HEPA air purifiers that are designed ineffectively and allow passage of air from the room within its filter and back into the room, without purging the impurities suspended in it.

HEPA air purifiers also use material made out of activated carbon. The activated carbon filters absorb chemicals, gases and odors. The material may either be a thin sheet of activated carbon or pounds of compressed activated carbon in containers.

HEPA air purifiers are frequently seen in vacuum cleaners as they are beneficial for people suffering from allergies, like asthma and they can also trap dust mites feces and pollen which causes allergic reactions to many.

However during purchase customers should be careful to avoid similar products, which are not genuine HEPA filters, also called as ‘Sealed HEPA’. Many of these imitations are very similar in naming and are often advertised as HEPA type or HEPA-like or sometimes even labeled as 99% HEPA. These products are only imitations and can never yield the results that are given by true HEPA filters as these are intelligently designed to prevent air leaks.

Want to find out more about the benefits of home air purifiers, then visit www.Air-Purifier-Ratings.net for Air Purifier Reviews.

Are you an aquarium hobbyist, or own a water purification system? If not, chances are you have no idea what activated carbon is, or what it could possibly do in HEPA Air Purifiers. Even if the concept itself isn’t totally foreign, you probably still don’t know exactly what it does.

What Does Activated Carbon Do In A HEPA Air Purifier?

Choosing HEPA air purifiers is often the first time most people encounter activated carbon. They begin their search because of allergies or asthma, but they have no real idea how these machines work. As they look deeper, they’ll start to learn that odors and chemicals are what’s actually causing the vast majority of the issues they’re trying to remedy. Most quality HEPA air purifiers are designed to eliminate allergens as well as odors and chemicals in the air. This is where the activated carbon comes in.

How Was Activated Carbon Used Before HEPA Air Purifiers?

Believe it or not, humans were using activated carbon to purify water as many as two centuries ago. Even back then, we knew of activated carbon’s exceptional absorption qualities. It was not until the early 1900’s, though, that the stuff was produced in a form that could be sold commercially. Produced commercially, activated carbon was sold as powder. Back then, it was used only to remove smell or taste from water and to remove the color from sugar. As World War I got into full swing, we discovered that activated carbon could be used in gas masks to protect soldiers from chemical agents in the air. Not only that, but it was used for war time water and air purifying. At this point, instead of being used in powder for, it was used in a granular form. This was the beginning of activated carbon being used in many ways.

What The Word “Activated” Means

You’re probably wondering why we’re referring to this carbon as “activated.” Is there such a thing as non-activated carbon? Well, the heat used in “activating” the carbon is what drives out the impurities in the carbon itself. This leaves a place for the impurities in whatever it is the carbon is cleaning to reside. So activating carbon is kind of like emptying a sponge, only with head instead of pressure. After activated carbon becomes full, it can actually be reactivated by re-heating it. This is, however, not a good idea, and is considered dangerous and impractical. Non-activated carbon is basically charcoal or soot.

Different Types Of Activated Carbon

Basically, yes. Though there are different types of activated carbon, and it’s often described in various ways, all activated carbon is nothing more than amorphous carbon-based materials. These materials all have many holes, also known as a high degree of porosity, which cover a relatively large surface area. This is what gives the material such awesome absorbent quality, enabling it to work so extremely well in filtering both air and water.

Harry writes articles about his HEPA air purifier, and HEPA air purifiers in general.

There are lots of toxins and pollutants hanging around inside your home that you’re not even aware of. The indoor air is actually more dangerous than outdoor air, despite what you hear on the news. I’m sure you’re wondering where all these pollutants come from.

Ionic Air Purifiers Can Clean Up What We Leave Behind

The first, sometimes most prevalent source would be humans; dead human skin flakes to be exact. That’s what you’re looking at when you see the little things sparkling in the sunlight. Nasty, huh? Because our bodies are constantly regenerating our skin, we humans are the one of the largest polluters of indoor air – the air we then turn around and breath. Unfortunately, being human, there’s probably not a lot you can do about it. Dust mites feed off these dead skin flakes almost exclusively. Also, keep in mind, what you see is only ten percent of what’s there. Mother nature takes care of this issue for us, but only if we’re outside. The ozone destroys much of the bacteria on these skin flakes, and negative ions remove them from the air altogether. The dust mites and all the other bacteria cluster together, become heavier, and end up on the ground where you’re far less likely to try to breath it. Unless you’re very odd.

Ionic Air Purifiers Remove Dust

Dust is another big polluter. Almost 40 pounds of dust is created per 1500 square feet in a year. Riding on each speck of dust are about forty thousand dust mites and other bacteria and viruses. Outdoors, negative ions remove the dust particles while ozone destroys much of the bacteria. In order to be healthy indoors, we must simulate this effect. That’s exactly what an ionic air purifier does.

Ionic Air Purifiers Will Remove Pollen

Pollen is a wonderful thing. Without it, we’d have no honey and plants would not reproduce. In our noses and sinuses, however, pollen falls under the category of the far less friendly term of “allergens.” Although pollen is great outside, there’s no way for nature to address it once it’s inside. An ionic air purifier can take care of this problem for you.

Ionic Air Purifiers Can Remove Many Things

Unfortunately even pleasant smells can be deceiving. That nice smell that comes with new homes, and also the smell that comes with new cars are actually the out-gassing of all the chemicals that were used to treat those materials. That’s right – it’s chemicals you’re smelling. In homes, paint and carpet are two of the biggest culprits, and though hardwood floors are considered healthier, not everyone can afford them and not every house comes with them. Furniture isn’t innocent; pretty much anything with a cushion of any kind has been treated with many chemicals, such as fire retardants, that also out-gas pollution into the air. Without an ionic air purifier, these nasty elements will hang around indefinitely, especially in new homes.

Inez writes articles about the ionic air purifier and ionic air purifiers in general.