A HEPA (Excessive Effectivity Particulate Air) filtration vacuum cleaner is a crucial software to reduce the results of allergens and different indoor air pollution, whether or not they irritate current circumstances or to forestall future well being issues.
As a result of HEPA filtration is so fascinating, the time period HEPA is used to market all kinds of vacuum cleaners, and it’s usually utilized in a extremely deceptive manner that may make it tough to decide on a vacuum cleaner that may present the degrees of filtration you are shopping for it for within the first place.
The HEPA filtration specification consists of two numbers that designate a really excessive degree of filtration of very fantastic particles. The primary quantity represents the filtration effectivity as a share and the second quantity is the particle dimension retained. For HEPA, filtration effectivity should be 99.97% and particles retained should be as small as 0.3 micrometers (previously microns).
The phrase “as small as” is vital as a result of it implies that if all of the particles had been 0.3 microns in dimension, the filter would nonetheless seize and retain 99.97% of them (often known as “filtration effectivity”). The time period “right down to 0.3 micrometers in dimension” doesn’t consult with the identical filtration efficiency, as it could consult with a combination of particle sizes for the said effectivity.
The flexibility to filter very small particles is a vital specification as a result of small particles can simply attain the deepest recesses of the lungs and, in keeping with the U.S. EPA, might trigger a variety of extraordinarily adverse well being results, similar to aggravated bronchial asthma, acute respiratory signs together with aggravated coughing and painful or tough respiratory, eye, nostril, and throat irritation, respiratory infections and power bronchitis, decreased lung perform, shortness of breath and lung most cancers.
And for allergy victims, probably the most potent allergens, which is regarded as accountable for a big share of allergic reactions worldwide, is present in mud mite feces, that are usually 10 to 24 micrometers in dimension and even smaller when disturbed.
To provide you some concept of how small these fantastic particles are, a human hair is roughly 100 micrometers thick. HEPA filtration is designed to seize 99.97% of particles one-third of 1 micrometer in dimension.
HEPA filtration is a crucial and invaluable function to have as a part of your vacuum cleaner. So how will you make certain that you might be getting true HEPA filtration? Let’s begin with licensed HEPA filters.
The HEPA Filtration Specification
The perfect HEPA filters are licensed to satisfy stringent requirements, such because the European Norm 1822 (additionally known as EN 1822) for filtration efficiency, and are recognized with a certification quantity. Licensed HEPA filters are also called True or Absolute HEPA filters. European corporations usually consult with them as S-Class filters.
Initially developed for ranking filtration programs for sustaining extraordinarily clean environments in pharmaceutical, pc manufacturing, medical and different clean-critical services, certification utilizing this customary assures you that the filter will carry out as a real HEPA filter.
The EN 1822 is a two-part check. The primary a part of the check identifies the particle dimension that the majority simply penetrates the HEPA filter, to determine the “Most Penetrating Particle Dimension” or MPPS.
As soon as the MPPS is recognized, the second a part of the check challenges the filter ONLY with particles of probably the most penetrating dimension. If a filter can keep 99.97% filtration beneath the very worst-case state of affairs, then you have got a filter that delivers true HEPA filtration.
And since effectivity is strongly correlated to the pace at which the air passes by means of the filter, this check is finished utilizing the identical charge of airflow as when the filter is in place and the vacuum cleaner is in use.
That is extraordinarily vital as a result of all vacuum cleaners function primarily based on air flowing from the opening on the cleaning head, by means of the vacuum cleaner and the bag and filter system after which out the exhaust port. It is smart then that HEPA filtration is achieved when the filter system (a filter or sequence of filters that may embody the mud bag) retains 99.97% of particles as small as 0.3 micrometers.
If a HEPA filter is examined at lower than the precise airflow it is going to be subjected to when the unit is getting used, these small particles can merely blow proper by means of the filter into the room air throughout regular operation. That is a technique through which a filter that will truly be HEPA is not going to ship HEPA filtration in the actual world.
Certifying the Total System
The following vital query is whether or not or not all of the air going into the vacuum cleaner truly passes by means of the filter system. If air leaks out of the vacuum earlier than it’s filtered, some share of these lung damaging particles and allergens which have settled on flooring and different surfaces are recirculated into the room air the place the extraordinarily light particles can flow into for hours. On this case, vacuuming can truly worsen the air high quality within the dwelling.
So not solely is a HEPA filter licensed utilizing customary EN 1822 essential, additionally it is vital that the vacuum cleaner be extraordinarily nicely sealed, in order that air doesn’t leak earlier than the filter.
As a way to ship the best ranges of filtration in a sealed system there at the moment are some vacuum cleaner producers that use HEPA filters licensed utilizing the EN 1822 customary however they’re additionally certifying the complete vacuum cleaner.
These producers are providing proof optimistic that no air leaks earlier than the filter and that each one air that goes into the unit is HEPA filtered earlier than it leaves.
Due to this fact, to guard your well being and in conditions the place somebody in your house is already struggling with a situation that may profit from a real HEPA filtration vacuum cleaner, licensed vacuum cleaners are the one strategy to receive complete assurance of HEPA filtration.
This doesn’t suggest that corporations that don’t certify the complete vacuum cleaner leak air earlier than the filter however you need to use your judgment. The businesses that provide licensed vacuum cleaners additionally provide top quality fashions with licensed HEPA filtration, regardless that the complete vacuum just isn’t licensed.
Search for heavy rubber seals the place the housings come collectively, in addition to different proof of top of the range development, similar to heavy-duty plastic that maintains its structural integrity.
When choosing vacuum cleaners the place the entire machine just isn’t licensed, make certain that the HEPA filtration is examined and licensed utilizing the EN 1822 customary. This can be a strong indication that you’re coping with a producer that’s critical about delivering true HEPA filtration.
For those who select a vacuum primarily based on something lower than described above, chances are you’ll or might not be getting HEPA (or something near HEPA) filtration. The minimal customary ought to be that the producer makes a HEPA declare and states the filtration effectivity and particle dimension retained, with the intention to make certain that it’s truly the HEPA customary of 99.97% effectivity capturing particles as small as 0.3 micrometers.
Beware Deceptive Techniques
Sadly, “artistic” use of the time period HEPA is rampant within the vacuum cleaner business and we now have seen so-called “True HEPA” claims on vacuum cleaners with no effectivity or particle sizes listed. And the remainder of the claims they make of their promoting don’t come near true HEPA efficiency.
True, licensed HEPA efficiency represents some design challenges to hoover cleaner producers. Making a sealed system and coping with the elevated ranges of airflow resistance of true HEPA filtration whereas sustaining excellent cleaning efficiency require corporations to satisfy very excessive requirements of engineering, design and manufacturing. This is likely one of the most important causes that these vacuum cleaners price greater than mass-market merchandise.
However a facet profit to merchandise from these corporations is that as a result of they’re so high quality oriented they produce a number of the very most interesting vacuum cleaners out there that ship excellent cleaning efficiency and are a pleasure to make use of.
Some corporations additionally produce very excessive filtration vacuum cleaners that don’t attain HEPA ranges, with a purpose to ship excessive filtration at a extra inexpensive worth. For instance, one firm affords filtration that retains 99.95% of particles right down to 0.5 of a micrometer and 94% of particles right down to 0.3 of a micrometer. And, many of those models could be upgraded to a real HEPA filter at any time. These vacuum cleaners could be a superb worth, delivering very excessive ranges of filtration simply shy of true HEPA robot vacuum and mop combo B09Q1CHRWF.
Watch out for the deceptive techniques of many vacuum cleaner producers. Some producers play quick and free with the time period HEPA and make claims similar to “traps 100% of mud mites, ragweed and customary grass pollens”, with no point out of filtration effectivity or particle dimension. Producers that make statements like this are relying on uneducated shoppers selecting their product primarily based on data that’s deceptive at greatest.
The truth is that mud mites don’t trigger allergic reactions; it’s an allergen contained of their fecal materials, which may be very small. Mud mites themselves are usually about 125 micrometers lengthy and most pollens are between 5 and 50 micrometers in dimension. These are big particle sizes and nowhere close to as small because the 0.3 micrometers required for true HEPA filtration. And, this declare can also be on a machine that claims HEPA filtration however doesn’t checklist filtration effectivity or particle dimension.
When evaluating vacuum cleaners that provide superior filtration beneath HEPA, as soon as once more, search for particular effectivity and particle dimension rankings in addition to a extremely sealed housing so you may make an informed determination. If a producer would not present these numbers you are higher off someplace else.
And, watch out for corporations that may state filtration effectivity and not using a particle dimension or a particle dimension with out filtration effectivity. One with out the opposite is meaningless.
In abstract, filtration of fantastic particles can actually enhance indoor environmental circumstances for individuals with allergic reactions, bronchial asthma and different respiratory illnesses in addition to shield the well being of everybody in your house.
The perfect efficiency will likely be obtained by use of EN 1822 licensed HEPA vacuum cleaners (the complete vacuum cleaner), adopted by top quality, nicely sealed vacuum cleaners utilizing EN 1822 licensed HEPA filters. Excessive filtration however lower than HEPA vacuum cleaners made by respected producers can also be good selections however be sure you search for each filtration and particle dimension specs in an especially top quality product.
