Are HEPA Filters Worth It?

Air pollution has been shown to be connected to a host of health problems. No matter where we are, we breathe in the air and with it, the impurities it brings with it – even in our own homes. Add to that any pre-existing issues like allergies or asthma and it’s easy to see how poor air quality can cause real problems. To keep the air in our homes clean, many of us op for HEPA filters for our central air conditioning systems. But are these filters truly worth the expense?

HEPA filters (or High Efficiency Particulate Air filters) are, as the name suggestions, designed to filter the air we breathe. They are effective at removing almost a hundred percent of even the smallest particles in the air, making it as clean as possible. Other types of filters will adequately filter the air, too, but they don’t have as high a filtration rate as HEPA filters.

The physical mechanism behind the HEPA filter’s design is what it allows it to do its job so well. The high-quality mat fibers, which allow the filter to trap particles in three ways: diffusion, impaction, and through the physical blocking of the particles, known as interception. These hard-working filters provide one of the highest levels of filtration available on the market today, and they are now available in a variety of products, from those designed for a/c units to portable air purifiers and even vacuum cleaners.

One of the major benefits of HEPA filters for your air conditioning unit is that these filters clean the air with amazing speed. The faster a filter cleans the air and recirculates it back into the house, the cleaner the air will be at any given moment. Filters that are not as efficient at cleaning the air may work well to filter the air eventually, but the allergens will have more of a chance to build up in the air in the meantime, which can contribute to the development or worsening of respiratory symptoms.

Some people feel that because of the higher price tag of HEPA filters, it’s not worth it. It’s quite the opposite. This is particularly true if you have family members living in your home who fall into one of the following categories.

• Elderly adults
• Young children or babies
• People with existing respiratory issues such as asthma, emphysema, chronic bronchitis, etc
• Smokers
• Anyone whose immune system is compromised.

If any of your family members fall into any of these categories, it’s even more important to ensure the air in your home is as clean as possible. For that job, a HEPA filter should be called into service. Find more information about these and other kinds of air filters at https://filterbuy.com/air-filter-sizes/.