The term HEPA seems to be everywhere nowadays. There are HEPA filter air purifiers, HEPA filter vacuum cleaners, HEPA air conditioner filters, the list goes on and on. But what, exactly, is HEPA, what does it mean, and how does it work? Let's examine the mighty HEPA air purifier, as well as other applications, to get a better understanding of this often used term.

Why Is HEPA Screaming At Me?

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.

What Can HEPA Air Purifiers Do That Others Cannot?

Not all air purifiers are equal. Most entities that test any type of air purification device compare the results to "HEPA standards". This is because, for nearly half a century, this type of air filtration has been the absolute king. What makes the HEPA filter air purifiers so great, though, is their ability to stop particles 0.3 micrometers in diameter. This is not a random number or designation. It has been found that, when it comes to the human body, 0.3 micron particles are not only the most dangerous, but also among the hardest to filter.

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

A true HEPA air purifier is held to certain standards. Chief among these standards is the ability to filter at least 99.7% of all 0.3 micron particles that pass through the machine. This is an extremely lofty standard, and you can expect to pay a premium for this ability. Generally speaking, HEPA air purifiers are not cheap. A HEPA-type air purifier, however, is a completely different animal. It's important to realize that there is absolutely no standard whatsoever that a HEPA-type air purifier must pass. A machine with this designation could be anything from a less effective, less expensive alternative to a completely useless piece of junk. Also, be wary of putting too much trust in HEPA air purifier reviews. The best HEPA air purifier will not only produce clean smelling air, but it will also remove particulates that are not detectable with human senses alone.

Want more information about HEPA air purifiers? Check out HEPA Air Purifiers Info!

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Remember all those commercials about the Ionic Breeze air purifier? They also made appearances at Radio Shack and The Sharper Image stores. Then they were gone, along with The Sharper Image, for the most part. Researching the Ionic Breeze air purifier on the net will very quickly yield two facts: the original Ionic Breeze air purifier is nearly impossible to find, and there are a bunch of folks out there that feel The Sharper Image lied about it. Yet, if you look at the reviews from the people that actually bought one, you'll see that they're generally favorable. Let's take a look at some of the claims that eventually killed the original Ionic Breeze air purifiers, and put them into perspective.

Ionic Breeze Air Purifiers Do Not Clean The Air As Well As HEPA Air Purifiers

The Sharper Image never claimed that the Ionic Breeze cleaned the air as well as True HEPA purifiers. Like good business people, they avoided the subject of efficiency altogether, for the most part. The stuff hit the fan when Consumer Reports said the Ionic Breeze silent air purifier cleaned only 30% of pollution out of the air. However, you have to consider that 100% of the polluted air will have to pass in and out of the machine quite a few times. Getting something 30% clean over and over again will, after time, get you almost to 100%. No, it's not as efficient, but one could say that ionic air purifiers, if given plenty of time, will do the job just as well as anything. They're also much cheaper to purchase, operate, and maintain. Also, don't forget that Consumer Reports only compared to True HEPA air purifiers as opposed to the much more common HEPA-type purifiers. HEPA-type air purifiers have no particular efficiency, while True HEPA machines are out of reach for many consumers.

The Ionic Breeze Actually Makes The Air Unhealthy

The theory is that ionic air purifiers release a ton of ozone when cleaning the air. But that's just not the case. The best explanation for this misconception is that people don't know the difference between ionic air purifiers and ozone generators, which are somewhat similar, but do use ozone to clean the air. There is no factual data stating that ionic air purifiers put out unsafe amounts of ozone, and Consumer Reports even said that the Ionic Breeze air purifier passes HEPA guidelines in regards to ozone. Actually, the Ionic Breeze silent air purifier passes every HEPA guideline except for efficiency.

The Ionic Breeze Air Purifier Caused The Sharper Image To Go Bankrupt

Yes, The Sharper Image did file in 2008, but lack of sales was not their downfall. The Sharper Image failed because they were a publicly traded company, and their stock prices dropped like so many rocks once their reputation had been so thoroughly tarnished. Although they had a ton of debt by the time they declared bankruptcy, they still had around $50 million in equity, not to include cash on hand. Unfortunately, however, their investors apparently didn't look the whole picture.

How Are Newer Ionic Air Purifiers Different?

Newer ionic air purifiers aren't significantly different from the original as the concept behind was not only simple, but effective, and wouldn't be easy to improve. Simply put, ionic air purifiers effectively, though slowly, clean air pollution just fine, and they do it quite cheaply. The original Ionic Breeze itself might be hard to find, but newer versions of it as well as the Ionic Pro air purifier and various generics are still easily obtainable.

Want to learn more about the ionic air purifier? Visit Ionic Air Purifier Info.

categories: air,appliances,allergies,asthma,pollution,health,electronics,science,filter,guide,shopping,gadgets,product review,green

Posted under Allergies

I'm sure you remember the company The Sharper Image, as well as their retail stores and infomercials that ran all night. Well, those stores are gone, and some people think that ionic air purifiers went with them. Even though you can't get new ionic air purifiers with that name on them, you can still obtain one. You will have to investigate some other alternative options, however.

The Ionic Pro

The apparent usurper of the ionic throne, the Ionic Pro is very similar to the old Ionic Breeze, although it's much, much less expensive. There's no increased maintenance from the Ionic Breeze. All you have to do is yoink the magnetic filter bar thingy, wipe it off, and put it back in. That's it; no filters or anything. Also, since it doesn't use a fan, it's both quiet and cheap to run, especially in comparison to a HEPA air purifier, though most say it is less effective. If your main goal is a cheap, silent way to purify the air in a 500 foot or less room, you might want to check out the Ionic Pro.

Those Cheap Generic Ionic Air Purifiers

There are also other ionic air purifiers that don't have any branding at all. These are generally available for around a hundred dollars, and can be found in dollar or bargain stores as well as some websites. Be wary of a lack of warranty though as whatever return policy the retailer has may be your only safety net if it doesn't work right. However, these cheap off brands can be considered at least somewhat safe since the tech that they use is pretty simple.

Ionic Air Purifiers With Fans

One of the main draws of ionic air purifiers is that they don't use fans. Traditionally, an ionic air purifier will simply use the light breeze that is created by the particles being magnetically attracted toward it. The only ionic air purifier to receive certification from Consumer Reports, though, uses a fan. This doesn't really help those who are considering an ionic air purifier only because it's silent, regardless of if it's less effective. Even with a fan, though, you'll still get the advantage of free, filterless maintenance.

You May Want To Consider A HEPA Air Purifier

The other option would be a HEPA air purifier. Although they promise the same things, they work quite differently. HEPA air purifiers have filters that have to be replaced and, of course, cost money. If you use an ionic air purifier, you don't have to worry about replacing filters as the pollutants will get stuck by static on the bar that just has to be wiped off. Most studies show that ionic air purifiers are not as effective as HEPA air purifiers, though.

Check out Ionic Air Purifier Info for all the information on ionic air purifiers that you could possibly need.

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When shopping for a HEPA air purifier, you'll often see products labeled as a "True" HEPA air purifier. This can be confusing because, if there's a true, then there must be a false, right? There are a few different things that True HEPA air purifiers are comparing to, but none of them will be labeled as false or sub-standard, of course. It's up to you, the consumer, to know the difference, and know if it affects you. Let's take a look at the True HEPA Air Purifier, and see what they are comparing to.

True HEPA Air Purifiers Are Different

There is a difference between a HEPA-type air purifier, and a True HEPA air purifier, which is also called an absolute HEPA air purifier. Even if folks do not always make it clear, when they're comparing HEPA filters to other air filtration medium, especially if they're referencing the likes of OSHA or the EPA, they're talking about True HEPA filters. Yes, there are many types of air purifiers available, but the only ones that places like labs and hospitals use are True HEPA air purifiers.

Do True HEPA Air Purifiers Stop Particles That Others Don't?

One of the main things that a true HEPA air purifier must be able to do is filter at least 97% of 0.3 micron particles. This may sound like so much technical jargon, but it's actually quite important. 0.3 micron particles are the hardest size for filters to stop, including those particles that are even smaller. Not only that, but they are small enough to very easily bypass the human body's natural defenses and enter the respiratory system, causing all sorts of maladies. Suddenly 0.3 micron particles sound a little less nerdy, and a bit more deadly. If you're interested in how small 0.3 microns actually is, compare it to a human hair. A human hair can be anywhere from 70 to 100 microns in thickness.

Best When Dirty! True HEPA Air Purifies Actually Work Better When Dirty

Another big difference between HEPA-type purifiers and True HEPA air purifiers is how they filter when they become dirty. This is where the "Absolute" part of the equation comes in. Any absolute filter media will actually become more effective as it gets dirtier. The more particles that are trapped in an absolute filter, the more effective it will be. The reason why is actually pretty simple. As dirt and other debris builds up around the air holes, those holes get smaller and smaller, allowing less to get through.

Is There A Way To Tell If A HEPA Air Purifier Is True?

Look for products that actually advertise that they are True HEPA air purifiers. The alternative is the HEPA-type air purifier, which is really just an imitation, and is not held to any particular standard. If you find a purifier that doesn't say either HEPA-type or True HEPA, you can also reference other specifications on the box. Look for one that filters 97% or more of the 0.3 micron particles if you want a True 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.

categories: air,appliances,allergies,asthma,pollution,health,electronics,science,filter,guide,shopping,gadgets,product review,green

Posted under Allergies

There are a lot of people out there who have no idea what a HEPA air purifier is, or what it does, even though the technology is not particularly new. There are those who think that they are prohibitively expensive, and some that believe they're only used for allergy sufferers. Neither is really true, and pretty much anyone can benefit from the effects of HEPA air purifiers.

Indoor Air Is Susceptible To Pollution, Too

It's a simple fact: odds are, the air in your home is more polluted than the air outside. This is without taking into consideration additional pollutants such as heavy dust environment, pet dander, or cigarette smoke. We're talking about the average home, here, not some slum in the middle of downtown. Our bodies are made to handle some air pollution, but cars are made to handle wrecks, too. That doesn't mean it's good for you.

There Are Always Pollutants

So, you have a beautiful lawn that keeps the dust outside, no cigarette smokers, and no pets. You're probably making the logical assumption that HEPA air purifiers are for others, not you. Unfortunately, this couldn't be further from the truth. The contaminates in your home would shock and appall you. Let's assume that you have some furniture in your home. The chemicals that were used to treat the wood of your furniture and dye the cloth that's wrapped around it are constantly outgassing. Every chemicals is prone to outgassing. Oh, and that nice, green lawn? Pollen is also a pollutant, and affects your body negatively, even though it is quite natural. Just about any contaminant can be purified by a HEPA air purifier.

Maybe You Don't Care About Pollutants

Okay, so you don't give a darn about pollutants, have no allergy issues, and never, ever come down with anything. Well, HEPA air purifiers can still help you. Consider those pollutants which don't directly make you sick, but don't put you in a good mood, either. Yes, odors are considered pollutants as well. If you have a HEPA air purifier, your air will even smell better. Be sure to check the specs before buying one, though, to make sure that it does clear odors, as not all of them do.

Even If Neither Odors Nor Pollutants Matter To You...

Even though you are not noticing air pollutants, this doesn't mean that there aren't any. There have been many studies that have been released lately linking indoor air pollution to a lot of scary and strange issues. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says that indoor air pollution can cause heart and respiratory disease as well as cancer. In this case, why don't new home manufacturers install HEPA air purifiers? Well, they sort of do. Using a HEPA filter in your air conditioner is sort of like having a big HEPA air purifier. Since an AC only feeds from one area, though, the effect just doesn't cut it. You can be sure that HEPA air purifiers installed in living rooms and bedrooms will increase the quality of life of your entire family.

Check out HEPA Air Purifiers Info for more information on HEPA Air Filter Purifiers including what they are, how they work, and what they can do for you!

categories: air,appliances,allergies,asthma,pollution,health,electronics,science,filter,guide,shopping,gadgets,product review

Posted under Allergies

HEPA air purifiers are very popular in the market. HEPA is the abbreviation for High Efficiency Particulate Arresting. These air purifiers remove particulates that are suspended and minute from the air, thereby purifying the air from all particles that are suspended in air, and may be a potential harm causing agent or an agent that may cause various allergies to people inhaling them.

Fiber or polymers are basically used to make these purifiers. The microscopic particles in the air are trapped by these constituents. These purifiers are very capable of trapping dust, mold spores, many varieties of viruses and bacteria. Many varieties of these purifiers are present in market and majority of them are known to have 99.97% effectiveness in filtering particulate matter as tiny as 0.3 microns. But the fact is that the HEPA purifiers only filter airflow that goes through it, hence this particular claim may be untrue in most cases. This is due to the fact that many of these purifiers are not very well designed and may allow the air to pass around and hence miss the filters, and in effect still remain in the room without going through the cleaning process.

HEPA air purifiers usually use an active material of which is carbon based to help in the absorbing of chemicals, gases and odors. There are many kinds like thin mats of Air-O-Swiss filters or several pounds seen in the Austin Air Purifier.

HEPA air purifiers are used specifically in vacuum cleaners. The usage of HEPA air purifiers in vacuum cleaners allows trapping of pollen and dust mites, which can reduce the asthmatic and allergic effects on those who are suffering from breathing problems.

Even though air purifiers are very effective, while buying purifiers, it is better to buy only HEPA filters and not 99% HEPA or other HEPA TYPE filters. This is only because HEPA air purifiers are the only ones effective and the results provided by the rest cannot even be compared with the ones produced by HEPA air purifiers. Nowadays sealed HEPA air purifiers are available too, which do not allow leakage of air without being filtered, thereby increasing the efficiency.

Learn more about personal air purifiers. Everything you need to know about buying indoor air purifiers.

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The ionic air purifier will clean pollutants and toxins that hang around your indoor air that you weren't even aware of. Believe it or not, indoor air is far more dangerous than outdoor air. Where, though, do all of these pollutants come from?

Ionic Air Purifiers Will 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 Can Remove Dust

Dust is another culprit. Nearly 40 pounds of dust is created per 1500 square feet every year. About forty thousand dust mites and other virii and bacteria rides upon each speck of dust. Again, outdoors, negative ions remove the dust particles and ozone destroys most of the bacteria that are riding around on them. This effect is what the ionic air purifier simulates.

Ionic Air Purifiers Will Remove Pollen

One of the better known problems are natural allergens. They go by many names, such as ragweed and pollen. These all have their place outside, but inside, they're merely a problem that cannot be addressed by natural forces.

Ionic Air Purifiers Will Remove Many Things

Believe it or not, that wonderful new smell that comes with your new home is actually the out-gassing of the chemicals used to treat the paint on the walls and the other materials from which the home is built. While wood floors are better for you than carpet, carpet is much cheaper, which means it's often opted for. The ozone from an ionic air purifier will deal handily with these chemical fumes. Furnishings, such as sofas, chairs with cushions, or even mattresses are treated with chemicals such as fire retardants, which add to the pollutants in the air. Again, these can be oxidized and neutralized by the ozone from an ionic air purifier. One more thought. Did you know that over half of the weight of an average pillow is actually the dust mites contained therein? And you thought bed bugs were a silly wives tale, didn't you? Dust mites don't stand a chance against an ionic air purifier.

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HEPA, while it will remove mold spores, will not kill Mold and Mildew. The Oreck doesn't have HEPA and relies solely on electrostatic or the positive and negative charge of some airborne pollutants so is not considered effective in my opinion for allergens. One thing to be wary of is the fact that many air purifier companies overcharge for the replacement HEPA after the initial purchase of the air purifier itself. For a good sized HEPA filter look for replacements in the $30-40 range.

When it comes to pathogenic factors, people tend to concern more about diet environment. These medical conditions may be minor (simple cold, acute allergy, etc.) or severe (asthma, tuberculosis, lung cancer, etc.). In fact, many environmental studies have shown that the air we breathe at home can be more polluted than the outside. This type of air purifiers are designed to eliminate in your home and office all airborne particles such as bacteria, viruses, gas, odor, smoke, etc.

Nowadays, one of the biggest problems that people using air purifiers have stumbled upon is the unbearable noise that it produces. Therefore we would like to ask you: "Are you satisfied with the loud noise emitted from your air purifiers?" Those who created the first air purifiers realized that people are pleased with the results of dust removal, getting rid of tobacco smell and all the other possible unpleasant odors. However, the statistics showed people are yet not totally satisfied just because of one single irritating issue: the noise.

You may be hesitant about the idea of buying an air purifier because you've heard about a lot of different models out there which don't do much more than cheat you out of your money. A traditional HEPA filter uses millions of tiny fibers to help capture at least 99.7% of all of the contaminates in the air which are at least 0.3 microns or larger. Unless this air purifier uses an actual HEPA filter, the chances are that you are not getting this level of purification. If you don't buy these replacement filters, you are not going to have a working purifier.

In fact, a genuine HEPA filter has been rated to remove 99.7% of all particle contamination from the air, as long as those particles are 0.3 microns or larger. Using the original filter, they will give adjustments to the composition and in some cases, can produce a HEPA filter which works at an even higher rate of success than the original. A HEPAtech filter is a filter which has been designed by Hunter air purifier manufacturers and this form air purifiers will work in a unique way. This modified filter uses a HEPA filter that can capture 99.97% of all particles of a 0.1 micron size, but it will also effectively work at a much quieter rate than any other similar filters.

Posted under Allergies

If when you get up in the morning, you are struck with a bout of the sneezes, chances are you already know that you are suffering from allergies. Those that suffer also have problems with a runny nose, watery eyes, and even some troubles breathing on certain days. Allergies arrive and leave with the seasons, but if there is a problem in your house, or you are allergic to something like dust, molds, or pets, you could endure suffering all year long. If that is something you are grappling with every day, you may need to consider a home air purifier . These can help.

Home air cleaners can work in several fashions, but they all strive for the same goal. They remove many things out of the air that can be causing your allergies to act up, or that just irritate your system. You can expect to get freed of many everyday problems while using a household air cleaner including pet danders,mildews,dust molecules and even cigarette smoke. No system is absolutely flawless in its functioning but they will produce a sizeable difference in the quality of your homes environment.

Many allege that those that have got central air are inclined to have a greater problem with in home irritants because the windows are closed off. Nevertheless, even them that have got open windows have issues.They just tend to be different issues The home air filter can work well with both situations. If you have central air, you may even find that you can have a household air cleaner system that can work right with it, or you can get a stand alone model if you reckon that is the best for you.

There are many assorted examples from which you can choose from if you wish to acquire a home air purifier that stands alone. They all function the comparable, but many work more effectively than others. No matter what type you acquire, what you need to focus on is the filtering system. Many merely wipe clean, which can be quick, and some have filters. Most of the time, how well the home purifier functions depends on how often or how effective you are about changing those filters.

The options you have may depend on your budget. Don't worry too much, as you can normally find a household air purifier that can perform what you need no matter how much or how little you have to spend. The largest cost may be exchanging the filters. Look at the cost of the air purifier for the house first, but take into mind how much the filters are going to cost and how frequently you are going to have to change them. That will assist you in making the best possible decision. Searching for consumer reviews is not a bad idea either.

Posted under Allergies