You’ll come across the terms “HEPA filter” and “pre-filter” when shopping for an air purifier. Understanding what these filters do will help you purchase an air purifier that will do the job you need. Let’s take an unfiltered look at air purifier filters.
Buy an Air Purifier With the Filtration You Need
Filters might be the most important parts of air purifiers. You want to be sure that your air purifier’s filters capture the airborne particles polluting your indoor air. You want filtration that captures pet dander, for example, if your child is allergic to it.
So, what are HEPA filters and pre-filters? How are they different? Do you need an air purifier with both? Let’s compare them.
You Want an Air Purifier with HEPA Filtration
Air purifiers work by sucking in dirty air, forcing the air through a filter, and returning cleaner, fresher air to the room. Air purifiers that use high-efficiency particulate air filters — HEPA filters— are highly effective at capturing certain microscopic airborne non-living allergens and particles.
Honeywell InSight Series and Allergen Plus Series Air Purifiers use HEPA filters and are engineered to remove up to 99.97% of dust, pollen, pet dander, dust mite debris, smoke, and VOCs (volatile organic compounds, gasses, or chemicals emitted by a variety of household products) from your home’s air.
HEPA filtration will help reduce your family’s exposure to these microscopic allergens and particles that infiltrate your home. Providing your household with cleaner, fresher air on an ongoing basis will give you peace of mind.
Pre-Filters Make a Significant Difference
Pre-filters may be the unsung heroes of air filtration: They’re the first line of defense against indoor pollution. Some pre-filters contribute more than you might think. They can deodorize air, capture larger airborne particles, and help extend your HEPA filter’s life.
Air purifiers with pre-filters enable you to take more control of the air your loved ones and guests breathe. Honeywell activated carbon pre-filters can help deodorize a room’s air by trapping gasses and common household odors, like those from cooking and pets. An air purifier with HEPA filtration and pre-filtering gives you a formidable one-two punch.
Air Purifier Filters Demystified
You can make an informed air purifier purchase now that you know your pre-filters from your HEPA filters — and the powerful combination they make.
Here are a few final tips for getting the best performance from a new air purifier: Choose an air purifier that suits the square footage of your room. You might need a tabletop air purifier for a room of 90 square feet and a console unit for an extra-large, 500 square foot space.
Be sure to use genuine HEPA filters and pre-filters from your air purifier’s manufacturer, and change them according to the manufacturer’s recommendations. You’ll breathe a sigh of relief.