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Air cleaners, air purifiers, or air filters

January 15, 2002

Those of you who've been receiving the Allergy Nursing Newsletter for awhile have come to appreciate Sondra Cooley's easy to understand explanations. Here's Sondra's reply:

Not really. Both terms are used interchangeably in the sale and manufacture of air quality products today. In fact, you will often see the words "air filters" used as well.

There are many different types of air cleaners on the market, all claiming to trap and remove irritants from the air. Most physicians recommend using an air cleaner with a True HEPA filter. HEPA stands for High Efficiency Particulate Air and is a filtration media that, by definition, captures .3 micron sized particles with 99.97% efficiency. As a size comparison, the end of a human hair is usually around 60 to 80 microns across.

Most HEPA air cleaners include a pre-filter that is usually impregnated with charcoal or carbon. This serves two purposes: it captures larger particles and it absorbs odors. By the way, following the recommended changing intervals of the pre-filter will help prolong the life of the main HEPA filter. Some HEPA air cleaners also include a third filter usually designed to give better odor removal as well as filtration for fumes and gases called VOC's (Volatile Organic Compounds).

In summary though, it's their ability to capture very small particles that make HEPA filters a useful tool in controlling allergy & asthma triggers in your indoor environment.

For more information on the air cleaners we carry, click here.

Sondra Cooley
Training and Education Manager
National Allergy Supply

Next week Sondra will present some important factors to keep in mind when choosing an air cleaner. This is interesting material that I'd not seen before, and I know you'll appreciate it.

AllergyNursing.com recommends: True Hepa Air Cleaners & More I'm proud to recommend these quality products from National Allergy Supply. Read my comments about this advertiser here .