Do I Really Need a Hepa Filter on my Vacuum Cleaner

A lot of homeowners want the best bang for their buck. Unfortunately, there are instances when marketing actually does the trick. We spend more money on things that we really don’t need. One of the things that you need to understand is a that you should purchase a vacuum cleaner that makes use of a HEPA Filter.

What is a HEPA Filter?

What it does is capture smallest particles in our air and in our environment. It has reduced the tendency of people to have allergy attacks. For a lot of people though, is this really worth it? Do I really need to have a HEPA filter in my vacuum cleaner?

To give you a perspective of what HEPA Filters do, it can catch 99.97% of airborne particles. That simply means that particles that are at 0.3 micrometers in diameter can be caught in the filter. The average hair is at 100 micrometers in diameter. That simply means that the filter of a HEPA vacuum cleaner can catch particles that are 300 times smaller than that of the human hair.

Do I need this to clean the house?

A lot of allergens that are present in your house are bigger than 0.3 micrometers.  It means that a good vacuum can get rid of your cat’s hair and the pollen particles. However, what HEPA filter does is to actually deal with bacteria, pathogens, and microbial spores. It even stops construction dust from getting into your lungs once you use the vacuum cleaner.

This only means that though the level of filtration is more than what is needed in our house, using vacuum cleaners with HEPA filters can actually have its health benefits.  According to a study, inhaling particles may, in fact, cause conditions such as hypertension.

Standard for Vacuum Cleaners

Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America or AAFA has a certification program and guidelines for a vacuum cleaner that has no HEPA filters. This means that manufacturers actually have the choice whether or not to adopt having a HEPA filter. However, they still need to pass the standards that have been adopted by the AAFA.

It is important to also note that not all vacuum cleaners that make use of HEPA filters can already solve instances of allergy attacks. There is a need to have an indoor allergy action plan. This means that you also need to consider other factors in your vacuum cleaner other than the HEPA filter. For instance, how does the vacuum cleaner address the carpet which could be a source of a good amount of dirt in the house? There are some vacuum cleaners that actually send more dust in the air than collect them.

It is important for the consumers to be knowledgeable about the products that they buy. Vacuum cleaners are a must in every home. However, it is imperative to also be a smart consumer about it. Always consider the different factors and not just the HEPA filter that is found in the vacuum cleaner. Lastly, be sure to avoid products that have been advertised as “HEPA style” or “HEPA like. These are red flags that mean the product is relying on marketing for its functionality.