Clear the Air With a HEPA Filter

Easily remove allergens and dust.

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Photo: Nhuan Nguyen / Istock

By Brian Clark Howard

Improve your home's indoor air quality with a true HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) filter. You'll cut down on allergens as well as dust.

Ordinary disposable fiberglass filters were designed to remove the largest particles from the air, with the goal of protecting your heating equipment, not your lungs. They trap only 10% to 40% of the debris passing through them. A HEPA filter, on the other hand, can remove at least 99.97% of airborne particles. They are made of randomly arranged fibers and are based on Department of Energy standards.

In terms of effectiveness, installing a filter on your central heating and cooling system is definitely the best way to go. You can also get portable filter units for individual rooms.

Do beware of so-called "HEPA-type" or "high-efficiency" filters, which are widely advertised (especially on TV). These products can actually be up to 55 percent less-efficient than true HEPAs.

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