Air Purifier Filters

All air purifiers sold in the market have three kinds of filters. Each has a specific purpose and a fixed lifetime.  The filters are

1. HEPA filter

HEPA stands for High-Efficiency particulate Air. These filters are made of a special material which is a mixture of fiberglass, plastic, and paper. They are very different from other types of filters that we use in cars, air conditioners, etc. HEPA filters cannot be washed reused or vacuumed. They last for 1200 to 1500 hours and after they have to be discarded and replaced with a new filter. There are many HEPA filters available in the market, but their efficiency varies and depends on the quality. You need an AQI meter to see how effective a particular HEPA filter is. At Zebsol we have tested tens of filters by every manufacturer ( Hitachi, Philips, Medify, Guard, Royal, Buerer, etc.) and found that Philips HEPA filters were the most effective.

Another confusion in the market is that some sellers are selling HEPA filters of H13 grade. H13 is a medical-grade filter and most sellers who claim to be selling H13 are actually selling very low-quality filters. Actual H13 filters need special air purifiers to pass the air as they are very thick and used in operation theaters only. For residential and normal medical uses an H11 filter is enough. If you look at any European-branded air purifier you will notice that they all have H11 filters and not H13.

HEPA filter is the most expensive among all the three filters in an air purifier.  However, all the major work of stopping Pollutants, smoke, viruses, bacteria, pollen, PM2.5, and PM10 is done by the HEPA filter.

2. CARBON filter

Carbon filters in air purifiers do not clean the air but are used for absorbing various smells in the room. These can include cigarette smoke, paint smell, Varnish smell, or the smell of some sewerage drain passing close to the home. Homes with pets need a carbon filter to absorb the smell of cats dogs etc. Carbon filters have a limited lifetime as well and last around 1500 hours. After that, they stop absorbing smells and sometimes start giving out a bad odor (rotten egg). That’s the time to put in a new filter.

3. Pre-filter

Pre-filters are the first filter in the air purifier and its job is to stop large dust particles, hairs, and pet dander from entering the HEPA filter. These are made of a thin mesh cloth that traps dust etc. They are washable in some cases.

At Zebsol all three filters are available year-round and there is no issue with the availability.