What is HEPA?

Before I started working for Allergy Be Gone, I didn't really know what "HEPA" meant. While air purifiers and vacuum cleaners have made it a fairly common term in the last few years, I didn't really know what it meant and I certainly didn't know what it stood for. Since HEPA has become such an important concept in the allergy and asthma world, I thought I'd answer a few common questions about it.

What is HEPA and what does it mean?

HEPA stands for High Efficiency Particulate Air. That signifies that HEPA filters are especially good at trapping particles (such as pollen, dander, and other allergens). All HEPA filters trap at least 99.97% of particles .3 microns in size. That's the standard for HEPA.

Why .3 microns?

.3 microns is the hardest size of particle for a filter to trap. That's why it's the benchmark. Any filter that can catch over 99% of these particles can take care of other particles with ease.

What is HEPA-type and how is it different from true HEPA?

A HEPA-type filter is made in the same way as a HEPA filter, but it doesn't meet the same exacting standards as actual HEPA filters. True (or absolute) HEPA filters are held to even higher standards than most HEPA filters.

What is sealed HEPA and what does it mean for my HEPA vacuum cleaner?

HEPA vacuums are great because they filter out more dust, dirt, and allergens. This means that you're not releasing dirty, allergen-laden air back into your home when you vacuum. But in order to really provide HEPA filtration, all the air that's sucked in the nozzle has to go through the filter . Sealed HEPA just signifies that the vacuum cleaner is a completely sealed system with no place for air (and particles) to leak out.

Why do I need HEPA?

The air around us is filled with dust, pollen, and other allergens. HEPA filters (be they in an air purifier or a vacuum cleaner) keep us from breathing in those particles. A HEPA filter could mean the difference between an allergy or asthma attack and breathing freely.

Having a HEPA vacuum and air purifier is just part of a complete allergy-fighting system; it shouldn't be the only defense against allergens. But it's a good start.

Related posts: 

• Breathe Free With an Air Purifier
  
• Canister Vacuum vs. Upright Vacuum - Does It Still Matter?
• 6 Reasons You Need a Central Vacuum Cleaner
• Do Robotic Vacuums Really Save You Time?

Do Robotic Vacuums Really Save You Time?

Will a robotic vacuum save me time? I see this question asked all the time. Well, today I'm going to answer it in the last post of our vacuum cleaner series.

The first robotic vacuum was introduced by Electrolux in 2001. Called the Trilobyte, it was a full-featured vacuum with a super-smart computer brain and a high price tag. iRobot responded with their much less expensive Roomba and Scooba models and quickly captured the market. Let's find out why you would want a robo-vac.

Pros:
Time Saving
Unless you watch your robo-vac while it works, it's going to save you lots of cleaning time. Since it can vacuum when you're not home (or asleep, if you're a heavy sleeper), it frees up your time for other things.

Clean where you can't
Most of us don't move our heavy pieces of furniture every time we vacuum. Robo-vacs clean under them every time.

More thorough
Robo-vacs clean the floor multiple times to make sure they pick up all the dirt

Cute Factor
Many people who own robo-vacs give them names and treat them like pets. Real pets love them, and so do children.

Cons:
Not as powerful
Most robo-vacs aren't as powerful as a conventional upright or canister vacuum. This is why they go over the same area more than once. You may want to give your house a quick once-over with a regular vacuum every now and then, just to be sure.

Caught in the act
Wires and other obstacles can slow even the most advanced robo-vac. Before you send it out to do its job, you'll have to make sure your house is neat, maybe even going so far as to rearrange minor pieces of furniture a bit to give the robo-vac a clear path.

Hefty price tag
You pay for all the electronics inside. A good Roomba will run around $200-350, while the Trilobyte is around $1500. You get a lot for your money, though.

Bottom Line:
Robotic vacuums are a great investment and they will certainly save you time and effort, but there is still some work involved on your part. And even the expensive and super-high-tech Trilobyte can't vacuum stairs. Maybe in a few years.

Also see our:
Full line of iRobot Vacuum Cleaners

6 Reasons You Need a Central Vacuum Cleaner

Our vacuum cleaner series continues this week with a look at central vacs.

Central vacuum cleaners might be unfamiliar to a lot of people. They aren't as popular as uprights and canisters, and haven't received the press of robotic vacuums. So, what is a central vacuum cleaner?

Central vacs have a large motor and dustbin unit that's stored in a central, fixed location (usually in the basement or garage). This connects to a series of ports throughout the house via PVC piping in the walls. When you want to vacuum, just plug the hose into a port on the wall and start making the dirt disappear.

There are many reasons a central vacuum is better than more traditional vacuums.

• No vacuum to haul around! Central vacs make it easier to clean your whole house, because you don't have to carry a vacuum. While you do have to carry the hose to the wall to plug it in Hoover has a system called Hose Magic that eliminates this problem by storing the hose inside the wall.

• No more noise! Since the motor is far away from you, you can vacuum without being surrounded by noise. Some central vacs also come with features to make them quieter.

• Better performance! The extra-large motor on a central vac gives you suction that a canister or upright just can't match. It's size also allows it to hold more dirt and dust.
  

• Great for allergy sufferers! Central vacs exhaust air to the outdoors instead of into the room you're cleaning. This makes them especially great for anyone with asthma and allergies.

• An array of options! Aside from the Hose Magic system, central vacs have many options available, like the ability to sweep crumbs right to the wall and have the vacuum to the rest. Central vacs also have many, many attachments available.

• Super-long reach! A 25'-30' hose is standard on most central vac units, which means you can clean anywhere in your house.

There is a downside to a central vacuum systems. It is easier to install one when building (or doing extreme renovations) on a house, because the piping has to be run inside the walls. If you are able to do that, however, the cost of installation isn't incredibly high.

See also our:
Full line of Central Vacuuming System

Canister Vacuum vs. Upright Vacuum - Does It Still Matter?

This is the first post in our vacuum cleaner series, in which we're going to explore the different kinds. This week we're helping you choose between canister and upright vacuums, the two most common types.

The first vacuum cleaner was invented almost 150 years ago. It was an expensive contraption that relied on a hand crank to work. Through the evolution of the vacuum cleaner, there have been many different designs, but the two most popular are undoubtedly the canister and upright models.

The run-down on canisters:

• Canister vacuums are better on hard floors and don't suffer from the dirt scattering effect that may be a problem with some uprights.
• The focus of canisters is their tools and extension hose. Most have a carpet cleaning power brush (either belt- or suction-driven) that can rival an upright, as well as tools for hard surfaces, upholstery, and crevices. This makes them great all-round cleaners.
• They provide a quieter cleaning experience than uprights.
• Canister vacuums are better on stairs because of their lighter weight and longer hose. They're easier to manage in a multi-level home.
• They are lighter than uprights, and easier to manage.
• Canister vacs can be more expensive than uprights.

The run-down on uprights:

• Most upright vacuum cleaners are still better at carpet cleaning than canister vacs.
• The focus of upright vacuums is floor cleaning. Since they vacuum directly from the ground, they often feature options like dirt sensors, extra-wide cleaning paths, and self-propelled motors.
• While most uprights have an extension hose and attachments, the focus is generally on their floor-cleaning power.
• Height adjustment, brush roll shut-off, and different tool options are making upright vacuum cleaners useful for cleaning hard surfaces.
• Upright vacuums are more compact and easier to store.
• They tend to be less expensive than canister vacuums.

Uprights still have the edge for carpets, while canisters are still supreme for hard floors and above-the-floor cleaning. While they are both becoming more multi-purpose, this is likely to hold true for some time.