3 Things to Consider when buying an Air Purifier - Particle Sizes: Ultrafine, Fine, and Coarse

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3 Things to Consider when buying an Air Purifier Particle Sizes Ultrafine, Fine, and Coarse
The vast majority of people I have consulted with through the years for air purification solutions have contacted me for guidance on purifiers that would help filter particles in the air like allergens, dust, mold, pet dander and things of this nature.
Therefore, we are going to go over the different particle sizes of some of the more common particles in the air that we breathe so we have a better understanding of what level of filtration we wish to attain in our environments. And there are 3 main takeaways from this information that I think people should take into consideration when they are analyzing the air purification options on the market. So lets get into it.
Air particles are oftentimes measured in size by microns. What is a micron? A micron is short for a micrometer (aka, micrometre or µm). And it is one millionth of a meter. There are 1,000 microns in a millimeter and 25,400 microns in an inch.
A human hair, on average, is about 70 microns in thickness or diameter - give or take 30 microns depending on the thickness. And as you know we can see a hair strand with our naked eyes.
The smallest objects that are visible to the naked human eye are 40 to 50 microns in size or diameter.. So we can see a single hair strand because it’s about 70 microns but if an object is smaller than 40 microns in size we cannot see it with just our eyes.
There are 3 different particle categories based on size ranges.
The largest particles in the air are called Coarse Particles and they are 2.5 microns in diameter to 100 microns. And since we can see particles that are 40 microns and larger - - we can actually see some of these particles. Examples of Coarse Particles can be Pollen or mold spores. Important: Coarse particles make up less than 1% of all the particles in the air we breathe. They may irritate our eyes, nose, and/or throat but they are not the most dangerous particles to humans. Our natural defenses do a better job of handling them than smaller particles.
The 2nd category of particles are called Fine Particles and they are .1 microns to 2.5 Microns in diameter and since we cannot see anything less than 40 microns - that means we cannot see these particles with the naked eye. Examples of Fine Particles are Household dust, Bacteria, and Dust mite allergens. Fine Particles make up ONLY about 9% of all the particles in the air we breathe. They can affect our eyes, nose, and throat like Coarse Particles - but since they are smaller - they can ALSO get into our lungs. So they are harder for our natural defense systems to deal with. In general, the smaller the particles are - the easier they are able to get into our bodies and they tend to delve deeper into our bodies, as well. And I also currently believe that A) smaller particles are harder for us to test for and B) Smaller particles are harder for air purifiers to take out of the air. Now, I’ve read some people say that this is not the case, however, I currently do not agree with them. The smaller the particle the harder it is to filter, in general. 3 Things to Consider when buying an Air Purifier Particle Sizes Ultrafine, Fine, and Coarse
The 3rd category of particles are called UltraFine Particles and they are .1 microns to .003 microns in size. Examples of these particles are Pet Dander - Tobacco Smoke and Viruses. Ultra Fine Particles comprise about 90% of all the airborne particles. So the OVERWHELMING VAST MAJORITY of particles in the air that we breathe are super small and they are small enough to pass through our lung tissue into our blood stream. They can affect our Eyes, Nose, Throat, and lungs, and they can also affect our heart, Brain, Kidneys and Liver. These Ultra Fine Particles are the most dangerous particles for humans.
3 Things to Consider when buying an Air Purifier Particle Sizes Ultrafine, Fine, and Coarse

[@AirPurificationEducation]

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[@Xiao93.]

it's insane how you don't have more subs. You're giving out amazing insightful info!

[@AirPurificationEducation]

Thank you so much for your nice comment. I am trying my best, lol! Thanks!👍

[@gregoryconran]

I agree and its explained well too!!, I would actually pay for a consult

[@Timba_Cats]

Thank you for the Video 👍

[@AirPurificationEducation]

Thank you for watching! 😃

[@2711marcus]

I have a suspicion that IQ Air are guilty of marketing BS :) In Europe we have a most stringent test. The EN 1822 standard where they test for the Most Penatrating Particle Size MPPS for short. In this test they find MPPS which is usually between 0.1 to 0.2 microns then they test the efficiciency at MPPS. For example the IQ Air MPPS was 0.14 microns and the efficiency was 99.95% up to 170 CFM and 99.5% at the highest speed. All other particle sizes are captured at a higher efficiency than the most penetrating particle size, obviously. My opinion is all True HEPA filters in the USA that pass the 0.3 micron test will also pass the EN 1822 test. If they have an efficiency of 99.97% at 0.3 microns they are likely to have an efficiency of around 99.95% at MPPS. So I strongly disagree with IQ Air.

[@AirPurificationEducation]

Very Interesting. I am currently making a video on HEPA filters and a lot of different sources say a lot of different things and it is a bit confusing, lol! Can you please give me the link on that IQAir testing data? 1) I currently believe over 90% of the so called HEPA air purifiers on the market do not actually work at a HEPA Level - especially, after their filters get some debris on them after some use. Different HEPA filters made by different manufacturers and made of different materials with different housings around the filter media? Hmmmmm.... they ALL filter exactly the same? I highly doubt it. 2) Oransi (an American air purifier manufacturer) claims: "More recent research has revealed the most penetrating particle size (MPPS) to be in the range of 0.04 to 0.17 microns. " So, IDK. Some sources say a good HEPA filter will filter most of the UltraFine particles but I currently don't totally 100% believe this. I think there may possibly be more variables involved. 3) I'm not married to IQAir but I will say I've spoken with many customers through the years, who switched from other "HEPA" air purifiers to the HealthPro Plus and they told me that they experienced better breathing results - and oftentimes, a lot better breathing results. This has obviously had an impact on my thinking and belief system. I do think the HPP is an elite air purifier for particulates and much better than the vast majority of units on the market. I've dealt with way too many customers who have had glowing reviews of it's performance for it not to be a special unit. 4) Another huge issue is the seals within the units - the seals between the filter media and the unit. I think the HPP and the Aeris 3 in 1 may have somewhat of an advantage in their designs over other air purifier designs from a leakage standpoint. I'm going to make a video on this after this HEPA video. Thank you for your input! 👍😄

[@2711marcus]

I agree about the seals in the filters and how the filters are sealed in the purifier. Maybe it should be standard practice to test the whole unit not just the filter. But I'm confident in the EN1822 standard. I've sent links to your website. 😊 Theres a lot of anecdotal evidence out there, If you pay $900 dollars for a purifier then you are needing to justify to your self spending that amount of money.😄 Anyway I have sent the links for the IQ Air test results. Personally I do not believe it filters particles better than purifiers costing $700 dollars less, but it does do much better for VOCs.😄 there's lots of people who say they have had relief from their allergies using a Winix or Coway purifier amongst others, so we need more scientific evidence. I think a standard test procedure like the EN 1822 would be a good start. It's more stringent than the current US standard.

[@AirPurificationEducation]

1) Yes, 100% entire air purifier needs to be tested, for sure. I currently think the majority of air purifiers on the market have not been tested by reputable 3rd parties and many of the marketing claims they make really irritate me as I find them to be very deceptive. Many air purifier manufacturers are taking great liberties with their marketing campaigns. 2) Yes, most air purifiers will 'improve' the overall air quality in a space and a Winix or Coway can help with asthma and allergies for sure. But a HPP will typically (depending on what is going on in the space) improve the air quality better than most all other units from a particulate standpoint. I would be VERY SURPRISED if the HPP is not superior for filtering particles than 99% of all the air purifiers currently on the market. It is elite for particle filtration. They've been at this for over 50 years, now - the current owner is 2nd generation. I met with him in Vegas for 3 days - some years ago and that dude is "ALL BUSINESS ALL DAY LONG" 100% obsessive, compulsive about air quality. I don't think he talks or thinks about anything else. I wouldn't wanna be married to him, lol! 😆 3) In the 15 years in my last company where we sold about 50 different air purifier brands... US Hospitals ONLY ordered IQAir equipment. I NEVER had 1 order from a US hospital in 15 years for any other air purifier brand than IQAir. And I'm talking about at least 50 different US hospitals all around the US going with IQAir equipment... Every Single Time. Probably because it was EN 1822 certified. Also, when the air quality was super bad in China about 8 years ago - the ONLY air purifier the Chinese Brokers wanted to order was the HPP. And I mean they would sometimes try to order 500 IQAir HealthPro Plus units at a time. We'd get orders for over $100K ONLY for the IQAir HPP. And this went on for many months. They didn't want any of the other 50 brands that we carried - ONLY the HPP. So, the Chinese knew the HPP was elite and the US hospitals also exclusively went with it. For this and many other experiences I've had with the unit - I do not currently agree with you that other $700 and less air purifiers filter particles as well. But we can agree to disagree on this - I am not married to these guys and I am totally openminded - things change and new solutions hit the market every month so... eventually, I'd think we should be seeing some new amazing options - maybe with new technologies... I waited a LONG time for a brand to equal or surpass IQAir - and I think the Aeris 3 in 1 achieved this. But I def. don't know all the solutions on the market worldwide - for sure. 4) I totally agree with you that all air purifiers should be put to the EN 1822 testing/certification process. But, I think it would separate the men from the boys and there are many air purifier companies currently getting RICH with their sketchy marketing. If the EN 1822 results became available for all air purifiers - it would be devastating for much of the industry. In the US we have the CADR ratings which are GARBAGE! and I did a video on this if you saw it. Many air purification companies rig their units to do well in the CADR test and then market the results like they actually mean something. Very sad for the unsuspecting US consumers. 5) I got your email - with the links! Thank you! 👍😄 and thanks for adding a new quality air purifier to my radar - I don't know if I've heard of the MedicAir b4 - sometimes all the different names start to sound the same. Thanks - very interesting! @@2711marcus

[@2711marcus]

@@AirPurificationEducation Glad you received the links 😊 Will be very interesting to see new products and technologies coming to the market in hopefully the near future 🤞

[@AirPurificationEducation]

Hey Marcus, you had emailed, "Personally I think the quality of air required in Labs etc should be the same in our homes and offices,or at least very close to, wouldn't that be a great thing :)" And I do think over time we are actually headed in this direction. A lot of money and research has been spent the past few decades on "outdoor air quality" and the findings are useful for sure... but Americans stay indoors an average of 93% of the time. So, I think one of the next big movements will be in regards to indoor air quality for businesses, schools, etc. I think there is going to eventually be legislation which will force schools (first) and then maybe even businesses to provide a certain level of air quality for the students/employees. I saw some crazy data recently concerning test scores for kids in school and how they fluctuate wildly depending on how much CO2 is in the air and even airline pilots failing flying tests when they were exposed to too much CO2. Better air quality will enable kids to do better in school and enable employees to be more productive. The results of these types of tests are becoming available more and more. I really believe we are at the doorstep of the entire "air quality" industry increasing dramatically in different niches. We are really in the early stages (tip of the iceberg) of understanding how air pollution affects our health long term but our knowledge will improve dramatically in the coming years with better testing techniques/technologies, IMO. Harvard now has a "Healthy Buildings Program" and the Director recently consulted on the air quality for a new $2 billion skyscraper being built. I think we will be seeing more of this type of thing. Some folks say the air quality industry will become like the new "Clean Water" movement. We'll see. Thanks for your comments! 😃 @@2711marcus

[@33johnson19]

@AirPurificationEducation Best Air Quality info on the Internet! My concern is mycotoxins from mold spores. What is the best unit available today for mycotoxins and micro/fine particles (the Aeris by iRobot is NOT available)? I had the Intellipure Ultrafine 468, but it died in 2 years, so I can't go with them anymore.

[@AirPurificationEducation]

Hello and thank you for your nice words. Holy Cow - looks like the 468 is about $999. And it only lasted 2 years? That stinks! ☹ I checked all over their website but didn't see the actual warranty for the unit. That is pretty rare for an air purification company to not display their warranty up front, IMO. The Aeris 3 in 1 is expected to come back to the US (if you live here) some time in 2024. But they have made some changes to it and it will be called the Klaara P7. Quick video on it if you didn't see: kzbin.info/www/bejne/jGfdi594g7R9lZY For ultrafine particles and mold spores I'd go with the IQAir HealthPro Plus. It is a great unit and I run one in my family room. 10 year warranty which they doubled from a 5 year warranty around 2016. So, that is what I would currently recommend based on the units I have experience with. Good Luck! 👍

[@33johnson19]

@@AirPurificationEducation thanks for the advice. I'm still trying to get the Inteliipure company to make it right and have a complaint drafted. Can I share it with you via email? Also, I bought and will return the 2 Dyson Big & Quiets but it only does particle sizes down to 0.1 microns. I looked at getting the Medify AIRx because they sell an H14 filter, but when you go to the website the filter is sold out. I owned the IQAir HealthPro Plus for 10 years and recently gave it away. The filters are very expense and it seems the technology hasn't changed much. Is the IQAir Atem X Air newer tech? Thanks in advance for your help!

[@AirPurificationEducation]

Sure, you can share the email w/ me if you wish. I wonder what their warranty actually is. Maybe the warranty is somewhere on their website but I couldn't find it - which seems pretty uncommon to me. I tried to find it in their manual but they make you give them your email address to view the manual... which is very unusual and kinda strange to me. I don't like it. The Dyson Big and Quiets are interesting and I may grab one sometime to review it. I don't know how good Medify is either - may have to check them out, as well, but my knee-jerk reaction is neither the Dyson nor the Medify are elite for particulates. The IQAir HPP average annual filter replacement cost is about $140 per year but the Intellipure 468 appears to charge $159 just for the HEPA filter that is supposed to be replaced annually. And it seems they charge $285 for the "Annual Filter Set" according to their website... so, I think the HPP is less expensive for the average annual cost of the replacement filters. But that also depends on what speeds you run it on. 1) The Atem X covers more space and has all the modern "bells and whistles" with a sensor and a Smart app. However, it does not filter ultrafine particles as well as the HPP. Only 99% at .003 microns vs. the HPP 99.5%. Plus, it does not have any carbon for VOCs/odors like the HPP. The fact that IQAir was not able to replicate the filtering ability of the HPP for ultrafine particles (over 15 years later) is a tribute to how impressive the original HPP is, IMO. The HPP is elite and was way ahead of its time, IMO. Several companies have attempted to copy its airflow design. There are advantages from a sealing standpoint - to having the air flow from the bottom - up through the filters out the top, IMCO (Current). 2) Aeris copied their airflow design and somehow improved on it. And the founders from Aeris both went to the 7th top-rated school in the world (ETH Zurich) for Engineering. And one of them has a Master's Degree in Engineering from MIT (ranked #1). They have brilliant engineering minds. The fact that they copied the HPP's airflow design when they created the 3 in 1 in 2015 is another tribute to how impressive the original HPP is, IMO. 3) Basement Systems is a fairly large company with contractors throughout the US. They decided to create an air purification solution called the Aspen and they literally tried to copy the HPP. I think they get the filters made in China... Clearly, they are trying to copy the IQAir solution - as we can see in this link: www.basementsystems.com/air-purifier.html The Aspen has a little more airflow than the HPP but it also has 60% less carbon that the air is flowing through and I'm pretty positive it is not sealed nearly as well as the HPP as I don’t see the filters really get sealed in the unit. And I would bet anything it won't be able to hit 99.5% at .003 microns. + their solution is not EN1822 certified like the HPP, either. So, I'm pretty sure the HPP is far superior at ultrafine particles. 4) Camfil is the world's largest filter manufacturer with 31 manufacturing locations all over the globe and 5,200 employees. They are a 60-year-old manufacturer. A Billion dollar company. They also create high-level industrial filtration solutions for manufacturing, etc. They have supplied filters for NASA in the past. Plus, they are experts at testing filters, as well. About 3 years ago (I’m guessing), they came out with the CC500 which has the EXACT same airflow as the HPP. The air comes in from the bottom - up through the filters - and then the clean air exits out the top sides in all 4 directions - EXACTLY like the HPP. They basically copied the HPP’s airflow I’m thinking. www.camfil.com/en-us/products/air-cleaners--air-purifiers/city-range/city/camcleaner-cc500-_-56430 They test every filter that comes off the manufacturing line for the CC500 and they appear to have a much better seal inside the unit than most companies out there. The CC500 filters seem to test out at 99.99% at .3 microns… better than HEPA… but I don’t know the ultrafine numbers. I would not be surprised if they beat 99% of the competition for particulate and ultrafine filtration. These guys are filtration experts and their HEPA filters have metal housings which is rare to find in the stand-alone air purification industry. They are hardcore. I’ve seen metal housings on HEPA filters for the ISS - International Space Station and DOE - Department of Energy… Serious HEPA solutions. They probably have them for industrial and pharmaceutical applications, as well. Again, serious filtration environments. But it is hard not to notice how they copied the HPP’s airflow design for the CC500. 5) I also saw a high-level $5,000 air purifier recently which also 100% copies the HPP airflow, as well. “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery” So, I’d say the HPP is still elite for particle filtration and blows away 99.8% of the air purification solutions on the market today. Their engineering team absolutely nailed it over 20 years ago with the HPP as many companies and some of the best companies in the industry are still trying to copy their design. Crazy. Of Note: I also found on a brochure that Camfil claims their CC500 was developed in 1963 but I find that hard to believe. The company was started in 1963 so I think it is possible their marketing team may have made a mistake with the wording on this. That said, if they actually did create the CC500 in 1963 then IQAir and everyone else probably copied them. I want to eventually find this out. Thanks!👍 @@33johnson19

[@David.Elfstrom]

IQAir (and thus this video) misrepresents the physics of filtering. Refer instead to independent engineering fundamental texts regarding the mechanisms of filtration. A HEPA filter is rated at the most penetrating particle size (the hardest size to filter). It may seem counterintuitive, but its easier to filter out 0.01 microns than 0.3 microns.

[@AirPurificationEducation]

Hey Dave, thank you for the comment. I didn’t want to be so long-winded on this however, one thing led to another and I ended up typing a LOOONG answer - as I think there are many points/issues to consider. Here are my current thoughts on this issue. Of note: As always, I am completely open to changing my opinions based on new info… 1) I currently agree with you that “very well made” HEPA filters can most often more easily filter particles at .01 microns than .3 microns (basically smaller and larger particles are easier to filter). But the important words to focus on in that sentence are “very well made”. 2) In my current opinion, the "Physics of Filtering" does not apply to every single "HEPA filter" on the market. "Independent Engineering Fundamental Tests regarding the mechanisms of filtration" ONLY applies to the SPECIFIC filter being tested in that particular test. We cannot take the results from one specific test on one specific HEPA filter and simply apply the results from that test to ALL the other HEPA filters on the market and assume they will all filter in the same manner and to the same degrees. Because all the other HEPA filters on the market are not of the same quality. For example, if we truly believe all HEPA filters are the same then we would have to agree that an inexpensive, Chinese-made $27 HEPA filter for a $45 air purifier will perform exactly the same as the extremely well-engineered, expensive, HEPA filters in the International Space Station. And this simply cannot be the case. 3) The results from the testing of the HEPA filters in the International Space Station are not the same results we will receive if we test a $27 HEPA filter for a cheap, residential air purifier. I think there are many reasons for this, including: A)The “HEPA Filters” themselves, are made of different HEPA materials (some are made of cheap materials and some are made of much more expensive materials). B) They utilize different amounts of HEPA material in the filters. C) They utilize different adhesives to attach the HEPA material to the housings. D) And they use different Housings - some use metal/steel. But most of the residential air purifiers use different types and different levels of quality of cardboard - which tends to make them pretty easy to bend (among other differences, as well). 4) Not all “HEPA Air Purifiers” filter at exactly the same rates. Please take a look at my video called: "HEPA Filters - Are they all the same?" kzbin.info/www/bejne/i6OZe2mgpq54o7s 5) If we compare: A) An inexpensive, Chinese-made, $27 HEPA Filter from Smart Air that is an inch in thickness to… B) A 3rd party Chinese made cylindrical “HEPA” filter replacement from Filter Monster that costs 40% less than the original manufacturer’s American-made replacement “HEPA” filter (and also somehow weighs 22% less)… to C) A $200 HEPA filter for the Camfil City M air purifier (which claims their MPPS is .18 microns and their HEPA filters hit 99.998% at MPPS - and they are a billion dollar filter manufacturer with 55 years of filter manufacturing experience + they are experts at testing HEPA filters, as well, with state of the art, modern, testing equipment/facilities ) to… D) The HEPA filter(s) on the ISS - International Space Station to… E) The 1.25” thick HEPA filters used by the the Winix 5500 which are $89 (including 4 carbon prefilters) If we compare all 5 of these “HEPA Filters” to each other... *Are we to expect/assume that ALL these HEPA filters will filter EXACTLY the same for all the particles at the different sizes? *The $27 HEPA filter will filter .1 microns at exactly the same level and efficiency as the ISS HEPA filter? *I had an air purifier manufacturer tell me that none of the 3rd party Chinese replacement HEPA filters for their air purifier actually tested out at a HEPA level. But the 3rd party American made filter replacements performed comparably to their actual HEPA filter replacements. So, they definitely saw a difference in the performance of HEPA filters that were manufactured by different companies and from different countries. *How do we know the $27 HEPA filter is going to definitely filter the smaller particles better than the particles that are .3 microns in size… when it uses different HEPA material, different adhesives/glues, etc. than the HEPA filters used in some of the tests performed by some of the colleges/universities? Especially when there isn’t any 3rd party testing to prove it’s filtration performance… *Are we to expect that these 5 HEPA filters will all filter exactly 99.97% or better at .3 microns? The expensive filters made of better quality materials will perform exactly the same as the cheaply made ones? *And are we to believe the $27 HEPA filter for the $49 Smart Air Purifier and the $89 HEPA filter for the $150 Winix 5500 will both filter EXACTLY the same as the $1,099 Camfil City M $200 HEPA filters? They will all filter at the same levels and they will all definitely filter better at .01 microns than .3 microns? Even when the filters get dirty/clogged after 3 months of use… and even on their highest CFM speed settings? Do we think all the “HEPA” filters on the market will filter the same as the HEPA filters used in some of these official “HEPA” tests? In my current opinion - I highly doubt they will all filter the smaller particles at exactly the same levels. And I also think it is very possible that not all 5 of the HEPA filters/air purifiers will all filter the larger and smaller particles outside of .3 microns better than they will perform at .3 microns. All these filters will not perform exactly the same at the different micron levels. Because if they did… Then the ISS could simply have installed inexpensive Chinese made Smart Air HEPA filters… and/or it would not matter where the ISS got their HEPA filters manufactured from… and an inexpensive, Chinese made, HEPA filter would perform just as well as the expensive, well engineered, HEPA filters they currently utilize. And Camfil states they have, in fact, supplied some of the HEPA filters for the ISS. Steve Smith, who is supposed to be an “Industry Expert” according to Camfil - said in Sept. 2021, “MPPS, in the air filtration world, is the most penetrating particle size, which happens to be 0.1 to 0.3 microns. Smaller and larger particles are actually easier to capture. ” So, this statement in general, would somewhat agree with your original assessment, I think. However, in this video he says, “A bio-safety HEPA filter that can collect 99.995% of .3 micron sized particles is stopping all of the sizes at nearly 100%.” cleanair.camfil.us/2021/09/17/new-video-from-camfil-explains-mpps-in-air-filtration-technology-with-industry-expert-steve-smith/ And again, I think we need to focus on the specific terminology, “A bio-Safety HEPA filter” in that sentence and also we need to realize he is a representative for Camfil and they’ve been making HEPA filters/solutions for the pharmaceutical industry, medical industry - they have experience manufacturing solutions for clean rooms, and again, the ISS, etc. So, the quality of their HEPA filters is extremely high. The same cannot be said for all the HEPA filters in the residential air purifier market. So, the Camfil HEPA filters are probably of a much better quality than a $27 Chinese made HEPA filter in a cheap air purifier. Probably a night and day difference in quality and performance. And it is probably a much better quality HEPA filter than the vast majority of the HEPA filters found in most residential air purifiers… especially the cheaper units that are $150 and less in price. Steve Smith goes on to say in his video - in regards to how well the filters perform, “The only way to be certain is to ask for the Filter Scan Test Report. And any reliable Filter Company should provide that with each HEPA purchase.” I currently have 12 different air purifiers from 9 different manufacturers but only 2 of them provided me with the documentation showing the performance of the filters in the units before they shipped them to me. Those 2 companies were IQAir and Camfil. The IQAir HealthPro Plus and the Camfil City M are both EN1822 certified for their HEPA filters. IQAir was the 1st residential air purifier company to get this certification for the HealthPro Plus - several years ago. My Aeris 3 in 1 is also EN1822 certified. But none of the other 9 air purifiers I have possess this certification. And none of the other air purifiers provided me with a Filter Scan Test Report. The other air purifier HEPA filters are not all going to perform as well as the Camfil HEPA filters and they are not all going to perform as well as the IQAir HPP “Total System Efficiency” filtration levels, either. (Continued Below)

[@AirPurificationEducation]

6) IQAir states their HyperHEPA filter is 99.97% efficient at .003 microns: www.iqair.com/us/products/replacement-filters/hyperhepa-h12-h13-f3 The IQAir HealthPro Plus I received came with documentation that states the air purifier, itself, was tested and it filtered 99.99% at .3 microns and larger. The HPP MPPS is .22 microns and the unit is supposed to hit 99.95% at that level. However, the IQAir website states that the HealthPro Plus was 3rd party tested and it only hits 99.5% at .003 microns which is contrary to the “it is easier to filter all particles larger and smaller than the MPPS”. www.iqair.com/us/air-purifiers/healthpro-series Also, the Camfil City M I received provided documentation that my HEPA filters tested at 99.998% at .18 microns. However, they also state that their City M only performs at 99.95% at .3 microns (the unit itself, does not filter at the 99.97% HEPA standardization level of a “True HEPA” filter). Again, another example of an air purifier, that does not filter other particles better than the MPPS filtration level of the HEPA filters inside the unit. In this case, it doesn’t filter some larger particles as well as the MPPS. So, those are two examples of air purifiers that do not necessarily filter smaller and larger particles better than the MPPS of the HEPA filters inside the units. IQAir calls the filtration performance of their HPP the “Total System Efficiency”. It is a little confusing when the companies interchange the HEPA filter performance in comparison to the “Total System Efficiency” of the air purifiers themselves that house the HEPA filters. In particular, I don’t want people to think that their air purifiers actually filter at the same levels that their HEPA filters were tested at… But rather, I want people to consider/be aware of the “Total System Efficiency” filtration level of the entire air purifier as that is really the only thing that matters for them in their environment. In most all cases the HEPA filters will tend to test better for particle filtration than the units/air purifiers with the filters in them. 7) I have found in my research that different sources provide different information on what they believe is the actual MPPS. Some sources state .3 microns to be the MPPS for HEPA filters but many other sources state that the MPPS for filters to be in the range from .1 to .2 microns in size. And as we see with Camfil - they are currently stating the MPPS to be .1 to .3 microns. So, there is definitely discrepancies in the air purification industry as to what the true MPPS is for HEPA filters… or even what the true range is. 8) I also currently believe at least 99% of the “HEPA Air Purifiers” on the market do NOT actually filter at a HEPA level in the real world for customers. It doesn’t matter how good the quality of the HEPA filter is inside an air purifier if there is not a very strong seal between the HEPA filter and the inside of the Air Purifier. Most air purifiers have very poor seals inside the units which enables dirty air to escape around the HEPA filters. And the dirtier the filters get over time - the more dirty air that will escape around the HEPA filters. If we look at 29:47 in the video “Coway Airmega Review 300 400S - Everything you need to know about this Air Purifier”... kzbin.info/www/bejne/gWbXkp6Ll7GHb8k We see that dust is clearly getting around the HEPA filters in the unit and it is therefore definitely not filtering at a HEPA level. And if it is not filtering at a HEPA level then it must also be poor at filtering the smaller Ultrafine particles, as well. If some of the larger particles are getting around the HEPA filter - then some of the smaller ones are also getting around the HEPA filter, as well. Also, if we look at 25:29 in the video: "HEPA Filters - Are they all the same?" kzbin.info/www/bejne/i6OZe2mgpq54o7s We can see that a lot of dust is getting around the HEPA filter in the Winix 5500, as well, as there is a poor seal between the HEPA filter and the inside of the air purifier. So, just like the Coway 400S - it is therefore definitely not filtering at a HEPA level, either. And if it is not filtering at a HEPA level and 10 micron sized particles/and larger are getting around the HEPA filter (humans can only see particles 10 microns in size and larger - depending on the source we check) - then it must also be poor at filtering the smaller Ultrafine particles, as well. The same issue goes for the BlueAir 211i that I own - I just haven’t made a review video on it yet. But my Blueair appears to leak dirty air the most of any of the 12 air purifiers I currently own. It has a terrible seal between the filter and the unit. They claim in their marketing that their units perform BETTER than HEPA filters… but that is absolutely not the case in the real world. You can see dust leaking around the filters in many different areas with this unit. So it is also not doing a good job on the UF particles, either. So, those are just 3 real-world examples of HEPA Air Purifiers not actually working at a HEPA level and leaking a lot of dirty air around the filters. 9) Also, Levoit got busted a few months ago for marketing their Core 300 air purifiers as having True HEPA filters inside the units. It appears they do not have actual HEPA filters in the Core 300 units. So they had to take the word “HEPA” off their online advertisements/marketing content for this particular unit (+ 2 other Levoit units, as well, it appears). This is just one example of a company getting caught pretending their unit works at a HEPA level when it doesn’t even possess a HEPA filter. They can’t be the only company doing this. If every air purifier on the market was checked very carefully - I am sure we would find many other “HEPA” units don’t actually even have True HEPA filters inside of them. So, I currently do not believe all the HEPA filters in all the mass produced residential air purifiers actually filter at a HEPA level. I also do not believe all HEPA filters do a good job of filtering Ultrafine particles (.1 to .003 microns). And I am very confident that most HEPA air purifiers do not perform at a HEPA level either… as most air purifiers leak dirty air around their HEPA filters due to poor seals within the units. 10) I currently do believe it is easier for very good quality HEPA filters to filter particles larger and smaller than their MPPS. But again, the important verbiage in that sentence I would stress is “very good quality HEPA filters.” Most HEPA filters contained in the vast majority of residential air purifiers are not of “very good quality” and their poor seals within the units themselves, enable some particles to leak around the HEPA filters. I believe this is currently the norm in the industry. So, the air purifiers themselves, in most (and possibly all) cases, do not actually filter, as well as, the HEPA filters inside of them (when the HEPA filters are tested independent of the air purifiers). As always, I am open to new information on this topic - just like all other air quality topics but… These are some of the issues I currently believe about this topic. Thank you (if you made it this far… I know it was probably a snooze fest, LOL!). 👍

[@ExamMastery]

Thanks 👍

[@AirPurificationEducation]

Thank You! 😃

[@datadynasty]

Keep it up

[@AirPurificationEducation]

Thank you!👍

[@blurayneblurayne8569]

That's what she said🙃

[@xdean]

Hey Doug, Im really looking forward to your next video! Ive narrowed my next purchase to Aeris 3-1 and Camfil City M but Im struggling to make a pick. Aeris 3-1 seems to check off all the boxes but after you mentioned how they were on sale for $550 months back, i dont feel like paying full price lol. What do you know about Camfil City M, Doug? Camfil’s units are also EN 1822, ISO, and AHAM certified but Im not sure about its VOC filtration. Please advise.

[@AirPurificationEducation]

1) Aeris 3 in 1 is not really available in the US from what I understand and the future of the product line is uncertain for the US and Europe so it is a risky purchase. That said, I just got an email from a woman who said she is able to get a 3 in 1 from Global Industrial at 20% off and she said they have the 3 in 1 and the Lite unit. www.globalindustrial.com/ 2) Camfil City M looks like a really good solution but I don't have any experience with it... I will probably get one in the future to check it out... Today's $699 sale price looks AMAZING!! But, the replacement filters look like they are $399!!!! Yikes! - shop.camfil.us/products/city-m-air-purifier 3) Now, the IQAir HealthPro Plus is also a great solution and I run one in my family room... Plus, it has 17% more CFMs than the Camfil solution for more air exchanges/larger spaces... so I think it is less risky to get the HPP than an Aeris unit but I don't really know how it stacks up against the Camfil completely. Edit Update: 4) OK for $740.94 with tax - I'M BUYING a CAMFIL RIGHT NOW!!! You sold me, LOL! Thanks for MAXING OUT MY CREDIT CARDS right B4 X-Mas, LOL! I bought 6 air purifiers 2 weeks ago to use and review and now, I'm getting this, as well. I know I wanna eventually review this product so I SIMPLY CAN'T pass up the price! 🤣 LET'S GOOOO!!!!

[@xdean]

@@AirPurificationEducation HPP is my main unit with Rabbitair A2 in the bedrooms but I need more supplement. Ive been researching the Camfil City M for weeks now and I just feel like it’s “ The One “.. first listing I saw was for $1695 on Kirby Allison then I ran into Camfil page that being sold for $1295 and now $699! Im sorry for maxing out your credit card my friend but $740 w/tax is a steal! lol Im pulling the trigger right now as well. Camfil City M it is.. Btw, which six purifiers did you purchase recently? And I thought I was a purifier junky haha.

[@AirPurificationEducation]

Yes, I saw the Camfil for $1,200 the past few weeks and thought to myself, "they are going to be really challenged to sell it in the B2C market in the US at that price." But, $699 is pretty attractive if they filter somewhat near a HealthPro Plus, IMO. I just don't know what their long term pricing will be after this sale. Yes, Rabbit is one I eventually have to get a hold of, as well. I am super happy you brought the Camfil sales price to my attention as I agree - it is an AMAZING deal... Besides, what more could the wife and son possibly want for X-mas? Then even MORE clean air, LOL!😆 Thankfully, I purchased less expensive units 2 weeks ago - as some folks want to know how they compare to some of the more expensive/better air purifiers so I got a cheap Ionizer called Clarifion that I've seen ads for on YT recently - but I think it is probably unhealthy for people... also got a Levoit, Blueair, Winix 5500, Coway Mighty, and an Aroeve (it seems to be popular on Amazon). Plus, I just got a new personalized air quality tester called the Atmo that I need to play with and finally....drum roll please... My first Mold Testing Kit... so... I'm def. gonna be busy trying to form opinions on some of this stuff over the coming weeks/months. I'm gonna want to know your opinions on your new, shiny, Camfil - esp. vs. your IQAir HPP! Thanks for the Heads up on the Sales Price (Looks like ONLY Dad is gonna get any presents THIS year, LOL!) and enjoy the Holidays! 👍

[@coryrondema6190]

Would you recommend the coway airmega?

[@davidwaples8758]

Greetings, I use lacquer and enamel hobby paints for making scale models. Most of it is spray painting with an airbrush. I have a very good extractor which pushes fumes outside the house. I'm going to start using a 3D resin printer soon in the same space and have some concerns about maintaining air quality. The 3D printer has a small carbon filter inside it, but I'm not sure how effective that would be. I thought about getting something to measure air quality, but after watching your video don't have a lot of confidence in affordable measuring devices. After watching how using the WINIX 5500-2 improved the air quality in a hotel room, I'm wondering if it might be a good extra step for keeping the air in my work space clean. Thoughts?

[@AirPurificationEducation]

Thank you for your comment. I am not really familiar with the equipment/VOCs/items in your environment but with a little Googling... 1) "Lacquer has over 600 VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) they are the gases emitted from the product. Even though lacquer has such a HIGH VOC level painters still choose to use it because it dries quickly and is a good resistance to household chemicals." 2) "Oil-based enamels are extremely high in VOC's - up to 350gms/L - which is why they are so smelly and are a major source of environmental air pollution. Using modern water-based enamels makes a huge difference to the health of the painter, the occupants of a house, and to our environment." 3) I had a guy a few weeks ago comment about how a lot of folks use 3D printers and apparently there are a lot of harmful pollutants that come out of them and many folks in that industry think cheap air purifiers help them. But he was skeptical that the inexpensive air purifiers were enough for protection. And I agreed with his assessment. And the EPA says, "Studies have found that the 3D printing process releases gases and particulates which could pose health risks to users." and "Fumes from 3D printers can also contain heavy metals like lead, mercury, and chromium which could be dangerous if inhaled over an extended period of time." 4) So, based on my limited knowledge of all these variables - my knee jerk reaction(s) would be: A) it is awesome that you have a good extractor - and that may possibly be the #1 best option for you. Quickly getting the polluted air out of that environment is probably the top priority for your health. B) The Winix 5500 will only help with some of the larger Coarse Particles and possibly some Fine particles (.1 to 100+ microns) but I personally would not trust it to protect me in your environment. This is a low end residential solution - more like a general bedroom solution... but you are in more of an industrial environment, IMO. C) I did some painting several years ago - with some super toxic paint for metal and I used a 3M Respirator at the time and it was super helpful. So, you may want to use some type of Respirator to help protect you. I remember it was kinda uncomfortable to wear but the paint I was spraying seemed to be crazy toxic so I couldn't imagine not using it... D) With all the potentially hazardous stuff in your environment - I'd really talk with AirPura.com and ask them what they think is best for you... as they are somewhat experts on the carbon/VOC side and they would probably have the best idea as to what you would require from a carbon solution. And I think you are also dealing with smaller particulates so they do have "Super HEPA" options, as well. E) You could also talk with Legend Brands (www.legendbrandsrestoration.com/ ) - they make the Dri-Eaz air scrubber solutions. Which are the most respected in the water restoration industry. When Covid broke out - hundreds of hospitals around the US purchased the Dri-Eaz air scrubbers and vented them outside hospital rooms. Their air scrubbers are also heavily used for mold remediation cleanups, as well. They could talk with you about helping you get the polluted air outside your space faster + by utilizing a real HEPA air scrubber (you can also add carbon to it) in the process, as well. They may definitely be able to help provide some good advice for you. F) If I was not going to do any additional research at all... and I could choose 1 solution to add to my environment... I'd probably just get an IQAir GC unit - as it has 12 pounds of really good carbon for many different types of VOCs... and it can also filter ultrafine particles at 95% down to .003 microns... now, that would be a good addition to the environment. G) It is hard for me to know how fast you are getting the pollutants out of your space... and some of these options probably cost more money than some would initially think to spend... but I'd say every dollar you spend to improve that environment is an "Investment" in your long term health. And "Health IS Wealth". Good Luck! 👍

[@davidwaples8758]

@@AirPurificationEducation Thanks for the thoughtful response to my question. I've taken your advice and contacted AirPura for any guidance they may have. Thank you/Dave

[@tommypham1101]

Could I get your opinion on the levoit 600s, I got it for my home since we just got a dog and I been getting a lot of allergy

[@AirPurificationEducation]

Hey Tommy - Levoit has been VERY Deceitful with their customers and do NOT have actual HEPA filters in fully HALF of the air purifiers they sell. Dyson ratted them out to the BBB - Better Business Bureau last August and said 3 of their units don't have HEPA filters in them - like they claim... Well now, 11 out of 22 of the air purifiers on their website don't have the word "HEPA" associated with them and the Core 600S is one of those units: levoit.com/products/core-600s-smart-true-hepa-air-purifier?_pos=2&_sid=bd2e8b787&_ss=r "HEPA" is the MOST important word an air purification manufacturer can use in their marketing and advertising to sell their products and Levoit was forced by the BBB to take the word down from the advertising of some of their air purifiers. I just uploaded a video on the Amazon BEST Selling Levoit Core 300 which talks a lot about the situation: kzbin.info/www/bejne/n32ZnoSZerCsebs And I made a list/ranking of some of the best air purifiers for Allergies. Click Here for Free Access to the "APE Guide to Air Quality Solutions": tinyurl.com/343a9s54 All that being said, if you have allergies to a pet - you may need to keep the pet out of certain rooms - even with a great air purifiers - to lower your reactions. Their dander gets everywhere and if you sit on a chair or couch in a room the pet has access to... then you are probably rolling in it at that point. I know of a guy who was SUPER allergic to his daughter's cat... couldn't stay in her home for 5 minutes without gagging.... so they got an Austin Air Healthmate and put it in the family room and the cat was NOT allowed in that space... and for the 1st time - the dad was able to enter his daughter's home and actually "visit" with her without having to leave in 5 minutes. Good Luck!👍

[@tommypham1101]

@@AirPurificationEducation thank you for the information. should i replace my 600s? sadly im on a budget

[@AirPurificationEducation]

Hey Tommy, I recently created the first version of a "Guide to Air Quality Solutions" where I rank many of the different air purifier solutions in order of filtration capabilities. I will be adding many different environments/applications and solutions to this guide over time. Please Click Here: tinyurl.com/343a9s54 Please let me know if you have any questions. Thank you! @@tommypham1101

[@hardboard82]

We just moved into a house with a wood burning fireplace. Would you recommend any particular purifier or type to look for?

[@AirPurificationEducation]

This question was answered in the comment section of a different video (the CADR video) and the options I recommended were basically an IQAir HealthPro Plus, IQAir GC or an Aeris 3 in 1 unit. The room was about 1,000 sq. ft. and the best solution depends on a few variables including how often the fireplace will be used. Also, how important odor control was to the homeowner.

[@hardboard82]

@@AirPurificationEducation yes it was answered on the other video’s comment section. Thank you for your great help!

[@AirPurificationEducation]

Thanks - I just want future viewers to know I tried to help answer the question instead of just leaving it blank and ignoring it, lol - Thank You!😄@@hardboard82

[@xdean]

Are you familiar with Camfil City M? Where do you rate Oransi EJ 120?

[@AirPurificationEducation]

1) A gentleman named Marcus, from Europe ( I think), posts in the comments section, and he recently alerted me to the Camfil City M and he just purchased 2 of them. It looks really good and I know Camfil is a GIANT in the industry - not just from a manufacturing standpoint but also from a testing standpoint, as well - so I expect their equipment to be very well made. That said, I don't know enough about it to comment. I would like to get my hands on one at some point in the future to "check it out" vs. the IQAir and Aeris solutions. 2) I have sold the EJ in the past and have received feedback on it, as well, and I do think it is a reputable unit: Housing - USA Filters - USA & Mexico Circuit Board - USA Motor/Fan - Germany That all sounds like a pretty nice package to me - that said, I'd have to see reputable 3rd party testing results to have an idea of where it ranks in the pecking order. Thanks!😃

[@CaitlynKeenan-nk4cr]

How do you feel about purifiers with an Ionizer vs not? Does there seem to be a huge difference in efficiency?

[@AirPurificationEducation]

Thank you for your question. I currently stay away from ionizers. I see some companies say that their particular ionizer was tested as being "safe" but I still don't currently trust them. Some of the best air purifiers in the market filtering for particles from companies such as IQAir, Aeris and even Camfil do NOT use ionizers. And I think IQAir and Camfil have created anti-ionizer content - so they are definitely against them. And Camfil is a billion dollar 55 year old filter manufacturer - maybe the largest in the world. So... I tend to believe them and IQAir on the ionizer issue. I plan on making a video on this subject in the future - thanks! 👍

[@CaitlynKeenan-nk4cr]

Thank you so much!

[@gregoryconran]

Hi, whats the best in car air purifier, that can stay in the car, dont mind size, just needs to be able to run in a car

[@AirPurificationEducation]

I think the IQAir Atem Car is the best for particles and it has some carbon to help with VOCs. And I would pick the Amaircare Roomaide as my 2nd best option at this point in time. Good Luck!

[@gregoryconran]

@@AirPurificationEducation Thanks, of course they will be impossible to find in my Country - Australia, but I will look into it, thanks for taking the time, do you have Patreon?

[@gregoryconran]

@@AirPurificationEducation Thanks so much, hard to get those here, but will try, how big is the Amaircare Roomaide, its ok if it is big? There is one I was looking at the Philips GoPure GP523BLACKX1, at least its not a cup holder type, would it be poor compared to the Amaircare?

[@AirPurificationEducation]

@@gregoryconran Here is the IQAir Australia website: www.iqair.com/au/ No Patreon but thanks!

[@AirPurificationEducation]

​@@gregoryconran The Roomaid is 8.5" x 8.5" and 7.5" tall (21.5 cm x 21.5cm and 19 cm tall). Yes, I think it is probably good if it is at least a little big. *I don't know about the performance of the Philips GoPure but in my experience - the best air purifiers come from companies that almost exclusively focus on manufacturing only air purifiers. IQAir, Airpura, Austin Air, Camfil and Amaircare - all make good to very good air purifiers and that is all they make. * Companies like Philips that make a lot of different products and "oh by the way, we also have a great air purifier, too" - tend to not make high level air purifiers. I love my Philips shaver but it is much different to make a really good filtering air purifier. *Coway makes a bunch of different products, too. And they make decent air purifiers but they don't filter as well as some of the companies that focus exclusively on air purifiers.