What is a HEPA filter?

While awareness of HEPA filtration continues to rise in a post-pandemic world, what it is and how it functions still causes confusion for many. HEPA filters for the home benefit the health of inhabitants in a multitude of ways, ranging across different household types and needs.

Sotiris Vardoulakis – Professor of Global Environmental Health at The Australian National University (ANU) National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, and a leading expert in air quality and pollution, underpins how HEPA can support health during flu season. “It is important to breathe clean air this winter season. HEPA filters can capture 99.95% of particles including bacteria and potentially some viruses. Evidence shows that appropriately used HEPA filters can improve air quality within a building”.

Dyson’s HEPA H13 filter technology exists in both our vacuum cleaners and air purifiers. To understand how HEPA filter’s can improve the air quality of your home, it’s helpful to understand how it works and what it captures. Ahead, Lead Engineer Ben Lowson helps to break down how this high standard filtration works alongside how a HEPA filter benefits health.

25 March 2022

What does HEPA stand for?

Meaning ‘High Efficiency Particulate Air’, HEPA is a standard of filter efficiency. When a filter’s performance is defined as HEPA, it means that it can capture up to 99.97% of particles down to 0.3 microns (about one-millionth of a metre). There are some discrepancies in measurement – ISO, a separate organisation defines HEPA filtration as being able to remove 99.95% of MPPS particles (the most difficult to capture). Dyson’s HEPA H13 air purifiers¹ and Dyson V15 Detect™ Absolute Extra² vacuum passes both of these tests.

As Lead Engineer Ben Lowson explains, particle pollutants range from “dust mites and allergens to pollen and bacteria. Particulate matter is a term used for a mixture of solid particles and liquid droplets found in the air”. Whilst particulates like dust can be seen with the naked eye, many of the harmful pollutants are too tiny for detection, which makes removing them from the home particularly challenging. A HEPA filter air purifier is able to capture and destroy it.

What are HEPA filter grades?

The best HEPA filter grades are awarded to filters that have a higher particle capture efficiency. To do the most in a home environment, a HEPA filter air purifier needs to balance how well it can filter particles with how quickly it works.

Filters with higher grades can impact the purifier’s ability to project airflow by increasing the resistance of air passing through the machine. To avoid this, Dyson’s air purifiers have achieved H13 grade according to the ISO standard – which provides an ideal balance between removing harmful particles whilst maintaining powerful air projection across the entire room³

Whole-machine filtration at Dyson

Unless engineered correctly, even HEPA standard filtration can fail to completely capture harmful pollutants. As Lowson shares, “while a filter might achieve HEPA certification in a filter-specific test, without being properly sealed into the machine, dirty air may bypass the filter and be expelled back into the room”. To solve this, the entire machine in Dyson’s range of air purifiers meets HEPA H13 standards¹, whilst the design helps to block potential leaks. To do more than conventional purifiers can, other forms of filtration also employed in our technology are below.

Activated carbon filter

Shop Dyson’s HEPA H13 air purifiers

Winter tips for the cooler months ahead

Alongside HEPA filtration, other lifestyle habits can help protect you and your family during cooler seasons. Pair these tips with HEPA filter benefits for improved air quality for a cleaner, healthier home.

1. Boost your immune system. Up your vitamin intake in winter, especially Vitamin C and eat a balanced diet providing your body with key nutrients to boost your immunity and help warn-off, or fight infection.
2. Maintain your distance. Since the start of the pandemic, there has been a strong focus on social distancing. Continue to avoid mixing with crowds of people where possible, as well as anyone who you know is unwell such as friends or family members. In the same vein, ensure you isolate yourself from others if you come down with cold or flu-like symptoms to avoid spreading germs.
3. Breathe clean air. We are all aware of the need for social distancing, cough and sneeze etiquette and the use of facemasks, but it’s also important to ensure good ventilation of indoor spaces. When appropriately used, HEPA filters for home with sealed HEPA 13 standard filtration can significantly improve indoor air quality. In Dyson’s latest HEPA filter air purifier, it’s not just the filter that meets HEPA H13 standard, but the whole machine. They capture 99.95% of particles as small as 0.1 microns⁵ including bacteria, mould spores, allergens and pollen. Using Dyson Air Multiplier^TM technology, the machines can project purified air to every corner of the room and keep stagnant air that can cause mould, circulated.⁶
4. Stay warm and dry. Rug up, stay hydrated and try swapping cold water for warm herbal tea.

Keep reading to discover Dyson tips on how to maintain a healthy home.