There are all kinds of particles floating around in our air that should not be entering our homes. Particles such as viruses, bacteria, dust, dander and pollen, as well as airborne chemicals like formaldehyde and benzene can all be harmful to our health. These contaminants are drawn into the filter and are caught in the electrically charged media pads. The glass fibre pads act as a magnet, capturing even the smallest of particles.

According to the NAFA (National Air Filtration Association), 95 to 98% of indoor air is made up of particles smaller than one micron - including most of the worst toxins, bacteria, viruses and lung-damaging dust.

If we took 0.1 cubic feet of air, here’s approximately how many particles would be found at the following micron sizes:

27,000 particles at the 0.3 - 0.5 micron level
4,500 particles at the 0.5-1.0 micron level
500 particles at the 1.5 micron level
20 particles at the 5-10 micron level
A few at the 10-25 micron level

In order for this to sink in, let’s put it into context. We know that 95 - 98% of indoor air is made up of particles smaller than one micron. How big is a micron, anyway? Put it this way. The size of a human strand of hair is 70 microns. So, unless you’re Superman, you can’t physically see any of the evil floating around in the air.

Many air filter companies say they are “95% efficient at 1 micron” - which really means they are collecting less than 2% of the harmful airborne particulates. That’s not helping you! Knowing the details of what you want to eliminate will help you ensure that your home is as healthy as possible.