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Basics on the Best Air Purifier Filters for Mold

The 2nd chart below says it all. Below that look for details of your concern.

If you just want to read my recommendations, read my review of the best air purifiers on the market today which filter mold, paint smells, cause for allergies, etc.

 

The chart above is the best on the internet and comes from an excellent British company called EMCEL.


Hepa air purifier Chart

Based on my review of home air purifiers, I purchased a moderately priced, excellent IQAir Health Pro model. Love it.

Read it on the US Government website: they work, but you cannot just forget about wearing a mask and other, “best practices” (masks, etc).

To be labeled as “True HEPA”, it must be certified, but there are no agencies out checking company claims. My advice is to stick with the big-name makers.

Coronavirus
  • The Coronavirus is about 0.125 microns (125 nanometers) wide.
  • Normal HEPA (H8-H12) filters capture 0.01 microns and larger.
  • H13 or H12 is overkill, but is what I recommend for safety

The budget choice for this is the Mila Air Purifier. Select the unit with H13 or H12 filters. Some filters have carbon to remove odor as well as particulates. Read about the Mila filters here.

Odors

To remove odors and VOC’s you need to go beyond the HEPA filter. But HEPA does grab large particles that have bonded to odors so yes, it does help. The best budget machine is the Mila Air Purifier with the Overreactor filter.

If you want an air purifier to designed to remove paint smells and VOC’s, read this post.

Coronavirus

The coronavirus is about 0.125 microns in diameter. HEPA air purifiers filter even smaller particles, down to 0.01 microns.  The best budget machine is the Mila Air Purifier with the Big Sneeze filter.

Allergens

Here you need “True HEPA” or H13. The best budget machine is the Mila Air Purifier with the Big Sneeze filter.

Wildfire Smoke, Dust, Pet goo

For these, all you need is H12, which is one step below “True Hepa” or H13. The budget choice is the Mila Air Purifier with the Basic Breather filter option.

Formaldehyde, Odors

Here you need the best: H14. Best budget model is the Mila Air Purifier with the Mama-to-Be filter.

Wildfire Smoke

All HEPA air purifiers are highly efficient at removing smoke particles from the air. H12 or H13 are best. Get the Mila Air Purifier with the Mama-to-Be filter.


We were hit with some wildfire smoke and so we just bring the machine to the room where we will sit out the smoke event, and run the air purifier on high for an hour, then lower it. The air smells clean and pure. Nice.

Why you must have HEPA

HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) filters let air pass through easily and capture almost all the particles of a certain size (that low-cost air purifiers miss).

The best air purifiers on the market are what is called “true HEPA.” This means they filter 99.97% of particles that are 0.3 micron in size in the first time the air passes through the filter.

Say goodbye to:

  • dust and pollen
  • mold, mildew, and fungal spores
  • pet dander and dust mite poop (what makes you react)
  • wildfire smoke, soot
  • engine exhaust and tobacco, and other smoke
  • most bacteria and viruses

Read the government’s info on the Covid virus.

 

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