HEPA filters are key for keeping places free of allergens and clean, but not all HEPA filters are alike. Whether you’re using one at home or in a medical place, knowing the differences between the different HEPA filter grades can help you choose the right one for you.
HEPA filters have a range of grades from H10 to H14. From H10 to H12 is good for most homes, removing over 99.5% of particles. H13 to H14 is hospital grade and can get out more than 99.95% of contaminants. Usually, you find these filters in healthcare/industrial places.
So, why should you care about these grades?
What Class is a HEPA Filter?
HEPA stands for High-Efficiency Particulate Air, and it’s a standard for cleaning the air made by a bunch of different groups. They say you can figure out how good a HEPA filter is at capturing particles by giving it a grade. European Standard EN 1822 and ISO say you can rate filters anywhere between H10 and H14. H10 is the least, and H14 is the greatest. H10 catches 85% of airborne particles, while H14 catches more than 99.995%.
Overview of HEPA Filter Classes
H10 Filters: These catch at least 85% of all the particles that are 0.3 um in diameter. They’re good for air purifiers in houses if you just want the air to be not so bad.
H11 Filters: These catch even more particles – about 95%. You might want to use them in places like a city with really bad air if you want it to be better.
H12 Filters: They catch 99.5% of particles. You might want one in a fancy house, or in a place that needs the air to be pretty clean.
H13 Filters: These catch at least 99.95% of particles in the air. People say they are “medical grade,” and you find them in hospitals and labs where you need the air to be clean.
H14 Filters: These catch 99.995% of particles. You will want these if you’re making medicine and need everything to be super clean, or if you’re in a place where you can’t have tiny gross things in your air.
Why It Matters
It’s important to know what grade a HEPA filter is so you can get one that is right for the air quality where you are.
For instance, if you live in a city with super gross air, you might want to get an H12 filter instead of an H10 filter so you can get more of the little gross things out of your air.
Also, if you do stuff with HVAC or conduct tests on the air quality inside of places, knowing what grade the HEPA filter is can help keep you in line with all the rules and laws, and keep everything working how it is supposed to.
Which is better H12 or H13 HEPA filter?
You might not believe it, but in some places, H12 filters can work better than H13 filters. That’s because the whole system matters. How much air goes through the filter and how big the filter is makes a big difference in how well the air gets cleaned.
How they perform
H12 filters are good filters. They’re used in air purifiers and vacuum cleaners in houses. They’re good for making the air better in your house and getting rid of stuff like pet hair, pollen, and other things that make you worried.
H13 Filters: These are the ones you want for places where you need really clean air, like hospitals, labs, and anywhere else that’s super serious about air quality. They’re the ones you need to stop the spread of diseases and keep out the really tiny particles that can mess up delicate stuff.
How they used in real world
Here’s something cool: in some places, tests have shown that H12 filters can actually do a better job of cleaning the air than H13 filters. Even though H12 filters don’t catch as many particles as H13 filters, they let more air flow through, so you end up getting more clean air overall.
Is HEPA 13 medical grade?
Yes. H13 filters are called medical-grade filters. They’re used in places like hospitals where they have to keep the air super clean.
Key features
The thing that makes HEPA 13 special is that it can catch really tiny particles like 0.3um. That’s a big deal in medical places because you don’t want any germs or anything else really small floating around in the air.
HEPA 13 filters are the ones you need in medical places because they meet all the rules and make sure the air is clean for everybody, including the patients, the doctors, and nurses.
What is HEPA 12 vs HEPA 11?
Here’s what the numbers mean. HEPA 11 filters get rid of 95% of particles that are 0.5 microns or bigger. HEPA 12 filters get rid of 99.5% of those same particles. That’s a big difference. In places like pharmacy factories where the air has to be super clean, the difference between those two filters is a big deal.
Real Applications
HEPA 11 Filters: These are the ones you use in regular air purifiers and vacuum cleaners. You don’t need to get rid of every single little thing in the air, so these filters work just fine for cleaning the air in your house.
HEPA 12 Filters: You want these filters if you have a fancy air purifier or if you need to keep the air really clean in a business. They’re especially good if you have allergens in your room.
What is the Highest Grade HEPA Filter for Air Purifier?
When you’re choosing an air purifier, the best filters you can get are H13 and H14 filters. They’re really good at removing tiny stuff that floats around in the air. They’re used in homes, hospitals, and anywhere else where you have to clean the air and get rid of germs and other tiny stuff.
Use guide
You want an air purifier with an H13 HEPA filter in your house if you have pets, smoke, or live in a place where the air outside is really bad. It’ll let you get better air.
In places like hospitals, labs, and anywhere else that has to be super clean, you need H13 and H14 filters to stop diseases from spreading and keep everything sterile.
Last Summary
Picking the right HEPA filter grade isn’t just a matter of what you like; it’s about what you need for your situation. Whether you’re trying to purify the air in your home or you need medical-grade filters, knowing these classifications will help you get the best air quality.
