HEPA (high-efficiency particulate absorbing) FILTER

It’s never been more important to pay attention to Indoor Air Quality (IAQ). According to current statistics, Canadian residents now spend about 90% of their time indoors, thereby maximizing their possible exposure to indoor air pollutants. As houses are made to be more airtight to improve energy efficiency, concentrations of indoor air pollutants can rise, prompting home-dwellers to experience adverse physical reactions to unseen pollutants in the air. Some of these pollutants can cause allergic reactions and respiratory ailments; others can be lethal.

Although most laypeople may not know it, the primary purpose of a standard HVAC system’s air filter is to protect the device’s blower motor. This filter is designed to capture the large dust particles that so often collect on fan blades and bearings. The filter will not capture small dust particles, mold spores, allergens, airborne bacteria, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and unpleasant odors -- and as a result, your HVAC system ends up blowing indoor air pollutants around the house.

Here’s What a HEPA System Can Filter For You

• Germs and Bacteria -- If they aren’t filtered, they may begin to circulate and make you sick. 
• Chemical Odors and Vapors -- Unpleasant smells can have unpleasant effects. An air filtration system mitigates household odors and chemical vapors from sources such as pets, cleaning products and cooking appliances.
• Airborne Particles -- You can’t see them -- but you certainly don’t want to breathe them. HEPA systems filter out more than 95% particles down to .3 micron. These include Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), or chemicals that have a high vapor pressure at ordinary room temperature. Common VOCs that may be present in your home include but are not limited to, benzene, ethylene glycol, formaldehyde, methylene chloride, tetrachloroethylene, toluene, xylene, and 1,3-butadiene.