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What To look For In An Air Filter

The goal is not perfection but rather to make air quality better. With very few exceptions, any air filter will make the air quality in a home better. Sometimes I get asked what the “best” filter is, and that’s hard to answer because it can depend on what a person’s main priorities are but in this section I have some excellent options.

If the goal is to improve allergy symptoms and minimize dust, you want a unit with a robust HEPA filter.

This also goes for someone who is immunocompromised, as HEPA filters do a good job with viruses.

If the goal is to tackle chemical gasses (VOCs), you want a unit with carbon.

While any amount of carbon is great, more is better! Most filters average around 1lb of granular carbon, whereas more robust filters can have between 8-15 pounds per unit.

When it comes to wildfire smoke, you need both types of filtration.

HEPA filter is needed to capture particulate. HEPA traps particles down to 0.3 microns. Some filters can capture even smaller particles, which is great.
Activated Carbon is needed to capture the VOCs produced by wildfires, which can be very harmful. Any carbon is better than no carbon, but ideally a unit has 10+ pounds of carbon. Austin Air, Air Pura, and IQAir are all brands that make models with HEPA & 10+ pounds of carbon.

Some units have more features than others; sensors that kick the filter to a higher setting if it identifies increased particulates, timers, ionizers, etc. Most of these are nice-to-have’s not need-to-have’s.

Air Purifiers

AirDoctor filters have excellent HEPA filters (down to .003 microns – excellent for allergies, dust, or viruses), and they are one of the better filters available at lower price points. They also contain a carbon filter to tackle VOCs. Their filters come with sensors, timers, a dim setting for sleep, and a notification when it’s time to change filters – all of which I appreciate. These units do have an ionizer option – just don’t use it. My Lower Tox Living Community can save up to $300 off of website prices using this link:

Get up to $300 off AirDoctor Purifiers

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Popular with the mold community, Intellipure filters use a proprietary technology to electronically attract dander, germs, molds, and microscopic particles too tiny for other filters to capture. This static-cling technology acts like a magnet combining together individual particles so they’re too big to get through the filters. Intellipure filters effectively attract microscopic particles, trap them and keep them out of your breathing space. Use this link plus the code LTL10 for 10% off of your first Intellipure purchase.

USE CODE LTL10 FOR 10% OFF YOUR FIRST PURCHASE

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IQAir air purifiers feature HyperHEPA filtration, proven to capture ultrafine particles as small as 0.003 microns—100x smaller than standard HEPA filters. Excellent HEPA and a respectable amount of carbon in most units, these are high powered, Medical grade filters.

Contact me for a code to save 5% off of your purchase.

Pro Tip – Remember to compare filter replacement frequency and cost when assessing what fits into your overall budget. Some units cost more upfront but have less frequent filter changes. Others are less upfront but you’ll spend more in filter replacement costs over time.