HEPA Filter Vacuums at Use in Medical Facilities

• Dust mask, found at any hardware store
• Plastic gloves
• Old clothes that can be immediately thrown into the wash after cleaning (into hot soapy water to kill dust mites)
• A HEPA filter vacuum
• A dampened rag for dusting

Actions that Improve Indoor Air Quality

To improve indoor air quality, it is suggested that not only should one use an allergy vacuum frequently, they should also:

• wash bed linens weekly
• leave pets outdoors
• ban smoking in the house
• ventilate the home on low pollen count days

HEPA Vacuum Prices

The building of energy efficient homes means indoor and outdoor air is exchanged less and less. This means that an allergies vacuum with HEPA filter is necessary to keep the indoor air quality healthy. Vacuums with HEPA filters vary in price, but they can be as low as $50 for a stick vac with a HEPA filter or as high as $150 for a bagless upright vacuum. These are standard prices and you should check with your vacuum retailer based on your budget and allergy needs.

HEPA Filter Vacuums Are the Best for Allergy Sufferers

HEPA Air Purifiers Make a Difference

Studies have shown that the air inside a home can, in fact, be worse than the air outside. While well-constructed homes are meant to be air tight and energy efficient, they are also locking in a lot of bad pollution. On top of that, when those with allergies vacuum their homes without HEPA filters, they are releasing dirt, dust, pollen and other particulates back into the air around them. Studies have also shown that HEPA filters clean the air well enough to clean computer labs and in hospitals. When looking to clean up indoor air pollution at a home or office, not only can using vacuums with HEPA filters make a difference, but also having HEPA air purifiers in the room can do away with up to a third of an allergy sufferer’s symptoms.

Keeping Allergy Vacuums in the Best Condition

To keep an allergy vacuum in tiptop shape and help it retain its air filtering quality, the vacuum bag should be changed every month and HEPA filter replacement should occur every six to eight months. At about that time, the HEPA filter will have likely become clogged, losing its ability to keep airborne pollutants out of the air. While some filters on a vacuum are washable, HEPA filters on vacuums are made of a paper and fiberglass material that cannot be washed. A good way to never miss changing your vacuum bag at the right time is to change it every time you pay your bills each month. A good way to remember to never miss changing the HEPA filter is to change it every time you see a dentist, once every six months or so.

The Benefit of Allergy Vacuum Cleaners

Generally, an allergy to dust is an allergy to any one of the pollutants floating in the air, such as lint, animal dander, bacteria, dirt, ragweed, even mold. A majority of allergy sufferers are actually allergic to dust mites. Keeping allergies at a controllable level means taking an active role in one’s environment. Compared to sufferers who do not have allergy vacuum cleaners, those who use a HEPA filter vacuum not only dramatically improve the indoor air quality of their home, they actually deal with symptoms less and less and for shorter periods of time. Since the worst time of year for indoor allergies is winter because furnaces kick up old dust, a regular routine of filter changing, dusting and using a vacuum with a HEPA filter are highly recommended.