Filtration is the key process to make your home filled with fresh air. The quality of an air purifier largely rests on the capacity of its filter. As you are choosy about your outfit, ornaments and makeup; also carry out this choosy instinct for selecting the air filter. It matters your health, hygiene and safety.

The HEPA hype

High Efficiency Particulate Arrestant or HEPA is among the popular names in air filters. Most manufacturers of air purifiers state that they are providing the HEPA air filters in their purification system. But how do you get assured that HEPA is really efficient?

- History stands in support to prove the efficiency of HEPA filters.

- Originally this type of filters was brought into use when the Second World War was on.

- It had been then detected that HEPA filters can resist the incoming of the radioactive particles in the air.

- Though that was war and now it's your home, the level of efficiency remains same.

- HEPA filter doesn't even allow 0.3 micron particles enter into the air.

Count on efficiency: MERV

The Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value (MERV) is vital when you select the air filter both for the first time and during replacements. MERV is a scaling to measure the rate of filtration. How does it work?

- The MERV scale is divided into sixteen parts.

- When a filter shows the rating between 1 and 5, you can consider it to be inefficient for minute particles.

- If the scale reaches up to 10, the efficiency can be trusted. Even the smaller particles will get entrapped by the air filter.

- When the scale reaches 16 fractions in microns will also be absorbed. There is no way for the minutest particle of the minutest to escape.

The CADR factor

Without getting a clean chit from the Clean Air Delivery Rate you can't be completely assured about the air filter's efficiency. What is the process of calculation?

- CADR number stands for three things. Especially the control of three types of air pollutants are recorded in CADR terms.

- Dust, smoke of cigarettes and household gas and pollen are the three common contaminants found in air inside the house. The CADR actually relates the capacity of the filter in resisting these contaminants.

- The rate is calculated in number. If the number is more, you will always know that the air filtration's rate is greater.

- The efficiency rate is finally determined by the area of the space where the air filter is being installed. The rate is perfect if it is two-third of the area of the space. A 90 square feet room requires the rating of 60 to filter its air in the most efficient way.