Air Purifier Filters
The most standard air purifier filters are particle sheet units, which are made of millions of very small shards and particles of fiberglass. These shards and particles are randomly shot into the wide frame of the filter, and then in turn when sold, the filter is placed in an air purifier. The question is: how are millions of tiny pieces of fiberglass supposed to stop harmful allergens or airborne particles? The way it works could be considered luck, but it is actually far from it.
The fiberglass particles are packed very tightly into the small space of the filter and held together by wire. Because they are held so closely together they form a barrier against anything 0.2 micrometers to 0.7 micrometers, depending on the grade of the purifier filter. Some higher grade HEPA air purifier filters can protect against airborne particles that are 0.1, giving you the highest amount of protection you can get.
The highest grade of commercial and residential filter is HEPA, which is the gold standard for air filters. While their industrial or medical strength models are used in places that need absolute sterilization, their residential filters are as close as you can get to pure oxygen. They are over 99 percent effective at blocking out airborne allergens or particles. Any filters that say they are HEPA-type or 95 percent HEPA are not truly what they say they are: filters that only say they are HEPA are high quality.
Depending on your purifier, you may need electrostatic air purifier filters. These work by charging airborne particles and causing them to stick to internal metal plates. These are second only to HEPA fiberglass filters, and over time they can be a cheaper alternative. Instead of replacing electrostatic filter models, they need to be thoroughly cleaned -- then they are back to full effectiveness. If you intend to use an air purifier for years to come, investing in an electrostatic model will be cheaper in the long run, even if they are more expensive at the start.
Low quality and cheap fiberglass filters will not protect you from anywhere near the amount of possibly harmful particles that the more expensive and high quality models will. If your respiratory health is a concern to you, it is going to be a much more sound investment to put some extra money towards a filter that is more expensive than almost all of the other ones you can find on discount shelves. You shouldn't have to put your wallet before your health, and good air purifier filters are just one more measure to keep you happy, healthy, and protected from harmful airborne allergens.