Revitalize Your Facility’s IAQ: Unleash the Power of HEPA Air Purifiers

It's no secret that our air is a fundamental building block of our overall health. This is particularly true in a hospital or medical setting where there are a higher number of at-risk patient groups or those with lower immune systems for one reason or another. No matter who we are or how healthy we may be, air quality (or lack thereof) significantly impacts the safety and well-being of your medical facility and everyone inside. Harmful particles that become airborne can cause irritation, infection, and the spread of disease. Regulations require that IAQ meet certain levels to ensure safety, but are you confident your facility is equipped to meet them continually? 

There are strict regulations around healthcare centers’ indoor air quality (IAQ) for a good reason. Still, we often see medical facilities struggling to find practical ways to meet and exceed those standards for IAQ. Thankfully, High-efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filters were built with these rigorous tests and standards. This type of filter uses various filtration methods and research-backed technology to keep your healthcare facility clean and safe from harmful airborne particles. In this blog, we will explore how HEPA filters work and how they can support a healthy and compliant medical environment for your patients and staff. 

The Power of Filtration in Healthcare Facilities

Clean air is a non-negotiable in healthcare environments of any kind. But how can you ensure your filter of choice does its job? Filtration, the physical removal of particulates from the air, is the first step in achieving an acceptable level of indoor air quality. Understanding how this process works begins with the specific type or types of filtration that you choose to clean the air around your facility. 

While there are several different filtration methods, various types of equipment will use different methods. When you fully understand each type of filtration, you can make a more informed decision and confidently select the right filters for your healthcare center’s needs. 

The 5 Methods of Filtration

There are 5 main filtration methods: straining, impingement, interception, diffusion, and electrostatic filtration:

Straining:

Straining is one of the most basic methods of filtration. Its principle is relatively simple: if particles in the air are bulkier than the gaps between filter fibers, they'll be caught while the smaller ones pass through. However, because it relies on a straightforward principle, its filtering efficiency is on the lower end of the spectrum. Still, it's effective for removing larger contaminants from the air.

Impingement:

Think of impingement as a sticky trap. Here, particles in the air directly collide with filter fibers. Many of these fibers feature adhesive coatings, ensuring that once particles make contact, they remain “stuck.” This stickiness gives impingement a leg up, but its filtering efficiency is lower.

Interception:

Interception is a bit like a maze for airborne particles. As they venture into the filter, particles are tangled in the filter’s fibers. They simply can’t move past without being caught. This method's efficiency is moderate, making it a reliable mid-range filtration option.

Diffusion:

Diffusion is the best filtration solution for those tiny and erratically-moving particles in the air. Their unpredictable movement causes them to frequently collide with filter fibers. Once they make contact with the filter, they're attached for good. Thanks to its unique ability to capture even some of the smallest particles, diffusion boasts a high filtering efficiency.

Electrostatic:

Electrostatic filtration sounds futuristic, and in many ways, it is! This method leverages the power of charged particles. Any particle carrying a negative electrostatic charge will find itself irresistibly drawn to the positively charged filter fibers, making their removal from the air a cinch. Given this unique and effective approach, it's no surprise that electrostatic filtration offers high efficiency. 

Using Air Filtration Effectively

You can never be too careful in an environment where every harmful airborne particle poses a potential threat. This is why the second filter bank within an air filtration system typically includes a high-efficiency filter for special care areas of a hospital or medical center — to offer increased safety and peace of mind for vulnerable patient areas such as operating rooms or pediatric care. This type of filtration can also be ideal for hospital areas that provide central services and have significant foot traffic, including various patient risk groups. 

In less populous areas or when there is less concern about immunocompromised patient groups or a specific contaminant, nursing facilities typically use 90% dust spot efficient filters as the second bank of filters. However, when you’re looking for industry-leading air filtration for sensitive areas, a certified HEPA filter will be your best option to keep your medical facility safe. 

The HEPA Difference

When it comes to keeping sensitive patient groups safe, it's no wonder why HEPA air purifiers are the gold standard for a healthy IAQ. HEPA filters are rigorously tested for their ability to maintain 99.97% efficiency in removing particles that are .3 microns or larger in size. To better understand the sizes we’re talking about, Aspergillus spores (a common mold) are anywhere from 2.5 – 3.0 microns in diameter. That means that a whopping 99.97% of those airborne mold spores that cause irritation or infection are filtered out consistently by a certified HEPA filtration system. Their high level of filtration makes HEPA filters an ideal choice for sensitive areas such as protective environment (PE) rooms or orthopedic implant operating rooms. Unlike “HEPA-like” or “HEPA-style” filters, true HEPA filtration provides reliable air purification that you and your healthcare facility can rely on.  

Maintaining Your HEPA Filtration System 

Although HEPA filters come with higher maintenance costs than other filter types, using disposable prefilters can enhance a HEPA filter's lifespan by approximately 25%. Another solution is progressive filtration to extend the time between replacing your HEPA filters. Progressive filtration, the process of placing a 90% efficient filter before a HEPA filter, can lengthen the standard life of a typical HEPA filter up to nine times. That said, progressive filtration can also cause these filters to absorb chemicals in the environment and later desorb those chemicals, which can result in needing to change the filters more regularly. 

To monitor how well your HEPA filters are performing, you’ll monitor efficiency with the Dioctyl phthalate (DOP) particle test using particles that are 0.3 microns in diameter. This test allows you to measure how effectively the HEPA filter captures airborne particles and can alert your team when it may be time to replace the filter. 

HEPA Filtration on Demand

Depending on what you’re looking for, HEPA filtration can be implemented in your medical facility in one of two ways. HEPA filters can be fixed into your existing HVAC system or bought in with a mobile HEPA filtration system on a portable cart. These mobile industrial-grade HEPA units can filter air at 300–800 feet per minute, allowing for quick and efficient filtration right where you need it.

Portable HEPA units are excellent for:

• Temporarily recirculating air in rooms with no general ventilation.
• Augmenting systems that cannot provide adequate airflow on their own. 
• Delivering superior airflow on demand wherever it is needed. 

No matter where you need additional airflow and filtration, a mobile HEPA filtration system, like our own suite of HEPACART® filtration and air purification products, offers unparalleled indoor air quality and ease of use around your healthcare facility. 

Finding Your Perfect HEPA Filtration Unit 

HEPA air purifiers can do everything from general air quality maintenance to limiting construction project dust and debris. Depending on your medical center’s specific situation, there is a perfect HEPACART mobile filtration unit that will best suit your facility’s needs. 

If you want to limit the impact of ongoing construction or maintenance work on your healthcare facility, your best bet will be either the HEPACART® Classic or the HEPACART® AutoLift. While both of these products come in a range of sizes and boast HEPA certification and a high level of air filtration capability, the major difference between the two will be whether or not the convenience of AutoLift’s push-button setup is something that you’re looking for. 

For more general room filtration and a boost to your facility’s overall air quality, you may find that the HEPAFORCE® GermBuster is a better fit. These units provide powerful continuous disinfection equipped with UV-FORCE® for a powerful clean anywhere with a risk of infection.  

Whichever option you choose, you can rest assured that the HEPACART lines of mobile HEPA filtration or purification units are equipped to keep your facility safe and healthy for all. 

Harness HEPA Filtration For Your Healthcare Facility

Indoor air quality isn't just about compliance — it's about upholding patients' and staff's health and safety. HEPA filtration offers a solution to this challenge, ensuring a clean, healthy environment no matter the circumstances.

Are you ready to make strides toward a cleaner and safer healthcare environment? Get started today by downloading our full guide to HEPA filtration, and see the difference that excellent IAQ can make.