Need advice on indoor HEPA filter for smoke

[worthogg]

Wildfires in my immediate area have us smoked in and it doesn't look like it's letting up any time soon. I was wondering if anyone out there has a recommendation for an indoor HEPA filter to improve our air quality and mitigate some of the effects of the smoke. I don't have any experience with these and don't really know where to begin when I start looking. I've gotta do something as getting out of town isn't an option. Life in fire country sure is fun.

 

[grathan]

Hey good luck. How you gonna get a filter if you can't get out of town?

I got a good one I can check for a model number if your interested. I think it was around $400 and the filters are about $200 and last for about 3 years. I push it out into the kitchen when I burn something and it clears it right up.

 

[worthogg]

Hey good luck. How you gonna get a filter if you can't get out of town?


I just meant that I can't leave for days or weeks at a time to escape the smoke because of work, etc. I will probably order online because the selection at stores anywhere near me is going to be crappy. Amazon.com is my friend...



Wow, didn't know they were that expensive. But I have a seven year old so money is not really the issue. Want to keep the family healthy as possible. How big is the one you have?

 

[grathan]

I was wrong on the prices unless they've gone up a little. The warrany on the filter is 5 years also not 3.

I have the Austin Air Healthmate.

STAGE 1: Pre-Filter (Large Particles)
Removal of large particles such as hair, dust, pet dander
STAGE 2: Pre-Filter (Medium Particles)
Removal of medium-sized particles such as pollen, spores, mold
STAGE 3: Activated Carbon (6.5 pounds - Zeolite Blend)
Removal of gases, odors, and chemicals
STAGE 4: HEPA Filter (Medical Grade 30 Square Feet)
Removal of micro-organisms such as viruses and bacteria


This a great all around filter though I mainly use it in the room I sleep in to remove dust. It moves a lot of air. moving the air is gonna be key to removing smoke from large rooms. You might get away with a smaller unit that runs all day with fans placed around the room. Do you currently have central heating or air? Then it would just be a matter of a finer filter. I think charcoal is the key to removing smoke though. Also eliminating its paths into the home.

And air purifying respirator might be useful as well. That filters air and blows it around your nose.

 

[worthogg]

Thanks for the replies grathan. I saw Austin listed as a good brand while looking around. My wife is really sensitive to allergens so it's probably good to get one of these anyway. And if it scores me points, so much the better. Thanks again

 

[Cyclman]

In GA, we put a HEPA filter on our HVAC, it was awesome. Cost $1k, new $50 filter 2x a year, but our air quality was much better (allergies) and we had way less dust in the house.

 

[worthogg]

In GA, we put a HEPA filter on our HVAC, it was awesome. Cost $1k, new $50 filter 2x a year, but our air quality was much better (allergies) and we had way less dust in the house.

We don't have any kind of central air. That is a great idea though. Less dusting is always welcome when you burn a woodtove for heat too. Our place is pretty airtight, so I think an interior filter would do a good job. Thanks for that suggestion.

 

[boscobeans]

I was wrong on the prices unless they've gone up a little. The warrany on the filter is 5 years also not 3.

I have the Austin Air Healthmate.

STAGE 1: Pre-Filter (Large Particles)
Removal of large particles such as hair, dust, pet dander
STAGE 2: Pre-Filter (Medium Particles)
Removal of medium-sized particles such as pollen, spores, mold
STAGE 3: Activated Carbon (6.5 pounds - Zeolite Blend)
Removal of gases, odors, and chemicals
STAGE 4: HEPA Filter (Medical Grade 30 Square Feet)
Removal of micro-organisms such as viruses and bacteria


This a great all around filter though I mainly use it in the room I sleep in to remove dust. It moves a lot of air. moving the air is gonna be key to removing smoke from large rooms. You might get away with a smaller unit that runs all day with fans placed around the room. Do you currently have central heating or air? Then it would just be a matter of a finer filter. I think charcoal is the key to removing smoke though. Also eliminating its paths into the home.

And air purifying respirator might be useful as well. That filters air and blows it around your nose.

This is a really great system for a large room. It is rated right up there with many military NBC filters used in gas masks and filters used in military installations and vehicles.

The whole house filters for the most part will not filter out all the smoke and odors probably because they for the most part do not have the activated charcoal layer in the system along with the medically rated HEPA layer that is used to filter out micro-organisms as small as most viruses.



OMO

bosco