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What Does an Air Cleaner Pre Filter Do?

Summary:

The air cleaner pre filter traps large particles entering the purifier protecting the purifier and extending the life of HEPA filters and other internal components.

More Detail:

A pre filter is made to keep large particles and debris from entering the air purifier. This could include hair, dust, pet fur, and other larger particles. Without a pre filter these larger particles would clog HEPA or other filters faster and causes them to be less effective. In other models that do not utilize filters, the pre filter keeps the inside of the machine cleaner and functioning better. Some air purifiers are designed to be easy to clean or require less cleaning, but the addition of a prefilter still can help minimize this cleaning.

Some pre filters are reusable and can be vacuumed or rinsed and then put back to work. The majority however are replacement filters and need to be checked and replaced as frequently as necessary. Each purifier is different and some replaceable filters life can be extended with a quick vacuuming.

"BIG" particles are a fact of life and a pre filter makes sense in almost 100% of applications.

In-Depth Reference(s)

no additional reference material - basic technology

Buying Considerations:

If a purifier has no prefilter, make sure to check out how this model operates. If it is a unit with a HEPA filter, the life of the HEPA filter will no doubt be shortened. This means more cost to you (HEPA filters tend to be more expensive than pre filters). If it is a filterless type of technology, you may need to clean the purifier more often or expect a shortened life span of the internal components without a pre filter.

If your air purifier has a washable or cleanable pre-filter, realize that this may be a generous cost savings.

If your air purifier has replaceable pre filters, know the life expectancy and the cost to replace them.

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