Vacuum cleaners for allergy sufferers - With or without HEPA filter?

Who nowadays buys a new vacuum cleaner, first faces a problem of information: it must in fact try to understand what the many technical terms on the package inserts or the EU energy labels actually mean. For it abounds in these EU energy label (and also in the product data sheets and manuals) only as of different classes : since there are those in which the device regarding their capabilities for cleaning hard floors or carpets are classified, and the energy efficiency is assessed in a specific class, and what interests us here. there is a dust emission class . This just mentioned 4 classes can be found at present as required entry for the producers on the EU energy label, and it is good if you as a buyer of a vacuum cleaner at least has a good idea of what is behind these classes. We want to deal with a particular class, namely the dust emission class.   Enough allergen from a vacuum cleaner with the dust emission Class A? In the answer to this question caution: here it comes namely decisive importance, not only the amount to keep the votes again to the outside air dust particles as small as possible, but also their size . Especially in the field below 0.5 microns (1 micron = 1 millionth of a meter or 1 thousandth of a millimeter) cavort speck of dust, the house dust allergies can cause problems. It is not these dust grains themselves, but the eggs and other excretions of house dust mite , which feeds on the house dust that cause problems for people with allergies. The dust mite is a microscopic insect that is found in every household and typically for the people is not a danger. Only for those with a dust mite allergy suffering, a hypersensitivity to the tiny, protein-rich droppings of the mites is given. The excretions of house dust mite can have unpleasant consequences for people with allergies. Therefore, a vacuum cleaner is recommended with a particularly powerful filter mechanism. One of the measures can protect the Dust Allergy against allergic reactions, for example, is the use of highly effective exhaust air filters in vacuum cleaners. Such filters can trap particles with a size of 0.1 to 0.3 micrometers and thus take the mites the food basis. This size range appears at first somewhat arbitrary, but it has been demonstrated that larger and even smaller particles are better deposited due to their physical properties ( HEPA (link is external)). To the effectiveness of being able to measure these filters, they were in accordance with the European standard EN 1822-1 / 2009 in various filter classes divided, like the dust emission classes: The meaning of each symbol:

• EPA - E fficiency P articulate A rrestance-filter
• HEPA - H igh E fficiency P articulate A rrestance-filter
• ULPA - U ltra L ow P enetration A ir

Unfortunately, however, Not all manufactures of this standard. Instead, the air filters are often with fanciful names (eg Air Clean filter connected), the exact degree of separation and the test we are not told, however. This is partly because the EU standardsother than the EU rules are not binding for the manufacturers. Given the rapid development of EU legislation - in particular for household appliances - is but quite the view that the dust filter classes are lifted sometime in the status of an EU regulation. For us as consumers but for now much dust our vacuum cleaner remains crucial, in the end nor can, regardless of the filter type.For allergic comes as 2nd factor then but still the quality of the exhaust filter added, which should be at least in the class of EPA filter. In the 1st stage of the EU regulation 666/2013 (link is external), there was no minimum requirement for the value of the dust emission class, but please note that this class was on the EU energy label prescribed . As of 09.01.2017 , the dust emission of a newly purchased vacuum cleaner may not exceed 1.00%, that is, it must include at least the class "F".