Air Purifier With Permanent Washable Filter: The Simplest Solution for Clean Indoor Air

The development of air purifiers and different technologies in this field brought us some pretty awesome innovations, with device that now will make your life way easier in a number of ways. Throughout the last three years, we came to test many different air purifiers.

One of the aspect we investigated more thoroughly is the lifecycle of “reusable” – or permanent –, and washable filters. The reason for this is that we realized a huge flow in the way traditional air purification technologies work.

Most air purifiers have a filter unit that needs frequent replacements, and these filters are normally made of non-recyclable and single-use materials.

Since the whole point of air purifiers is cleaning indoor air from dangerous pollutants, and their non-recyclable filters need to be incinerated – creating more pollutants, we tried to understand the technology behind the very few air filters deemed “reusable” or “washable”.

Although you are probably not too familiar with air purifiers with the washable filter and not sure how effective it is or is it worth the investment, from our expertise in the air purification industry, we were blown away by the findings on the effectiveness of these modern washable filters. So much so that we make it one of our top priorities when we first started developing KORU Air.

Are washable and permanent filters the same?

Generally speaking, both washable and permanent filters are the same type of filter and are, in theory, permanent.

Washable air filters are permanent because you don’t need to change or replace them, you only need to wash them according the manufacturer’s specifications and they should technically last pretty much forever. With the development of technology, air purifier manufacturers have now developed washable HEPA filters, however these can be extremely expensive.

Some devices, instead, use long-lasting permanent non-washable filters. These kinds of filters should be cleaned with a vacuum cleaner or dry cloth.

Air purifiers with permanent filters mostly use Ionizer as an additional stage of filtration. What is important to emphasize is that these devices are mostly CARB certified and that you can therefore be sure that they do not produce a dangerous amount of ozone.

Don’t be fooled by some brand’s claims. Typically, a pre-filter, a carbon filter, or a ceramic filter are washable, while True HEPA always needs to be replaced, and you should never wash it.

Are washable HEPA filters as effective?

As we know, technology advances every day, and washable HEPA filters can almost be as effective as not-washable HEPA filters.

Is a washable air filter worth it?

Let’s compare all the costs that customers who use standard air purifiers have with the ones that users of air purifiers with washable filters have. We can undoubtedly conclude that it is much simpler and more convenient to use and maintain air purifiers with washable filters.

With a quick online search you can easily find that the price of an air purifier with and without a permanent filter is almost identical, and that you normally have pretty identical installation costs (typically 0$). The main difference is that you save a lot of money on replacement filters in the long run with a washable filter air purifier.

The only problem you may encounter is that some of these devices do not have the best filtration effectiveness, so it takes a bit longer to purify the same amount of air.

How long do reusable air filters last?

If used according to regulations, these filters can last for years – potentially forever. There are many cases where the filters lasted up to 5 or more years. While it is crucial to clean them on time, it is even more important to maintain them properly.

The biggest problem is if you damage, puncture, or in any way break the filter, in which case it cannot be as effective as it would have, and should be replaced.

Maintenance of Washable Air Purifier Filters

The process of maintaining these filters is quite straightforward. The air purifier will, in most cases, notify you when it is time to clean the filter as almost all models on the market have a filter reset indicator or are connected through an App.

When you receive a notification from your device that it is time to clean the filter, you need to remove it. If the filter is washable, then it needs to be washed well.

In case it is an ordinary permanent filter, clean it with a dry cloth or with a vacuum cleaner.

Regardless of the filter reset indicator, it is necessary to check the filters from time to time. If the filter appears already dirty, you should clean it even though the filter reset indicator did not light up.

A conclusive note

An air purifier that uses a washable filter will save you from changing the filter 2-3 times a year. However, you should remember that buying an air purifier with a washable filter during wildfires is not a great option, mainly because these devices don’t usually have a built-in carbon filter and are not as effective at removing wildfire smoke and odors as devices with a carbon filter.

Modern advancements in air purification technology allowed us to develop KORU Air focusing on maintaining an extremely high air purification effectiveness, while limiting our impact on the planet and on customer’s pockets with a permanent and washable filter.

In either case, an air purifier for offices and home is an essential device to maintain a healthy level of indoor air pollution.