If you run an animal shelter, you know that the clean look and smell are two great indicators for seeing prospective clients how well the shelter is being run. An air purifier is the best way to help your shelter look clean and smell fresh all day, every day. Here are 5 best features to choose in your shelter air purifier that will make it more effective.

Multiple Filters—Many cleaners on the market today do not have filters. Avoid these types at all costs. A purifier without a filter is of little use and will most likely require frequent cleaning. And once you realize it has very little effect, you’ll have to spend more money to replace it.

The most effective cleaners have a variety of filters because the types of contaminants that plague a shelter are varied and include particles, odors, bacteria, and viruses. By choosing a cleaner that can multi-task removing all types of contaminants, one cleaner can handle all solid and gaseous contaminants.

charcoal filter—-Odor in a shelter can cause a big problem. This is why carbon filtration is a must. This type of filtration is known for its ability to remove odors and odors. And because urine odor is one of the crucial odors a cleaner must be able to remove, an ammonia-based additive has been shown to be the most effective at removing pet urine odor.

prefilters—These blanket filters are what separate a high maintenance cleaner from a low maintenance one. Sized for large and medium particles, they pick up particles that can be seen as hair and dust.

This spares the other filters the contaminants they are better at removing. Vacuuming the outside of the vacuum can clean the pre-filters and extend the life of smaller filters that should be present in the unit. Without these filters, expect to replace the filters every two months. With them, filters can last up to 5 years.

HEPA filter—High-efficiency particulate arresting filtration (abbreviated as HEPA) is the type used by hospitals to ensure clean air. To achieve this designation, it must be able to remove particles as small as 3 microns with 99.97% efficiency. A micron is defined as one millionth of a meter and is much smaller than the period at the end of this sentence.

This type of filtration is necessary to remove invisible dander that can remain airborne for long periods of time. And since dander also contains a protein that triggers allergies and asthma, being able to reliably remove this irritant means animals, staff and clients will stay healthier and much more comfortable living, working and visiting the shelter. .

Split capacitor motor—Because the animals in your shelter depend on you to care for them 24 hours a day, an air filter should be part of that solution by also being able to operate 24 hours a day. Verify that the unit you are considering has a split capacitor motor that will allow it to run safely and effectively at all times.