![]() ![]() When you see a mask that has a filtration level, you’ll often see something like “this can filter particles up to. Particles carried on the air, meanwhile, are larger and get trapped. Air, fortunately, is small enough to pass through so you can still breathe. A filter essentially works by acting as a mesh screen that’s so tight that large particles get stuck in it while small particles make it through. This can be moisture that has contaminants in it, or it can be dust, ash, smoke, or whatever other contaminants are in the air. So why do filters need to be replaced, anyway? Well, if you’ve ever emptied a vacuum cleaner, cleaned out a household HEPA filter, or just had to clean a window screen after using a window fan for a while, you know the reason.įilters trap particulate. It’s important to choose a filter that is high flow and breathable if you are you suffer from asthma or COPD. While you might not be required to use a mask with a filter, it will never hurt you to do so, so long as you use it properly. You want to keep moisture from your breath in circulation to avoid dehydration.Your primary purpose for wearing a mask is to comply with regulations and avoid the spread of Coronavirus.You may also want to wear a mask with a filter if: ![]() You want an additional layer of protection from environmental contaminants.You’re worried about airborne particles, such as smoke from wildfires.You’re working with hazardous materials and need to protect your lungs.So, you should make certain to use a mask with a filter if: Full face respirators offer maximum protection, but they are more commonplace for industrial and biohazard settings and are large and clunky. The masks you buy from Etsy, for example, may filter as much or more particulate with the right kind of filter in place, but because they don’t have a face seal, they can’t be certified. NIOSH/OSHA certified masks meet certain standards of filtration, but to be certified, a mask must have a full-face seal. ![]() Some filters are better at filtering out small particulate matter than others.įilters will help protect you from breathing in other things you don’t want to breathe – things like the particulate from smoke, odors from perfume or garbage, dust, and dander can be filtered by a mask with a filter in it. ![]() That’s why your mask grows moist over time, and why it feels hot and humid to breathe with a mask on.Ī filter can help, though it depends on the kind of filter. Moisture droplets are large enough that the majority of them are caught by the fabric of the mask itself, but a filter catches some micro-particles that may have otherwise escaped a cloth mask. Or, think of people who smoke or vape the cloud they breathe out is no different than the otherwise invisible cloud of moisture you breathe out daily.įor Coronavirus, a filter adds additional protection. If you think about the plume of condensed moisture that spreads from your face when you breathe in winter, you have some idea what we mean. When you cough or sneeze, when you talk, even when you breathe, moisture from your breath spreads out in a cloud around you. The purpose of a mask with regards to Coronavirus is to minimize and stop droplet spread. Masks are useful for much more than just medical protection, and filters are a must for most of those other uses. People working with patients who have diseases other than Coronavirus will also wear masks. People working with hazardous materials like asbestos will wear masks. People working in construction, where they’re exposed to dust, sawdust, concrete powder, and other environmental contaminants will wear masks. While most people now have a mask or two – or a box of disposable masks – to protect themselves from Coronavirus, there are a lot of other reasons why you might wear a mask. ![]()
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