Since we sell both the Allergy Machine and the HealthMate (both by Austin Air), we’ve had the question raised as to what the difference is. The difference is in the filters. The HealthMate has a True Medical HEPA filter surrounded by a carbon/zeolite mixture which adsorbs odors and gases. This standard filter weighs approximately 21 lbs. The Allergy Machine has a HEGA filter which weighs approximately 8 lbs.
HEPA stands for High Efficiency Particulate Arresting and was developed by the US Atomic Energy Commission. HEPA filters must remove a minimum of 99.97% of particles down to .03 microns. A human hair is about 300 times too large to penetrate a HEPA filter. HEGA, though, is unique to Austin Air and stands for High Efficiency Gas Absorption. A HEGA air cleaner combines a HEPA filtration system with an added military carbon cloth filter medium.
Both products are effective for those people with allergies and asthma. The AllergyMachine can be more effective for people who smoke or are in contact with more odor sources. It is also much lighter in weight. The HealthMate products have been working well for the last ten years and are more effective for those people with chemical sensitivities.
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