Customer Reviews

IQAir Replacement HEPA Filter for HealthPro Line

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I have used the IQ Air brand filters in my Health Pro Plus for years now, but with all the recent issues with the bad smell and out gassing coming from some of the IQ Air HEPA filter I am giving this product only 3 stars. Being unsatisfied with the product, I started looking for an alternative filter manufacturer.
I found a filter manufacturer in New York (USA) that builds filters for the aerospace and medical industry. They now carry a full line of replacement filters for Health Pro and Health Pro Plus. The filters are housed in an aluminum housing (not Styrofoam like the IQ Air ones), they are exceedingly well built and meet the same HEPA specifications as the IQ Air brand filters. The added bonus is that since they are built here in the USA they cost less. I highly recommend "HEPA Air Direct" filters as a high quality and cost effective alternative to the IQ Air filters.

I have had an older HealthPro Plus and just changed the HEPA filter. It smells bad. The same holds true on a new unit that I just put into service. I have read comments from others and understand that it is the newer HEPA filter that is causing the problem. I would not recommend any of the HealthPro models for purchase at this time, unless the issue of the smell has been taken care of by IQAir. Up until now, my older unit worked great, my wife was quite happy with it. Now, she hates it. I now have over $2,000 worth of air cleaners and spare filters, that I must consider replacing with something else from a different manufacturer.

As with the other reviews I am sad to say the chemical smell issue is still happening with IQ Air HEPA filters. I am trying to work with IQ Air support but the fact they have not addressed this by now is an insult.

Update: IQAir quickly replaced the defective filter. Smell is close to original filter and much better than the defective. Not sure how so many defective filters got passed quality control...

I bought this filter to replace an old one in two of my $1,100 units (IQ Healthpro Plus). They have changed the filter now from Blue to White and it is emitting a TERRIBLE chemical, plastic, glue - type of smell (like somebody just painted the room)! I bought these EXPENSIVE Air purifiers because they SAID it was the best on the market, but I CANNOT even USE them because the HEPA replacement filters give off such a GAS that it suffocates me; makes me very sick! I've made SEVERAL phone calls to IQ air and they replaced the filter 3 times, but each time it was the same. Even one of those times they said they sent a "PRE-Aired out" filter for me. Still the same problem. One girl at IQ Air told me they changed the ADHESIVE glue on the filters and they've now remedied the problem, but not SO! Still STINKS! So here I sit with TWO VERY EXPENSIVE UNITS that I cannot tolerate to use... and nothing to filter the stale air in my home. What a waste of money!

This filter indeed emits a smell. I don't happen to be sensitive to it unlike other folks, but I think IQAir should fix this issue by using a different adhesive (e.g. platinum- or peroxide-cured silicon). Also, some hydrophobic HEPA media emit smell, so it could also be a problem of the membrane itself

Revised 5-13-11 at *** from this initial review on 9-17-10...

I'm chemically sensitive and smell a sickly sweet chemical coming out either when it is sitting on a table or in line with the fan.

This made me wake up every morning with a sore throat and excessive post-nasal drip. I have run it at full speed for about 72 hours, both in a well-ventilated area and then a poorly-ventilated area I was not in to try to clear it out, but either it wasn't long enough or it will never smell better. Normally I leave it at the lowest speed setting (1).

If it weren't for the design of the entire unit, I would put the V-5 gas and odor filter on top of the HyperHEPA just to filter IT. But as that is not physically possible, I have no choice but to discontinue use and request a manufacturer refund.

***
IQAir sent me a free replacement from their stock after I asked for a RMA and linked to these reviews.

This is what they replied: "We're also aware of a certain lot of HEPA filters that are taking longer than usual aeration times for the filter smell to dissipate. A production variation appears to have caused a small percentage of customers complaints about a prolonged "new" odor."

I've been running this secondary replacement for approximately 100 hours now. It emits a sweet odor (like the original filter in the unit) but not a sickly sweet chemical one (the initial replacement). I am experiencing no obvious ill effects. For grins, I smelled the initial and secondary replacements outside the fan housing and the same difference of smell exists between the two.

I can conclude that a basic sweet smell is normal, but if it is sweet and sickly, that means it has been contaminated with some toxic chemical on the manufacturing line and needs to be replaced with a filter from a different lot.

Product arrived fast. I have slept with IQ Air for two years now, and it dramatically helped my allergies at night.

Just to let people know that for me when I first plugged this filter in, I too, at first smelled a funny odor... however after running it for a while, I entered the room and the smell was completely gone and I haven't had a problem since.

I'm assuming that as of August 2011, the filters are getting out of the bad production run.