A HEPA filter is the fine stage that decides whether an air scrubber is cleaning the room or just moving dusty air around. On Australian restoration jobs — water damage, mould, fire clean-up, strip-out and construction dust — the machine only works as well as the filters in it.
This is a buying and change-out guide for technicians and owners who run air scrubbers or stock filters for the fleet. It covers what a HEPA filter does, how it sits with a G4 pre-filter and an activated carbon filter, what to check against the machine size, and how to change filters without spreading contamination.
It is not a substitute for the machine manual, the site air quality procedure or a hygienist’s scope. Match filter size and stage to the scrubber you own, change pre-filters early so the HEPA lasts, and bag spent filters with the waste stream the job requires.
What a HEPA filter actually is
HEPA means high-efficiency particulate air filtration. In plain trade language: a HEPA filter is built to capture fine airborne particles that a coarse pad will miss. On the Ezy Consumables HEPA Filter listing stocked at Restoration Warehouse, that is stated as 99.97% capture of particles down to 0.3 microns, with a listed size of 480 mm × 410 mm × 60 mm.
That rating is about particulates — dust, allergens, mould spores and similar fine debris in the air stream. It is not a magic fix for every odour or vapour on its own. Odour and VOC work usually needs a carbon stage as well. Buy the filter for the stage it is meant to do, then build the stack the scrubber and the scope need.
Technicians search “HEPA filter”, “HEPA filter replacement”, “G4 filter”, “pre filter” and “activated carbon filter” for the same van shelf. Those are related products in a multi-stage air scrubber, not interchangeable names for one pad.
Why filter choice matters on restoration work
An air scrubber without the right filters is a noisy fan. The filter stack is the job.
Water damage restoration. Tear-out and drying rooms put fine dust and fibres into the air. A HEPA stage helps keep that particulate out of the recirculated stream while the scrubber runs inside containment.
Mould remediation. Spore control is a system: containment, negative air, PPE and filtration. The HEPA filter is the fine stage that supports that system. Pair it with proper dust containment so you are not scrubbing an open doorway.
Fire and smoke clean-up. Fine soot and smoke particulate load filters hard. Many crews run a pre-filter and HEPA together, then add carbon when odour is part of the scope.
Demolition and construction dust. Coarse debris should hit a G4-style pre-filter first. That protects the HEPA and keeps airflow from collapsing halfway through the shift.
Carpet and commercial cleaning. Portable scrubbers still need the correct replacement filter size when you are controlling dust during aggressive clean-up.
What a HEPA filter is not. It is not a reason to skip containment. It is not automatic odour control without a carbon stage. It is not “one size fits every scrubber” — measure the bay before you order.
If you need the machine itself rather than the consumable, start with how to choose an air scrubber for restoration and remediation, then stock filters that match that unit.
HEPA vs G4 pre-filter vs activated carbon
Restore and remediation crews usually talk about three stages. Do not buy three of the same thing and call it a system.
G4 pre-filter (first stage). A G4 panel catches larger airborne particles before they reach finer media. Ezy G4 Pre-Filters are listed for air scrubbers, AFDs, HVAC and ventilation, across water damage, mould, fire, construction dust and commercial filtration. Listed sizes: 284 × 284 × 20 mm, 400 × 400 × 20 mm and 455 × 455 × 20 mm, individual or box of 20. Change these early — a choked pre-filter is cheaper than a stuffed HEPA.
HEPA filter (fine particulate stage). The Ezy Consumables HEPA Filter is listed at 480 × 410 × 60 mm, white/silver, for air scrubbers, air purifiers and compatible systems, in single or carton-of-10 options. Use it for fine particle capture, not as a sacrificial pad for coarse demo dust.
Activated carbon filter (odour / VOC stage). Carbon media is for odours, smoke, fumes and VOCs. The Ezy Consumables Activated Carbon Filter is listed at 400 × 400 × 20 mm for air scrubbers and AFDs, commonly used with pre-filters and HEPA. It takes odour load; it does not replace HEPA when the hazard is fine dust or spores.
Rule of thumb. Pre-filter first for bulk dust. HEPA for fine particulate. Carbon when smell or VOC control is in the scope. Confirm every dimension against the scrubber you are running.
What to look for when you buy a HEPA filter
Ignore lifestyle packaging. Check the listing against the machine and the job.
Efficiency and particle rating on the listing. Look for clear HEPA language you can verify. The Ezy Consumables HEPA Filter listing states 99.97% filtration efficiency and a 0.3 micron particle capture rating. Do not invent a rating that is not on the page you are ordering from.
Exact size. Listed size on the Ezy HEPA is 480 mm × 410 mm × 60 mm. Measure the filter bay (or check the machine manual / previous filter stamp) before you restock. A near-enough filter that leaks around the gasket is not a HEPA install.
Stage role. Confirm you are buying the fine HEPA stage, not a pre-filter sold under a similar photo. Keep G4 and carbon as separate SKUs in the van.
Quantity format. Single filters are fine for a one-off change. A carton of 10 suits depot and multi-crew stock. The Ezy listing offers 1 Pack and Carton of 10.
Listed applications. The Ezy HEPA page calls out water damage, mould remediation, fire and smoke clean-up, demolition dust, carpet and commercial cleaning, containment scrubbing, and compatible air purifier use. Match those to your scope — do not stretch the listing.
Compatible equipment. Confirm fit for your scrubber brand and model before you assume interchange.
Condition. Stock should arrive new, unused and undamaged. Do not put a crushed or wet HEPA into a clean machine.
Options at Restoration Warehouse
Restoration Warehouse stocks replacement filters under Filters & Filter Consumables. Confirm current sizes and pack options on each product page.
Ezy Consumables HEPA Filter 480 mm × 410 mm × 60 mm. Ezy Consumables HEPA Filter for air scrubbers and air purification systems (family SKU EZY-FAM-HHF). Listed as a high-efficiency replacement HEPA capturing particles down to 0.3 microns at 99.97% on the listing. Colour: white / silver. Pack options: 1 Pack or Carton of 10. Suitable for air scrubbers, air purifiers and compatible systems. Confirm bay size and availability on the page.
Ezy G4 Pre-Filters. Ezy G4 Pre-Filters (SKU EZY-FAMILY-G4-PREFILTERS). First-stage panels for air scrubbers, AFDs, HVAC and ventilation. Sizes: 284 × 284 × 20 mm, 400 × 400 × 20 mm and 455 × 455 × 20 mm. Individual or Box of 20. Use these to take bulk dust and protect the HEPA.
Ezy Consumables Activated Carbon Filter 400 × 400 × 20 mm. Activated Carbon Filter (SKU EZY-CON-CBF). Listed for odour and VOC reduction in restoration and construction environments, for multi-stage stacks with pre-filters and HEPA.
The scrubber that uses them. Filter choice follows machine choice. See choosing an air scrubber for restoration and remediation if you are still specifying the unit.
Browse Filters & Filter Consumables for current stock. Do not assume a price, efficiency claim or size that is not on the listing.
How to change and run HEPA filters on site
Confirm the stack order. Pre-filter upstream, HEPA as the fine stage, carbon where the scrubber and scope call for it. Wrong order wastes the expensive media first.
Change the pre-filter early. When the G4 looks loaded or airflow drops, swap it. That is normal consumable use — not a HEPA failure.
Change the HEPA when it is spent. Look for a clear airflow drop after a fresh pre-filter, visible damage, moisture soak, or the change interval your procedure sets. Do not “tap out” a HEPA on a mould or fire job and put it back in.
Bag spent filters as contaminated waste. Filters from mould, fire, Category water or dusty strip-out are not clean general waste. Seal them in the waste stream the scope requires.
Power down when you open the cabinet. Changing filters in an active dirty room without containment re-aerosolises what the scrubber already caught. Pause the unit, bag the old media, seat the new filter squarely, then restart and check for bypass leaks.
Stock by the job load. Keep spare G4s in the van. Keep HEPA and carbon at depot quantities that match your weekly change rate.
PPE while you change filters. Treat loaded filters as contaminated. Gloves and the respiratory PPE your procedure requires still apply. See the P2 mask buying guide if respiratory stock is part of the same kit.
Stock HEPA and pre-filters with the drying kit
A HEPA filter fails at the same moment you need clean recirculated air — a mould containment, a fire clean-up, a dusty tear-out or a long water job where the scrubber runs for days. Treat replacement HEPA filters, G4 pre-filters and carbon pads as fleet consumables next to the scrubbers themselves.
Restoration Warehouse stocks the Ezy Consumables HEPA Filter 480 × 410 × 60 mm for air scrubbers and compatible air purification systems, with G4 pre-filters and activated carbon filters for multi-stage setups. Browse the HEPA filter listing or the Filters & Filter Consumables range.
For current availability, sizes or a site order, call 07 3568 4925, email sales@restorationwarehouse.com.au, or visit restorationwarehouse.com.au.
