Entries from March 2009 ↓

Question: Have you had any feedback on the Trane CleanEffects Electronic Air Filter? We need a whole new AC system and they are really pushing this filter.  At nearly $1000.00 I’m not so sure it’s needed.  Any thoughts or words from others?

What some quick research revealed

I am not familiar with these filters so I did some quick research and found out that there have been some recalls on those units. I didn’t research the details of the recall.

From what I see they look like a combination of media air filter and electronic air cleaner. I have never been a fan of traditional electronic air cleaners because they allow larger dust particles to pass through the filter. I always recommend installing a pleated air filter as a pre-filter or post filter when using them. This may be their attempt to eliminate that flaw in the electronic air filter design.

They claim the filter is 99.98% effective. That’s better than a HEPA filter by .01%. If it is that efficient it may require constant maintenance to prevent it from having a negative impact on air flow. I also predict that the filter material will require replacement more often than a person would expect for a reusable air filter and that will probably not be cheap. I would recommend going with one of the more traditional filters.

Here’s a demo on the Trane site . It seams to load a bit slow but it works.

Question: Which pleated furnace filter is better from same company.
7 pleat or 11 pleat?

I would say the 11 pleat filter is probably better because more pleats per inch of filter allows for greater air flow. This is important for efficient filters. Quality manufacturers aim for as little impact on air flow as possible when designing their filters. As the efficiency of the filter material increases so does air flow restriction. One method of compensating for this is to have more pleats per inch of filter.

More pleats per inch of filter also distributes the dust collected by the air filter over a larger area and therefore can be in the system longer before needing to be changed.

Hepa air filters have many more pleats per inch than other filters that utilize the pleated design.

The best furnace filters to use in your home are the ones that provide the results that you want. When trying to choose a filter to use it is important to consider what you objectives are. Just because a filter is the most efficient doesn’t make it the best furnace filter. It just makes it the best choice for a person who has allergies or other health concerns. There are many variables to consider when selecting a replacement air filter for your furnace or air conditioner. We have created a list of the most common types of filters used by home owners. These are not the only furnace filters available but they are among the most common types.

Pleated furnace filters

• Pleated air filters are the most common filters used in residential and commercial HVAC equipment. They are probably the easiest to find at your local hardware store although better pricing is available online.
• These filters are available in a wide range of efficiencies from about MERV 5 to MERV 12. The higher the MERV rating is the more efficient the filter is. This also means that it may need to be changed more often because the more dust it collects the faster it begins to have a negative impact on air flow.
• These filters are very easy to maintain. Simply change them every two to four months or when recommended by the manufacturer.
• One of the things that make them so common and popular is that they are available in custom sizes.

Electrostatic furnace filters

• Some electrostatic furnace filters are very high quality and will last for many years. Wash them once a month and they are as good as new.
• Electrostatic air filers cost more to purchase but they eliminate the monthly expense of buying disposable filters. Pay $50 to $100 up front for an electrostatic air filter or $5 to $10 or more each time you change your disposable air filter. This adds up to decent savings over a 10 year period. If you replace a $5 filter 4 times a year it adds up to $200 dollars in 10 years. A $10 disposable air filter will cost $400 in 10 years. It’s the little things that save you money.
• If you don’t like doing maintenance tasks then these filters are not for you. They must be maintained properly so they will remain effective.
• If Green living and the environment are important to you these filters are a good choice because they reduce landfill usage and they last for many years.

Media air filters (Pre-Cut Media Pads)

• Pre Cut media air filter pads are not used as often as the types listed above because they are not as popular with retail stores.
• If maintenance is not your thing and you sometimes forget to change your filters these may be for you. Media pads are much more forgiving. They have a much greater dust loading capacity than the other filters listed here. This means that when neglected it takes longer for it to negatively impact air flow and you can potentially avoid the decline in equipment operating efficiency that the other filters create when neglected.
• Carbon media pad inserts can be installed with these filters to help control odors.
• Pre cut pads are less expensive than most of the quality pleated air filters.

HEPA filters

• Hepa air filters are the most efficient air filters available.
• These filters utilize the pleated design of standard pleated air filters. The difference is in the number of pleats per inch of filter and the material used in the construction of the filters is much more efficient at stopping dust, pet dander, pollen and other airborne allergy causing contaminants that you may find in your house.
• Some brands, such as the Hepa-Pure, can be cleaned and used several times.
• True HEPA filters are 99.97% efficient and can remove particles as small a .3 microns in size.

Question: You made an excellent Web site.  It is very informative and easy to understand. It is loaded with good information and excellent charts.  I just wanted to let you know that you did a first rate job.

I was recently told by the company that installed the HVAC system in my now 3 year old home, that it would cost $1800 to change the filters in my four air handlers. There is one Lenox Pure Air, MERV 9, Media Filter, 17” X 26” X 4” (part # 75X74) in each unit.  The $1800 includes replacing the UV bulbs in each unit also, approximately 18, 10M13 UV lamps in total. Also there is a filter-size, corrugated screen cartridge, behind the lamp units that says “do not wash”. I don’t know what the replacement status of these are. The air handlers are Lennox CBX32MV(3)and CBX32M (1) units, a total of four.

I have three questions:

1. First, can I use a MERV 12 filter in the air handlers?
2. Second, do I really need to change the UV lamps?
3. Third does $1800 sound high for the job?

Without doing a lot of research, I would say $1800 is probably a fair price. You can get a box of 6 17 X 26 X 4 MERV 12 pleated air filters for about $151.00 at Nordic Pure.

I’m not sure about the cost of the new UV lamps but I would expect them to be fairly expensive. Add labour and mark-up of parts and it sounds about right. If price is important you may be able to do better with another contractor.

I think MERV 9 filters will do an adequate job especially when used with UV sterilizers. If you are finding there is too much dust then you could try MERV 12 filters. They should work OK but may need to be changed more often. Higher MERV filters have a greater impact on air flow and if duct systems are undersized could cause problems. Certainly worth a try though.

UV lamps do need to be changed. The light intensity of UV lamps declines over time and they don’t perform as well. You would have to check with the manufacturer for their recommendations but yearly replacements are typical.