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.
9 comments ↓
CleanEffects doesn’t need replacement filters, you clean the cells. Much easier than old Honeywell EAC
CleanEffects prefilter is as good or better for collecting large particles as any 1″ fiberglass or poly filter.
Yes it is better than HEPA. Tested and verified by Harvard School of Health
Yes static pressure is higher than 1″ fiberglass filter. But it is much better than any 3m type 1″ filter.
The recall was nothing. It involved downflow mount applications which were not the majority at all. It was a reliability issue not safety. Trane did a voluntary replacement of the cell on every unit installed and no cost to customer.
CleanEffects is a much different technology than standard EAC units.
Thanks for the comments Corey. I was hoping somebody who has experience with these filters would provide some information about them.
I purchased a Trane CleanEffects system about 18 months ago. Don’t repeat my mistake.
1. Produces ozone in your home. EPA, OSHA say that ozone high enough to kill microbes is certainly harmful to people. Ozone at any level will react with VOC and create harmful substances that are in quantities high enough to injure humans. Check out EPA websites and references.
2. The prefilter will remove larger particles but is not better then any standard 3M type filter, probably worse.
3. The electrostatic filter is impossible to really clean once dirty and stained, contrary to owners guide.
4. The plastic honeycomb filter gets a little dirty very quickly and then stops removing dirt from the air resulting in much debris returning into my house.
5. The air flow seems to be reduced significantly when all sections of the filter system are in place.
Bottom line even when I clean this system often I have loads of dust in my house and in my duct work. The system was built to introduce ozone into the home even when there is considerable evidence that adding to ozone already present in the home has no positive health effect and is almost certainly increasing health risks for everyone in the home.
The Clean Effects filter is NOT designed to kill bacteria only collect it in the collector cell portion. Therefore the ozone does not need to be at a high level. The Trane Clean Effects Filter has one of the lowest ozone emissions on the market. The prefilter is not worse than a standard 1″ pleated but is about as efficient. Lastly, the Clean Effects collector cells may get discolored over time but the effectivenss of the cell is not diminshed. As long as the LED read indicator on the door of unit shows green, the flow rate through the system should be fine.
i keep hearing how my electronic air cleaner is NOT good for my kids because it releases ozone into the air. please let me know about this issue thank you John
Hi John,
I often receive questions about ozone so I posted an article. It links to a report published by the US Environmental Protection Agency. You can read the details here.Electronic Air Cleaners and Ozone
I DO NOT recommend the use of the Trane Clean Effects filter. I had two of them installed when I replaced old heat pump compressors and air handlers. We noticed an acrid smell in the house after installation but the dealer said it would go away. The smell did not go away and we developed sore throats and a constant cough. After numerous Dr. visits we discovered the cause was the ozone produced by the Clean Effects. The dealer disconnected the Clean Effects and the acrid smell went away and we both feel much better.
I have had mine in my home for a couple of years now. I live in Florida and get a lot of use out of my unit. I have had no problems that anyone above has mentioned. I clean the frst step filter every couple of months as the manual instructs and it works great. The only thing i dislike is that it is in my attic and it gets hot up there when the door over the filters doesn’t want to go back on easily.
I have had a Clean Effects installed in my home for two years and have to say it has made a huge impact on my wifes allergies! I noticed a comment from a previous post in regards to ozone? If you do some research all air cleaners will produce ozone with the correct amount of airflow across the filters. One of the biggest problems you will find in the hvac industry is not the equipment but poor installation and application of the products.
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