Entries Tagged 'Air Filters' ↓

Dust, pollen, pet dander, mold spores, and dust mite feces are some of the most common things that trigger allergies and set - off allergic reactions in hypersensitive people. Selecting an appropriate replacement air filter for the furnace or air conditioner may help you cope with most of these problematic allergens. In this article we take a look at some of the commonly used filters available.

Fibreglass panel filters are not only the least expensive replacement furnace filters made, they are also the least effective when it comes to removing things that trigger allergies from the air. Fibreglass air filters are constructed simply to catch the largest of airborne dirt and dust particles and they do almost nothing to remove smaller particles like a lot of the most common household allergens. These kinds of air conditioning filters have very low MERV ratings in the 1 to 4 range on the MERV rating chart.

Pleated air filters are an improved variety of panel filter that utilizes pleats or folds in the filter material to increase it’s surface area. This design change makes it much more efficient at trapping dust particles because a much more efficient filtering material can be utilized. Pleated filters are an improvement from disposable fibreglass furnace filters and many are highly recommended for allergy sufferers. The majority of pleated furnace filters will last more than 90 days.

Electrostatic furnace filters are also relatively efficient and affordable. Electrostatic furnace filters are permanent instead of disposable, meaning that you save you money because the best ones last for many years. Electrostatic air conditioner filters eliminate a large percentage of air contaminants.

Electronic filters are permanent, washable filters which rely on electricity to operate. The main benefit is that these filters are long lasting. Several designs claim to remove up to 97 percent of contaminants from the air.

HEPA air filters are probably the most efficient replacement air conditioner filter and can eliminate over Ninety nine percent of your total indoors air-borne pollutants. HEPA filters are frequently utilized in hospitals and also anyplace else that demands the cleanest air possible.

Utilizing top quality replacement furnace filters will safely and effectively enhance the quality of your air. Indoor air is in many cases more than five times more polluted than outdoor air.

MERV stands for Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value and is a measure of how effective the filter is in stopping airborne debris and pollutants. Air filters range from 1 to about 16 MERV.

Airborne allergens are measured in microns. A micron is one 1/25,000 of an inch and a human hair is about 150 microns. The tiniest contaminants which we are able to see are about 10 microns.

Ozone (O³) is a 3-atom form of oxygen and is a normal trace element in our atmosphere. Ozone is a different chemical than common oxygen (O²) which supports life. Like many substances, ozone is beneficial to life but can also be harmful in excessive concentrations.

Like many household appliances, electronic air cleaners produce ozone when they operate. The amount of ozone produced varies among models.

Ozone is formed when an electric discharge passes through the air and there are many natural sources of ozone. For example, ozone is formed naturally by lightning and is also formed as a by-product of some electric motors and appliances. Ozone is created by air passing through an electrically charged field.

How electronic air cleaners work

Small particles of dust pass through the charging section of the air cleaner and receive a positive electrical charge from a series of tungsten wires. These charged particles then pass by the negatively charged collector plates, which attracts them like a magnet. The particles remain on the collector plates until they are washed away during periodic cleaning of the collector cells.

Can you smell the ozone produced by the electronic air cleaner?

Sensitivity to the smell of ozone varies quite a bit among people. Some people can smell levels at .02 ppm but most people notice the smell of ozone at .03 ppm which is well below the FDA standard. The smell of ozone is not an indicator that the level is above normal, or even near the recommended limit set by the FDA.

Do electronic air cleaners work?

Electronic air cleaners do work. But like all air cleaners and air filters they have their positive and negative characteristics. Many people are very satisfied with their performance and would recommend them to anyone.

There are some common problems that home owners encounter when performing the common task of installing a new furnace filter or air

conditioner filter. Unfortunately they don’t come with directions.

After you perform this maintenance task the first time you quickly realize that it is not difficult to do. Below are links to some articles that attempt to eliminate some of the most common obstacles often encountered when installing a new air filter for the first time.

Where is my furnace filter?

Where is my furnace filter?
Before you can change or inspect your furnace filter you have to

know where it is located. Every air conditioning and heating system should have one and they can often be difficult to find. They are usually installed in the air handler but not always.

Which way do furnace filters go?

Which way do furnace filters go?
This is an important part of changing your air conditioner filter. You don’t want install your new filter the wrong way. There are usually arrows pointing in the direction of air flow. Ignore these and you can negatively impact system performance and reduce filter life. There are some other indicators to determine which way your replacement filter should go.

How do you install a furnace filter?

How do you install a furnace filter?
Sometimes filters are difficult to remove because you can’t get your fingers into the narrow opening of the air handler to remove them. Try this easy solution to make changing your furnace filter much easier.

We have all heard the horrifying story about the family that just barely escaped with their lives, or even worse the family that died in their sleep, there lives ended by a silent killer. The silent killer is CO (Carbon Monoxide). If you don’t change or maintain your furnace filter as recommended by the manufacturer you could be putting your family in danger. Your furnace filter is designed to remove dust from air as it passes through your furnace. The longer your furnace filter is installed the dirtier it becomes. This increased loading of the filter with dust causes a resistance to air flow through the filter and reduces air flow.

Gas and oil furnaces, like all heating and air conditioning equipment, are designed to have a certain amount of air flow at all times to operate properly and at highest efficiency. This air flow is measured in CFM (Cubic Feet per Minute). These appliances have a heat exchanger which has the heat source, flame, inside and the air passes over the heat exchanger on the outside. As the air passes over the heat exchanger it picks up the heat from the flame inside.

To get maximum efficiency from these systems the walls of the heat exchanger are made as thin as possible but not so thin that they cannot withstand the heat that they are subjected to during normal operation. This brings us back to the fact that these appliances are designed with minimum air flow requirements.

A furnace filter that remains in the system so long that it begins to negatively impact air flow can be dangerous. As the amount of air flowing over the heat exchanger declines, the operating temperature of the heat exchanger increases. This is when heat exchanger can crack because they are operating above design conditions. The hotter the heat exchanger gets the more it expands when heating and contracts as it cools during the off cycle. This expanding and contracting can become excessive and cause the metal of the heat exchanger warp or crack. A cracked heat exchanger can cause combustion gases to mix with the air in your home.

The good news is that properly designed furnaces have high limit switches that prevent excessive heating of the heat exchanger. These limit switches monitor the temperature at or near the heat exchanger and if the temperature reaches a predetermined set point, the unit will be shut off either until manually reset or until the limit switch senses that the temperature is within safe limits and resets automatically.

A furnace can operate a long time on an auto reset limit switch without anybody even knowing. This means that the furnace is operating at the limits of its design capabilities. Today most limit switches are the manual reset type, designed this way so that the furnace will not operate until it is serviced and the problem corrected.

Don’t rely on these safety switches to protect you from disaster. These are mechanical devices which can and do fail to operate properly at times. So reduce your risk by maintaining your furnace filter properly. This means cleaning or changing your furnace filter regularly. It is always best to follow manufacturers guidelines.

HVAC pleated air filters are one of the three best performing panel type furnace filters available for you to choose from. These filters are made with a material that is folded into pleats. This pleated filter material is used to produce 1 inch, 2 inch, 4 inch and even 6 inch deep, pleated panel filters. The most common sizes used are 1 inch and 2 inch.

Folding the filter material into pleats increases the surface area of the filter and extends the useful life of the filter. If the material were used as a flat surface without being pleated it would clog with dust in a matter of days. This would lead to a decline in system performance.

It is important to monitor pleated air filters and change them when required so they do not become plugged with too much dust and restrict airflow through your heating or cooling equipment.

Most pleated air filters are 20 - 30 percent efficient. This of course depends on the material used in the construction of the filter. Pleated air filters can be up to 60 percent efficient and some manufacturers claim over 85 percent efficient if the filter surface is treated with an oil like substance that is very sticky.

Some pleated air filters have a wire mesh on the backside of the filter. This is to help the filter maintain its shape and not collapse under the pressure from air passing thru it. The more efficient types do not always have this wire mesh because the filter material is rigid enough to hold their shape.

Unless you suffer from allergies, a pleated air filter will do an adequate job of filtering the air that passes through your heating and cooling equipment.

There are many different types of panel air filters available but many are not worth using in your air conditioner or furnace because they are very inefficient. A good way to decide if a panel air filter is worth using is to hold it up and look through it. If you can easily see through it don’t waste your money. The purchase price may be lower but the real cost is poor air quality and higher equipment maintenance costs.

The dust that passes through this type of air filter will end up on your furniture and in the duct system. If this media air filter is in an air conditioner or heat pump system, dust will eventually build up on the surface, and between the fins of the heat exchanger coil and restrict airflow. Under certain conditions this can actually lead to equipment breakdown.

Although pleated air filters will do an adequate job of reducing dust in your home they do not work as efficiently as media air filters or electrostatic filters.