With indoor air pollution listed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as one of today's top five environmental health risks, this is a problem that homeowners should not ignore. Air filters for your cooling and heating systems are a popular solution but not all air filters are created equal. What should you look for in an air filter, and how can it boost air quality in your home?
What is an HVAC Air Filter?
Air filters trap particle pollutants and remove them from indoor air. Particulates such as dust mites, mold spores, various allergens, pet dander and a host of other unwanted airborne particles are the most common enemy of indoor air quality. HVAC air filters are usually installed in the ductwork of your forced-air heating and cooling system, near where the ducts enter the air handler or blower.
How is performance rated?
The effectiveness of an air filter is reflected in its minimum efficiency reporting value (MERV), which runs from 1 to 16 for residential use. The higher the MERV rating, the greater the percentage of particles the device captures.
High efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters are also available, running MERV 17-20. Their particle capture rate runs at 99.7 percent. Made out of tiny glass fibers, HEPA filters are most often used in medical settings and in airplanes. HEPA filters usually require serious modifications to your HVAC system, and for residential uses, are more commonly used in stand-alone air cleaners. Experts suggest that a medium range MERV filter (8-12) in most homes will provide an ideal combination of air cleaning capability and airflow maintenance. Air filters with high-end MERV ratings may impede system airflow.
Sizing
Make sure you choose the right size of filter for your home. Check your HVAC owner's manual for details of the specification you require, or consult a home heating and cooling expert.
Maintaining Effectiveness
Whatever type of filter you choose, check it regularly and adhere to the manufacturer's replacement schedule. Washable air filters are also available, which in most cases should be cleaned every 30 days during the high-use seasons. These will last for up to five years.
Contact us at Hartman Brothers Heating and Air Conditioning. We've been proudly serving the Fort Wayne area for 50 years; let us use our expertise to help you achieve top quality indoor air in your home.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in New Haven, Indiana and surrounding Fort Wayne area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about air filters and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
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