Introduction:

Air filtration for the home can help you avoid contaminants that build up in the air you breathe. There are many different filter types to choose from. Each has its own pros and cons, so we’ve broken them down into their most basic types. We hope this guide will give you a solid understanding of the different filtration systems out there so that you can decide which is best for your home. Air purifiers and filters are designed to prevent airborne pollutants from entering the interior of buildings by filtering them out before they do any harm to people or property.

When I was much younger, my sister and I had chores to perform every weekend. One of those chores was the “dusting” of every flat surface in the house because dust would accumulate throughout the week on everything flat. Mom was a stickler about dust, perhaps because she was a sergeant in the Army during World War 2. Anyhow, my sister and I would attack the dust every week and it always came back.

As I got older, I came to realize that the air-filter on our furnace needed to be improved because we only had one of the old 1-inch-thick fiberglass/ spun-glass filters. The fiberglass filter did collect larger particles, but could never stop the movement of dust throughout the house.

At this point I was presented with a choice: continue live with the dust or find another type of air filter. I did my research and was amazed at all the filtration systems and media available. Some of the filtration is very simple and some is a bit more complex.

Reasons for a Filter:

Why do we need to purify the air we breathe within an enclosed environment? There is the obvious reason covered earlier, dust, but there are so many other more important reasons than simple dust. There are pathogens in every house and place of business that are not seen but exist nonetheless. Germs, bacteria, mold spores, pollen, mildew, viruses, dust mites, asbestos fibers and many more airborne pollutants are present to one degree or another in every home and business. The EPA website covers the various pollutants and their negative effects in the home and work environments and is a very good source of information (www.epa.gov).

Now that we have covered reasons for having air filtration/ purification, let us proceed to solutions. Right off to bat, solutions do not have to be complicated, extensive nor expensive. Actually, it might just be that you need to change the filter or change the type of filter that you as currently using.

Filter Types:

Pleated paper filters: A pleaded paper filter is a filter that is folded like an accordion, which greatly increases its overall surface and filtration capability. These filters are good for dust, spores, and other airborne items down to 5 microns. According to most filter manufacturers, the time between filter changes is 30-60 days for a 1-inch pleated paper filter and 90 days for a 2-inch pleated paper filter. These are just recommendations, but your immediate environment may require more frequent filter changing.

Fiberglass filters or spun-fiber filters: These filters are only good for a month or less, and are very poor at stopping dust and other “nasties”. This filter type must be changed on a regular schedule for them to be in any way effective, otherwise, they will clog. These filters are not recommended for anything but an emergency in case you have no filter at all. The only real advantage these have over the other listed filters in that they are very inexpensive.

Electronic air cleaners: These filters consist of a series of metal plates held in a metal framework that are electrically charged. Any dust, mold spores, or any other particulates (airborne material), germs and bacteria not included, are “zapped” by an electrical charge and the residue is deposited on the electrically charged plates. These do a really good job of cleaning particulate matter from the air. Every month the unit will need cleaning to wash off the residue of the “zapped” particles and such. A combination of a 2-inch pleated filter and an electronic cleaner will remove most airborne contaminants.

HEPA filters: These filters are great filters and will stop all mold, pollen, bacteria and such plus they have the advantage of being replaced once a year or more often, depending on your situation. These are the type of filters used in hospitals and will remove 99.97% of all airborne pollutants and allergens.

Washable filters: These filters allow the consumer to remove the filter from its holder and wash it to remove trapped dust, dirt and sundry other pollutants from the filter. However, these filters must be perfectly dry before being installed after being cleaned otherwise they will grow mold and negate the purpose for which they were installed. These are very cost effective simply because they can be reused over and over but they do not filter allergens, mold spores, bacteria and such like. Plastic and metal mesh filter are in this category.

Media filters: These are perhaps the best compromise of all the filters in that they combine the compressed total area of a pleated filter with a large portion of the filtration capability of a HEPA filter. These filters also have the benefit of longevity in that they can last up to 2 years, depending on the environment they are subject to.

Activated Charcoal Filter: This type of filter is primarily use for the removal of odors from an environment. It needs to be used in combination with any of the air cleaning filters listed above.

Note: Most filters are end-user replaceable and require no specialty tools for the job. However, if so needed, a professional can replace any filter with the appropriate replacement filter.

Questions:

What type of filtration do I need?

This is an excellent question and perhaps the best question to ask. The need of the customer, unless that customer has done extensive research, can be determined by an interview with an HVAC professional, who can discuss various possible air filtration solutions with the customer.

Can I install air filtration by myself and save money by doing so?

This is another good question. If the customer has the skill and the tools, then the answer is yes. But under the majority of circumstances, it is better to have a professional install the system. By having a professional install the system, the customer will be covered by a warranty and can be assured that the job was done correctly…or they can hold on the payment until it is done correctly. If the customer does not install the air filtration correctly, they are stuck with it and have no recourse to anyone but themselves.

I have a filtration system already, but can I increase my filtration without tearing everything out?

Under most circumstances: yes. Just changing the type of filter can increase the amount of filtration. Sometimes it may be necessary to change the filter holder framework in order to accommodate the new filtration system.

Warnings:

A furnace/air conditioning system should never be used without an air filtration system installed and fully functioning because airborne pollutants can and will become trapped inside the furnace and promote further growth of pollutants and other allergens. Buildup of foreign matter in the furnace can also cause premature failure of the heating/ cooling system.

Recommendation: Get a filter for your home/ business.