Having a whole-house air filtration system will help you manage problems associated with airborne particulates, particularly those that cause respiratory allergies or asthma. If your home has a forced-air heating or cooling system, it makes sense to use it as a resource for improving indoor air quality.
Forced-air HVAC systems rely on air filters to keep the components clean, but you can take air filtration one step further by installing high quality filters in the return ducts, using extended media filters or electrostatic filters. Some even combine filtration with UV (ultraviolet lights) to tackle organic solids, like mold spores, bacteria and viruses.
Whole-house systems are typically installed by HVAC professionals because the amount of air flowing through the air handler matters a great deal to your system’s longevity and energy consumption. Too little airflow will drive up energy costs and wear your system out faster.
Extended Media Filters
The MERV (minimum efficiency reporting value) ratings of extended media filters depends on the type of filtration you choose. HEPA (high efficiency particulate air) filters trap the most particles and the smallest. They’re rated to trap up to 99.9 percent of particles that are 0.3 microns and larger. Their MERV ratings range between 17 and 20, the highest of any kind of air filtration system.
If someone in your home has less severe respiratory issues, you can also use filters with a MERV rating between 8 and 12 for adequate filtration. A filter with a MERV of 12 will remove small particles, including smoke, bacteria and viruses, and some odor-causing particles.
Electrostatic Filters
These filters use electricity to charge small particles that collect on a metal plate that must be removed for cleaning, unlike media filters that need periodic replacement. This type of filter is more effective at removing tiny smoke particles than media filters. Electrostatic devices can emit small amounts of ozone, however, a known lung irritant.
To learn more about an air filtration system, contact Paschal Heat, Air & Geothermal. We’ve provided outstanding HVAC services for Northwestern Arkansas for more than four decades.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Springdale, Arkansas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about air filtration systems and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
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