FILTERS

Filters - DRIVE ME CRAZY! One of the most important elements of any H.V.A.C system is the filter. Service people and the manufacturers want us to run poor quality filters in our systems for one reason. So our furnaces BREAK DOWN before their time.Dirt, dust and allergens will kill blowers and blower motors in our systems. They are like computers. Huge dust magnets. Customers have been told to run poor quality filters in their systems so that air flow doesn’t get interrupted. Installers are directed to tell customers to run poor quality filters in their furnaces. A poor quality filter benefits the furnace manufacturers, the furnace installers, the service people and of course the duct cleaners. They do not benefit the most important person: YOU the CUSTOMER. I’m here to tell you NOT to run these filters in your system. As a home owner there’s not much we can really do to our furnaces, however the one thing we can do is run a good quality filter in the furnace to better protect our investment.

Flat paneled filters are generally the filters installed by the manufacturers and backed up by the service/cleaning specialists. There are a few more out there you'll have to watch for. Any flat faced filter that when you hold it up to the light and can clearly see through is not a filter that will protect your furnace very well. They are disposable and should be changed every 3 months although they won't look very dirty after this time period. They cost the manufacturers pennies and as far as protecting your furnace, they don't. They remove between 6% - 12 % of the dust and allergens in your heating system.You will hear all sorts of reasons as to why you should run these filters. The final word is yours but I hope I can convince you NOT to run these types of filters. They are not in your best interest at all.

Now I would like to talk about the disposable Pleated filter (MY FAVE).These filters remove 70% - 99% of dust and allergens. These filters again should be changed every 3 months and they will be dirty. No worries at all about restricting air flow in the system (using the low end pleated filters) although servicemen will try to tell you different. As homeowners these types of filters are our best defense against dust and allergens. Pleated filters come in an array of choices from charcoal backing to wire mesh backings. The secret to Pleated filters to stay at the low end of the price scale. The 70-80% Pleated filters will cost around $14 - $20 and you can sometimes find a 2 for 1 sale. As far as brand names go. Filtrette and 3M are amongst the best. Where we must be careful with filters is when we start to run the high end filters. The filters that remove 90% and more of dust and allergens. Here we have to be aware of the fact that these types of filters MAY restrict air flow to our furnaces. If you want to run these types of filters there are a couple of inexpensive changes you must make. In these circumstances the best thing to do is to E-mail me and I can direct individual cases appropriately. If you have been running a poor quality filter until now and you are going to up grade to a pleated style filter please remember this. When, in three months, you go to change the pleated filter it is more then likely going to be extremely dirty. If you had your furnace and ducts cleaned before the installation of the filter this doesn’t mean that the cleaners didn’t do a good job. The filter is removing 70% - 80% of the dust and allergens in the air now. It is recycling the air in the home and this is why it will be so dirty. After the second filter you should notice fewer allergies in the home and cleaner filters come change time.

HEPA filters are regarded as the best form of air filtration devices available today. HEPA stands for High-Efficiency Particulate Arrestance. According to U.S. Military Standard MIL-STD-282, HEPA filters are defined as air-cleaning devices that have a proven minimum removal efficiency of 99.97% of particles in the air equal to 0.3 um (microns) in diameter with higher efficiency for both larger and smaller particle sizes. The reason 0.3 microns is used in the definition is because it’s the particle size in which all mechanical filters are LEAST efficient in capturing and removing from the air. A micron is a measure of length: 1 micron equals 1 millionth of a meter. A particle size of 10 microns or less is not visible to the naked eye.

Undesirable contaminants that the HEPA filter will help block include; smoke, mold, hair, dust, dirt, pet dander, bacteria, viruses and fungi. Please note that “HEPA-Type” filters may look like a certified HEPA filter however their performance may not match that of a true HEPA filter. No filter, including a true HEPA filter, can trap 100% of all contaminants. However, in terms of efficiency and performance, HEPA filters are the highest performing air filtration devices currently available. Two additional features of HEPA filters that add to their value is that unless the air entering the filter is humidified, bacteria and viruses that are trapped in the filter will dry out and die. The second feature is that the filter becomes more efficient over time because as the filter gets filled with trapped particles, it becomes more difficult for matter to pass through the filter. Depending on use and level of contaminate exposure, HEPA filters, like a regular filter need to be changed based on the manufacturer’s recommendation.

Now that we have discussed disposable filters let us turn our attention to the permanent filter. These types of filters are appealing because they can be cleaned and then put right back into the furnace. They should be cleaned every 3 months and again they will be dirty. My advice on permanent filters; if a permanent filter is what you really want, then don’t go cheap. In my experience the old adage, you get what you pay for applies here. I have seen customers fork out $150 for a permanent filter that only removes 50% of dust and allergens from their system. Why pay that much when for less then $20 you can pick up a disposable that will remove 80%. When looking into permanent filters you should be ready and willing to pay $250 or more for a filter. Most filters at this price will come with a life time warranty (the furnaces life time not yours) meaning it will be the last filter you buy for your furnace and will remove 90% and more of the dust and allergens. On average these filters should pay for themselves in about 2 - 3 years. If you are going to run a permanent filter I suggest having a pleated filter to replace it during cleaning and drying time (never put a wet filter back into your system).

Understanding MERV Ratings

MERV ratings are used to rate the ability of a furnace filter to remove dust from the air as it passes through the filter. MERV is a standard used to measure the overall efficiency of a filter. Higher MERV ratings mean fewer dust particles and other airborne contaminants pass through the filter.

MERV ratings range from 1 - 16 and measurements are in microns. Some of the common particles related to MERV ratings are pet dander, insecticide dust, smog, dust, viruses, wood, tobacco smoke, spores, bacteria and pollen.

Some of the most common filters found in residential use only have a Merv rating of 1 to 4. These are typically disposable panel type filters and do not do a good job of filtering the air because they will not stop particles smaller than 10 microns.

Merv 5 to 8 rated filters are a better choice and are more commonly found in commercial applications. These filters will collect particles as small as 3 microns and are a good choice for home owners also.

Filters with a Merv rating of 9 to 12 are used in commercial and industrial applications and will stop particles in the 1 to 3 micron range. These filters are a great choice for home owners who want the best dust control possible. When using filters with Merv 9 ratings and above it is important to clean or replace them when recommended by the manufacturer because they will have a negative effect on air flow when they become dirty. This can lead to performance problems and decreased operating efficiency.

The most efficient filters have Merv ratings of 13 to 16 and will stop particles as small as .3 microns. These filters are used in hospitals and other super clean environments.

The type of filter you decide to run in your system will depend on a few factors. If there are people in the house suffering allergy symptoms, if your system has continually been breaking down, if it seems you have to dust every other day. There are so many different types of filters to choose from. It will be hard for me to give individual advice on your specific wants and needs but I will try to help you out in here the best I can. If I don't answer your questions I hope you will take the time to email me any questions you may have about your heating system.