The air filter is a vital component of your HVAC system. It keeps airborne particles like dust and pollen from circulating through your home. Finding out what kind of air filter is right for you will help enhance your sense of comfort at home. For example, environmentally inclined homeowners might prefer an electrostatic air filter. Standard filters can’t be recycled and are normally replaced every few months. Instead, an electrostatic filter can be washed off and reused.
What Is an Electrostatic Air Filter?
An electrostatic air filter is distinct from media filters, which are nonreusable. Media filters are pleated and use an extremely dense network of small fibers to capture airborne particles. While this design is successful, eventually the filter is clogged with contaminants. Instead, an electrostatic filter uses the attractive force of static electricity. Animal dander, mold spores and other contaminants are drawn into the filter and trapped. But because of the lack of fibers, electrostatic filters can be cleaned.
Washable air filters are recommended for people who hope to cut down on waste. When kept in good shape, an electrostatic filter can last you a very long time. Meanwhile, your common furnace air filter should be exchanged every few months. When furnaces can last for up to 20 years, that’s a lot of filters to throw away.
Do Electrostatic Air Filters Have a MERV Rating?
The MERV rating system is a good way to recognize how efficient an air filter is at eliminating contaminants. The higher the filter’s MERV rating, the more effectively it works. Ratings are as high as 20, but these are reserved for specialized filters for medical and industrial use. Instead, a good average for residential air filters is between a 3 and a 6 MERV rating. These are typically more than adequate for your home’s needs, but there are exceptions.
People with breathing complications or serious allergies might benefit from a more powerful residential filter like HEPA filters. A HEPA filter can eliminate up to 97% of airborne particles, keeping indoor air quality very high. These filters are regularly found in specialized air filtration systems. Additional filtration can also be worthwhile for the elderly and people with respiratory conditions.
Are Electrostatic Air Filters Better Than Disposable? A Comparison.
As you can see, there are advantages to using electrostatic air filters in your home. It just depends on reviewing your indoor air quality needs and making the ideal choice. Let’s go over the principal advantages of an electrostatic filter:
Reusable and simple to clean: Compared to pleated media filters, washable air filters are recyclable and reusable. All you have to do is thoroughly rinse them off. Leave enough time for them to dry completely and they can be placed back in your HVAC system.
Long-lasting with regular upkeep: To work at their maximum effectiveness, electrostatic filters should be cleaned each month. This is a quick process that provides long-term benefits. Washable air filters are highly resilient and can last the lifetime of your HVAC system when properly cared for.
Offers excellent layer of protection: While HEPA filters or dedicated air filtration systems might offer strong results, that doesn’t mean other filters are inadequate. For your typical home, an electrostatic filter is a superb choice for removing airborne particles.
Improve Indoor Air Quality with Routine Maintenance and Cleaning
Keeping up with routine maintenance and thorough cleaning is a great way to optimize indoor air quality in Naples. It all depends on the specific conditions of your home as well as your family’s specific needs. Local, experienced technicians may be able to help. They can recommend the ideal products you need to boost indoor air quality.