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Did you know that the air in your Charlotte, NC home could be up to five times more polluted than the air outdoors? According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), this is due in large part to fuel-combusting appliances, off-gassing building materials, cleaning and tobacco products, and insufficient ventilation. However, for allergy sufferers, dust, dander, mold, and pollen remain the biggest concerns. The good news is that your HVAC air filter could be an important weapon in your fight against allergy symptoms. With the right filter, you can boost your indoor air quality (IAQ) and eliminate your most troublesome allergy triggers.
Understanding the Role of HVAC Air Filters in IAQ
Keeping a clean and well-fitted HVAC air filter installed is essential for supporting efficient HVAC performance. These components capture and retain particulate debris so that it doesn’t enter heaters, heat pumps, or air conditioners and cause problems. Without an HVAC air filter in place, carpet fibers, pet hair, dust, and other debris could settle on your air conditioner or heat pump’s evaporator coil, enter your furnace intake valve, or coat your furnace’s flame sensor. Buildup like that often leads to overheating, high humidity, increased energy use, icing, and shutdown. Ill-fitted and dirty air filters can even cause premature equipment failure if used long-term.
The IAQ Benefits of Standard Air Filters
Standard air filters come pre-installed in many air handling units. HVAC equipment manufacturers choose these components for their proven ability to remove the large-sized contaminants most likely to affect HVAC performance. However, their IAQ benefits are limited. Due to the large mesh and modest surface areas of standard filters, many particulates pass right through them. For residents with allergens, standard air filters do little to minimize the concentrations of dander, pollen, dust mites, and other common triggers in the indoor air.
Maximum Efficiency Reporting Values and Filtration Capabilities
Every HVAC air filter manufactured and sold throughout North America is assigned a maximum efficiency reporting value (MERV) rating. MERV ratings denote how effective filters are at picking up micro-fine debris. The lowest MERV rating is 1 and the highest is 20.
Basic fiberglass filters have MERV ratings of just two or three. Many HVAC equipment manufacturers deem these as insufficient for protecting their products and opt for pleated filters with MERV ratings of six to eight instead.
HVAC air filters with ratings of 10 or higher are a good choice for many people with chronic respiratory ailments. Not only are they capable of capturing smaller particulates, but with their greater density and larger surface areas, they can retain more of them. Upgraded filters last a bit longer than cheaper, low-quality options, and they address a broader range of IAQ concerns.
Filter Upgrades and Airflow Throughout Your HVAC System
While the best IAQ protection comes from high-rated air filters, when you choose a filter with a higher MERV rating, you negatively impact airflow throughout your entire HVAC system. After all, heaters, heat pumps, and air conditioners must draw air through these components before conditioning it. The denser that an air filter is, the harder your heating and cooling equipment must work to do so.
Residential HVAC systems can generally accommodate upgraded air filters with MERV ratings of up to 13. If you opt for an air filter with a MERV rating of 14 or higher, you’ll have to work with an HVAC comfort consultant and make a series of HVAC system modifications. Comfort consultants can choose filters that establish the right balance between optimized HVAC performance and improved IAQ. Comfort consultants can additionally target filter types that work best for specific allergens.
Filters as Integrated HVAC Accessories
Whether standard or upgraded, air filters are essential components. You’ll need to keep an air filter in your air handling unit at all times to maintain your manufacturer’s warranty and prevent airflow obstructions. However, in addition to the filter installed in your system’s air handling unit, you can also install integrated HVAC accessories like air purifiers, air scrubbers, and media filters. These products are attached to or installed in HVAC air ducts, and they filter conditioned air just before it’s distributed.
Air Purifiers and Air Scrubbers
Air purifiers and air scrubbers offer whole-house air filtration that targets common allergens, larger particulates, gaseous chemicals, and airborne pathogens. These units deactivate mold, bacteria, viruses, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). To support allergy sufferers, they also eliminate all dander, pollen, dust, and dust mites. They have complex, multi-layer designs, dense constructs, and secondary air-cleaning capabilities. Some release sanitizing, peroxide-based solutions, and others use ionic air-cleaning or ozone-generating technologies.
HEPA Filters and Other Media Filter Types
HVAC air filters with MERV ratings of 17 or higher are often used in commercial and industrial facilities. You’ll find these in clean rooms, laboratories, hospitals, and manufacturing facilities. High-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters have MERV ratings of 17. They work well in commercial and industrial applications, but there are also HEPA air filters for residential use. They’re often sold as in-duct media filters, and according to the EPA, they eliminate 99.97% of common airborne contaminants.
Comfort Consultants and IAQ Assessments
Both allergies and the related IAQ concerns can look different for each person and home. Thus, the best way to eliminate the allergens that trigger unpleasant reactions and symptoms in your household is to take a needs-specific approach. HVAC comfort consultants do this by performing comprehensive indoor air quality assessments. These assessments:
- Identify the allergens, pathogens, and chemical contaminants present
- Quantify their concentrations
- Measure indoor humidity
- Pinpoint the most likely sources of indoor contamination
How to Use Upgraded Air Filters Effectively
Not all IAQ concerns are resolved with enhanced air filtration. In most cases, it’s also important to address the underlying causes of airborne allergens. For instance, if your allergies are triggered by pets, you may need to isolate litter boxes, play structures, beds, and other heavily contaminated items. Brushing pets often and outdoors can limit the amount of fur and dander in your home. It will also help prevent your HVAC air filter from quickly becoming overwhelmed.
If mold triggers your allergies, you should schedule a whole-house plumbing inspection and address all slow and hidden leaks. You can minimize dust and pollen in your home by properly landscaping your yard and tightening the building’s envelope.
HVAC Maintenance and Filter Performance
Among the best ways to promote optimum air filter and HVAC system performance is by scheduling routine maintenance. All of your HVAC equipment should receive professional maintenance service at least once annually. You should additionally inspect your air filters every two to four weeks and change them as needed. In the typical home, standard air filter changes should occur every one to three months or more often.
Get a Customized Plan for Improving Your Home’s IAQ
The right air filter could lead to less sneezing, sniffling, and coughing, and fewer bouts with itchy, watery eyes, irritated skin, and nasal or sinus congestion. For a customized plan for improving your IAQ, contact our comfort consultants. We offer exceptional heating, electrical, and air conditioning services in Charlotte, NC and the surrounding areas. We also provide advanced indoor air quality improvements. Get in touch with Acosta today to schedule an appointment
