Air filters are mainly designed to remove particles, such as dust, pollen, pet dander and mold spores from the air before they can damage your HVAC system. However, with better filtration systems, you can improve your indoor air quality, kill microorganisms and eliminate odors and chemicals from the air.
Selecting the right air filter for your HVAC system will depend on your specific needs, and in some cases, a combination of the following types of filters may be needed to achieve the desired results:
Standard Air Filters
These air filters are typically included with HVAC systems and are primarily designed to protect your system from damage. If you’d also like to improve your indoor air quality, look for filters with higher MERV ratings, such as pleated filters, which have smaller pores to remove more airborne particles.
HEPA Filters
HEPA filters are made from special materials, such as fiberglass mats, that have been tested to remove over 99.9 percent of particles larger than 3 microns. These include dust, pollen, pet dander, mold spores and even bacteria.
Activated Carbon Filters
These filters use specially-treated carbon to remove odors, gas, volatile organic chemicals, cigarette smoke and other contaminants from the air. These are typically combined with regular filters, because carbon filters can’t remove particulate matter from the air.
Ionic Filters
Ionic filters use electricity to create a negative charge that attracts airborne contaminants, removing them from the air stream. They can also remove extremely small particles form the air, as tiny as 1 micron, kill bacteria and viruses and eliminate smoke and other chemicals.
UV Filters
Commonly used in conjunction with other filters, UV filters utilize ultraviolet light to kill bacteria, viruses and mold spores, which are then removed from the air with a separate filter.
For help choosing the right air filter for your HVAC system, talk to our experts at Marsh Heating & Air Conditioning. We have been serving the Twin Cities area since 1974.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about air filters and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
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