Air filters are designed to remove particulates from the air that is passing through them. The furnace in your Orange County, CA, home has a filter that removes the most substantial particulates from the air circulating through your HVAC system. However, there are often many contaminants that still make their way through and into your ducts and living spaces. There are different types of filters and filtration that you can utilize in your home to reduce contaminants and improve indoor air quality.
1. Considering MERV Ratings
The minimum-efficiency reporting value, or MERV for short, reflects how many particulates can be removed using a specific filter. A high-rated filter removes more particulates than one that has a low MERV rating. While you might be inclined to invest in as high of a MERV-rated filter as you can find, this isn’t a smart choice. Some furnaces won’t be able to handle the restriction in airflow that occurs with MERV filters over 12 or so. We can provide you with guidance regarding the type of filter that your furnace can handle.
2. Consider High-Efficiency Particulate Air Filters
High-efficiency particulate air filters, or HEPA for short, can remove as much as 99.97% of particulate matter in your indoor air. However, this is another situation where your furnace may not be able to handle the restrictiveness of this filter type. If you have a portable air purifier in your home or a whole-house unit, it may be able to use a HEPA filter. These filters are effective at removing mold spores, pollen, pet dander, dust, and more. HEPA filters are usually changed once every 30 to 90 days.
3. Include Activated Carbon Filtration
Some filters are combined with activated carbon to provide better results for your indoor air quality. Activated carbon does a great job of removing odors from your air. It also removes volatile organic compounds. These VOCs are often offgassed from new building materials, chemical-based cleaning products, air fresheners, paint, and more. They can be very dangerous to your health, resulting in symptoms like fatigue, headaches, nausea, and dizziness.
4. Pleated HVAC Filters as an Option
Basic pleated HVAC filters are generally the most affordable option you can find. However, they may need to be replaced more frequently than some of the upgraded options. Expect to change your pleated filter once every 30 days or so.
5. Opting for Washable Filters
Some homeowners choose to invest in washable filters instead of using ones that need to be replaced every few months. These filters can last a few years at a time and don’t need to be washed very frequently. However, people who suffer from allergies tend to prefer a filter that is completely new and clean. Some particulate matter can be left behind on a washable filter no matter how well you think you have cleaned it.
6. Considering Upgraded Filtration
If you feel as though your traditional furnace filter isn’t doing a good enough job of promoting healthy indoor air quality, we recommend having whole-house filtration installed. You may be familiar with the portable air filters that are affordable and can be moved from one room to another. While they can do a good job of removing contaminants from your indoor air, they don’t address enough square footage at once. You can have equipment installed right onto your HVAC system that will purify all the air passing through your system and ductwork. This improves the quality of your home’s indoor air entirely without having to worry about moving equipment.
Just make sure that you’re keeping up with the filters that are in your whole-house equipment. There is usually an additional filter as well as the one you’re using in your furnace. Depending on what kind of contaminants are in your air, we can recommend the type of filtration equipment that will do the best job. There are additional features you may want to consider as well to further improve indoor air quality.
UV Light Technology
While UV-C light doesn’t have the ability to remove particulate matter from your air, it can damage the DNA of bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens. This prevents these microbes from reproducing and thriving so they cannot make you sick. UV light filtration can be added to your HVAC system along with whole-house filtration.
Electrostatic Filtration
This type of filter doesn’t use replaceable filters at all. Rather, electronically charged particulates are collected on oppositely charged collection plates. You are required to periodically remove the collection plates and clean them. These units do an excellent job of removing particulate matter from your air. They often remove as much as 99.97% of contaminants.
7. Spotting Signs of Indoor Air Quality Issues
There are several things you should watch out for that indicate you are experiencing poor indoor air quality. This may be caused by a dirty or inefficient air filter.
Increase in Allergy Symptoms
Allergy symptoms include things like a runny nose, itchy eyes, coughing, sneezing, and itchy skin. If you notice an increase in your allergy symptoms that is not attributed to a rise in outdoor pollen, poor indoor air quality may be to blame. We encourage utilizing an indoor air quality assessment to determine what kind of contaminants are in your home.
Bad Smells
Does your home smell musty, moldy, or stale? You may have poor ventilation or a high prevalence of particulate matter present. You can rectify this situation with an upgraded filter or enhanced filtration. Our team can check your indoor air for mold, which is something that should be addressed immediately to prevent serious health issues.
Also pay attention to any cooking odors or cleaning smells that linger for a long time. This can indicate poor ventilation in your home. Use exhaust fans frequently to promote a healthy exchange of air between the outside of your home and indoors.
Condensation on Surfaces
If you have condensation that forms on windows, mirrors, and other surfaces, the humidity level in your home may be too high. Relative humidity should remain between 30% and 50%. Anything higher than 50% can lead to mold growth, uncomfortable indoor air, and a high prevalence of particulate matter as humid air holds on to more particulates.
Dirty Home Surfaces
If you notice that the surfaces in your home are getting dirty quickly even after you’ve cleaned them, there may be a lot of particulates in your air. You can reduce their prevalence using enhanced filtration or upgraded filters.
If you are interested in learning more about the type of filter that you are using in your home and how you can improve your indoor air quality, reach out to our team here at White Mechanical, Inc.. We are happy to provide a variety of indoor air quality services, as well as routine inspections, maintenance, and service for your HVAC system. We also offer air duct cleaning, commercial refrigeration services, and maintenance agreements.
Contact White Mechanical, Inc. in Orange County today to schedule an appointment.
