Filters Work with Arizona Air Conditioners to Purify the Air You Breath
In our last post we discussed ultraviolet germicidal irradiation and ozone generators as two methods to purify the air you breathe. The most effective method for treating the air rather than the coils is duct systems that are in-line of your Arizona air conditioners. These systems are placed in the center of the duct and parallel to the air flow and are known as filter based purification. They trap airborne particles by size exclusion. Air is forced through a filter and particles are physically captured by the filter. There are several options to consider.
HEPA filters remove at least 99.97 of 0.3 micrometer particles, and are usually more effective for particles which are larger or slightly smaller. They are effective down to 0.01 micrometers in many cases, but become ineffective for particles smaller than 0.01 micrometer. HEPA purifiers which filter all the air going into a clean room must be arranged so that no air bypasses the HEPA filter. In dusty environments, a HEPA filter may follow an easily cleaned conventional filter (pre-filter) which removes coarser impurities so that the HEPA filter needs cleaning or replacing less frequently. HEPA filters do not generate ozone or harmful byproducts.
Filters for HVAC systems at MERV 14 or above are rated to remove airborne particles of 0.3 micrometers or larger. This is the most common filter used in residential Arizona air conditioners. A high efficiency MERV 14 filter has a capture rate of at least 75% for particles between 0.3 to 1.0 micrometers. Although the capture rate of a MERV filter is lower than that of a HEPA filter, a central air system can move significantly more air in the same period of time. Using a high-grade MERV filter can be more effective than using a high-powered HEPA machine at a fraction of the initial cost. Unfortunately, most furnace filters are slid in place without an airtight seal, which allows air to pass around the filters. This problem is worse for the higher-efficiency MERV filters because of the increase in air resistance. High efficiency MERV filters are usually denser and increase air resistance in the central system, requiring a greater air pressure drop and consequently increasing energy costs.
Lastly properly sealed duct work to prevent leakage is very important. You can have all the filters in the world but if the ducts of your Arizona air conditioning system leak, you will never have clean air.
As you can see there are different choices for purifying the air in your home. Most qualified HVAC contractors can properly evaluate your home and recommend the best route for you.
