Recent studies show that indoor air quality can actually be worse than outdoor air quality. “If you live in a home with chronically poor air quality, you can experience frequent headaches, long lasting colds, and bronchitis as well as chronic asthma,” says E. Neil Schachter, MD, the medical director of respiratory care at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York. One thing you can do to improve the air quality within your home is to use a filter with a high MERV rating. MERV stands for minimum efficiency reporting value. These ratings range anywhere from 1 to 16. The higher the rating, the better.
High efficiency pleated filters are expensive but well worth it. Hospitals even use them. They are typically made with synthetic cotton and are about 4-5” deep. Typically, the MERV rating is anywhere between 14 and 16. These are especially helpful for people who have respiratory problems or autoimmune disorders. We highly recommend these filters.
Permanent electrostatic filters have a MERV rating of 8. They contain self-charging cotton fibers that attract particles. The filter is removable and usually can be washed in a machine. Usually they have a lifespan of about 6 to 8 years.
Disposable electrostatic filters also contain the self-charging electrostatic cotton or paper fibers. They have a MERV rating of 10. These filters are affordable in standard sizes but they can be rather pricey in custom sizes.
Disposable pleated filters need to be changed quite frequently to avoid clogging. Typically they are made from polyester or cotton paper. They have a MERV rating of 6. This type of filter can add more resistance to air flow which causes your system to work harder. If your system is working harder, it becomes more expensive to operate.
Is there anything else I can do to improve air quality within my home?
There are a number of things you can do to improve the air quality within your home. Adding a whole house H.E.P.A. air cleaner to your home is by far the most efficient way to remove indoor air pollution. You can even take it a step further and add a multivolage UV germicidal air purifying light. These lights help to control germs, viruses, fungi, odors as well as other organic and inorganic particles.
If you are interested in adding a high efficiency filtration system to your unit, contact Accutemp Heating & Cooling at 770-672-6963.
Visit http://www.accutempair.com/ for more information
For more information on indoor air quality, visit: http://www.webmd.com/women/home-health-and-safety-9/indoor-air
