You’re concerned about the indoor air quality in your house, and that’s a good place to start. IAQ in homes is often remarkably poor, four or five times worse than that outdoors. But if you have air filters to improve the air quality, why aren’t you noticing any positive results? If you’re still experiencing the same dusty air, the same number of allergens, the same coughing fits, etc., then something must be wrong—but what?
There are several possible answers to why you aren’t getting the results you want. We’ll look at the most common of them.
The air filter you’re using is the standard one in the HVAC cabinet
This is a common mistake many homeowners make when they think about air filtration. The HVAC system comes with an air filter located on the cabinet where the return air duct connects to the blower. (In some cases, the filter is housed behind the register of the return air duct in the house.) This filter does not improve air quality, however. It protects the inside of the HVAC cabinet from dust and debris. The filter must be regularly changed to keep the HVAC system efficient, but it won’t do much good for cleansing the air.
The air filter has too low of a MERV rating
MERV (minimum efficiency reporting value) is the measurement for the power of an air filter. The higher the number, the smaller the particles it can trap. Most homes have MERV filters around 8. If the filter wasn’t properly selected for the house, it will allow many smaller pollutants to get through it. It’s best to leave installation to professionals, since going with a filter with MERV that’s too high will end up blocking air from moving through the filter as well, creating a whole new set of problems.
There are pollutants in the house a standard filter can’t trap
The filter may be the right MERV for the house and is doing an effective job of stopping larger pollutants. But even smaller contaminants, such as gases, odor molecules, volatile organic compounds, and microorganisms, are slipping through the mesh. Since you can’t go with a more powerful filter without cutting off airflow, the best solution is to have an electronic air purifier installed. With the right type of purifier paired with the filter, you can have 98% of unwanted particles removed from the air.
The air ducts need cleaning
The best filtration system in the world can’t do much about ductwork that’s coated in a layer of lint and other build-up. The HVAC system will keep blowing it into the living spaces each time the blower turns on. This build-up occurs gradually over the years, and the ducts need to have routine cleaning every 3 to 5 years. Not only does professional duct cleaning improve indoor air quality, it makes the HVAC system more efficient.
Our experts are the people you can trust for great air filtration and other solutions for poor indoor air quality in Fairfield, OH. We install filters, a wide range of air purifiers, and perform duct cleaning.
Call on Bartels Heating & Cooling “For a Comfortable Way of Life.” Serving Hamilton, OH and the surrounding areas.