How HVAC Filters Impact Indoor Air Quality
Average Atlanta homeowners spend nearly 90% of their time indoors. For the
infants, the elderly and the urban residents, this percent of time is likely to
be higher. Studies show that indoor air pollution can be two to fives times to
sometimes 100 times higher than outdoor air pollution. This puts the citizens to
a greater risk of contracting various diseases from indoor air pollutants. In
fact, the US Environmental Protection Agency, EPA ranks poor indoor air quality
one among the top five public health risks. Common diseases and symptoms
associated with poor indoor air quality are:
· Asthma · Allergy · Headaches · Breathing Difficulties · Dizziness
In schools, colleges and offices, discomforts from poor
indoor
air quality promotes absenteeism and loss of working days. Maintaining
proper indoor air quality is, therefore, very important for health and
productivity. The Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) system of a
building plays a crucial role in maintaining proper ambience and quality of
indoor air. The efficiency of the system in terms of maintaining good indoor air
quality and saving energy depends to a large extent on the HVAC Air Filters and
their effective functioning. This is making the market demand of the HVAC Air
Filters increase steadily and reports indicate that this market is expected to
grow with a compound annual growth rate of 4.7% till 2011, posting sales past
the $1 billion dollar mark by that time.
There are many types of HVAC Air Filters in the market. The commonly used ones
are:
· Automatic Roll Filters · Disposable Panel Filters · Pleated Filters · Medium
and High Efficiency Bag Filters · Mini Pleated Filters · Rigid Cell Filters ·
Bulk Media and Pre-cut Pads
Filter efficiency is usually the determining factor in deciding the choice of
HVAC Air Filters. How well the filter removes the contaminants determines the
efficiency of the filter. To keep the lint and dust from clogging the heating
and cooling coils of an HVAC system, low-efficiency filters are mostly used. For
removing bacteria, pollen, soot and other small particulates, the medium and
high efficiency filters are generally used. The medium efficiency pleated filter
is most commonly used in buildings. It effectively removes particles that
contribute to most of the indoor air quality problems. They do not clog as
frequently as the high efficiency filters, as these high-efficiency ones have
greater affinity for airborne particles and get clogged quickly. Modern filters
use synthetic media comprising thermally bonded, continuous hydrophobic
polyolefin fibers that are moisture resistant and thus resist bacterial growth.
They also resist shedding and thus keep away shed fibers from the HVAC Coils and
the air that we breathe. There are some set industry standards for HVAC Air
Filters. Apart from checking into these features, you must look into the aspects
of moisture resistance, temperature compatibility and flammability before
selecting the HVAC Air Filter. For best results, you must ensure proper
maintenance of the Air Filters and keep the HVAC ductwork clean. Filters should
be changed at specific intervals and the replacement and maintenance
specifications of the manufacturing company should be adhered as far as
possible.
About the Author
The author writes for KPO2INDIA (
http://www.kpo2india.net ), a leading content development organization
for web articles, ebooks, business essays, medical writing, financial and
investment subjects etc.
"-
At the current time, we use the home warrantee company for all the
components in our home, with the exception of our air conditioner
and heating unit, where we continue to contact Betts Heating & Air
for all the essential repairs to our system." --
Michael and Melinda Kennedy,
Acworth GA
