A whole-house air filtration/cleaning system is arguably the most efficient way of ensuring the good indoor air quality. The filters are usually integrated into the return air ducts to prevent particles and pollutants from passing through. In addition, the filters operate passively, ensuring that air is filtered constantly provided the fan is running.
Different Types of Air Filtration Systems
- Flat filters: These are the most basic air filters, which are commonly used in forced-air furnaces. They’re usually made from matted fiberglass and are primarily designed to trap large dust particles. As such, these filters are ideal for eliminating dust and other debris from the indoor air. In effect, they keep your house clean and improve the air quality. However, these filters do not eliminate microscopic particles such as pet dander, pollen and other allergens.
- Extended media filters: These consist of a pile of air filtration/cleaning media arranged in the form of an accordion. The stack created is more effective than the typical fiberglass filter when it comes to trapping dust, pollen and dander in the air. The bulky size of these filters does require professional installation, however.
- Ultraviolet (UVGI) systems: These are special types of air cleaners that eliminate germs from the indoor air. UV cleaning technology usually comes as an add-on option which is incorporated into whole-house electronic air filtration systems. Flat or extended air filters could be used to remove particles like dust, pollen, smoke and dander from the air as it passes through the system, and when the air reaches the UVGI system, airborne viruses and bacteria are eliminated using a series of ultraviolet lights.
- Electrostatic air cleaners: These cleaners are commonly referred to as electrostatic precipitators. The filter uses a high-voltage current to electrically charge particles in the air as they pass through the ductwork. A collector plate with an opposite charge then grabs the charged particles from the air. Electronic air cleaners are ideal for eliminating minute particles such as smoke particles, which can’t be effectively removed by media filters.
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