Most homeowners, including ones in the Trenton, IL area, can become concerned about the air quality of their homes. This is the reason why most homeowners install a top-quality air filter into their HVAC system. The most popular form of filter is the HEPA filter, which uses medical-grade standards to filter the air in your home. However, this type of filter may not be well suited for every home.
Higher Filtration Isn’t Always Better
The minimum efficiency reporting value (MERV) system is what rates a filter’s efficiency. This scale ranges from 1 to 16 and the higher the number the more powerful and effective the filter is at guaranteeing good indoor air quality. The average panel filter typically has a MERV rating range of 1 to 4. This means that standard filters remove air particles no smaller than 3 to 10 microns.
The HEPA filters are very different from the standard filters as they are above even a 16 on the MERV scale. This means that these air filters remove 99.97% of particles, down to a size of .3 microns. Not only does it reach that small, but it also filters out 95% of particles as small as 0.1 microns. This may seem great, however, remember with an increase in filtration efficiency comes more restrictions to a system’s airflow.
HEPA filters can cause airflow restrictions in the air conditioning systems of your home, which decreases energy efficiency, reduces performance, and can cause a pressure imbalance that diminishes indoor air quality. These are just a couple of reasons why HEPA filters are not the most ideal for all types of homes.
Different HEPA Filter Options
After you have consulted with a trusted local HVAC technician at Baer Heating & Cooling, we will check to make sure the HEPA filter is right for your HVAC system. We also can install an external HEPA filter as an alternative, which is perfect for homes with smaller air ducts. This external system works the same but allows for the air duct to not be so restricted by an in-duct HEPA system.
Baer’s Heating and Cooling is there to make sure that your HVAC unit is running at its best. This includes installing HEPA air filter systems. If you are having any issues with your air conditioning unit, feel free to give us a call or check out our other pages for more information on the services we provide.
