Misinformation and fake information dominate the internet these days. It’s so important to do your research form reputable sources, especially before making purchasing decisions related to info you find online. Luckily, Haisma has been working in the HVAC industry for nearly 40 years. We have the knowledge and expertise to give you honest answers about our industry. Let’s start with air filters.
What Air Filters Aren’t Able to Do?
Air filters are vital to your home but have a narrow focus as well. They can’t solve everything. However, in the era of COVID-19, we’ve seen scammers claim their air filtration systems can do much more than they actually can. We know this is dangerous because the situation is dire and we need to take the precautions that will actually help protect us.
Be wary of any product that claims to protect your entire household from the coronavirus. We’ll explain more later on about what air filters actually can do and how they can help improve the health of the members of your household. However, they can’t magically protect yourself from the virus with an air filter alone.
What Can Air Filters Do?
So, we’ve explained why you should distrust air filtration products that claim to protect you fully from the coronavirus. You may be wondering why HVAC professionals strongly recommend that you keep your air filters clean and replaced every month. The reason is that we know air pollution kills. The World Health Organization, or WHO, estimates that 7 million people or more are killed by pollution every single year.
Air filters prevent air pollution from entering your home. They clean the air through a variety of different methods. This cuts out pollutants and contaminants to differing degrees and with their own pros and cons.
Media air filter
In some ways, media air filters are the default. These filters are physical barriers made of disposable pleated polyester or cotton paper. On the MERV scale, which measures how effective a filter is on a scale of 1 to 20, media filters typically fall somewhere in the middle between a 6 and 13. This is more than enough for most homes and HVAC units. This means that pollen and dust will be caught by even the worst media air filters, while the best ones can even filter out cigarette smoke and even microorganisms like bacteria and viruses. This means that in fact the coronavirus can potentially be caught by these filters. However, there is no guarantee that these filters can get everything. Remember that these particles are extremely small.
You may think that the higher MERV filters are always better because they can filter out more. You need to use an air filter with a MERV rating in line with your system’s capabilities. Our technicians can take a look at your system and make sure you’re getting the right air filter for your system.
Electronic Air Filter
Electronic air filters are a very different kind of filter but are just as effective. Electrical charges can trap contaminants. Unlike the media air filter, this technology doesn’t need to be replaced. Additionally, we can clean these filters very easily.
UV Disinfectant
Just as the sun’s UV rays can kill your skin cells and cause a sunburn. UV light can be used to kill harmful cells like bacteria and viruses. UV light is being utilized in hospitals as an alternative to wiping down surfaces with traditional disinfectants. You can get a unit in your home as well, but remember that COVID-19 is primarily spread through direct contact with an infected person.
If you need an Indoor Air Quality Assessment, fill out an online contact form or call us at (616) 319-2121. We take the health of our technicians and customers seriously. We’ve taken steps to keep you safe while we work on your home.
