Air Purifiers

Now we are into a subject that has a lot of controversy. I will be attaching report links for ozone, ionization, and UV light over the next couple of weeks. I have had the best experience with a unit that uses ozone, ionization, UV light and active pure technology. I will not mention the brand here, but if you want more information go to my website www.rlenvirocare.com . Sharper image used ionization only for years, which works fine for just dust particles--doesn't do much for bacteria.
There are a few brands out there right now. What you want is to eliminate dust from your breathable air, kill odors, kill bacteria on surfaces, and clean the air of other VOC's and pollutants.
Look for links over the next few weeks.

Electronic Air Cleaners

Hello again,
Most people feel that electronic air cleaners will be the most efficient air filtration there is. On the surface this is correct. The EAC (electronic air cleaner) will remove about 90%-95% of the particulate matter in your air using a process of prefiltering through some aluminum filters and then ionization to charge the dust particles so they will stick to the plates. This of course only happens to the air passing through the EAC itself.
These are great for keeping the dirt out of your airflow. The price tag is about 600.00--800.00 for most of them plus installation.
These need to be cleaned every 30 days on schedule. Most of the newer ones have a reminder alarm of some sort to help home owners remember. It is critical that the cleaning is done--otherwise dirt can get into the contacts and components. This will burn the components out and the repair price tag is quite expensive.
There are many models out there--every manufacturer seems to have their own--Honeywell, Carrier, Trane, Lennox etc.
Study the specifications carefully--watch for the efficiency drop per hours of use.
Next time air purifiers.

Electrostatic Filters

We have discussed disposable filters, pleated filters, and washable filters. Now I want to address the electrostatic filters. There is much hub-bub about these filters. One school of thought says they are too restrictive, while the other praises their efficiency in removing particulate from the air. Here is my experience: I have found the electrostatic filter to be very efficient (90%) in removing particulates and pollen from the airflow, however they need to be washed frequently--sometimes every two weeks because of the larger dust that will clog the surface and cause air restriction. This can be very harmful to furnace heat exchangers and cause freezing on air conditioning coils. The electrostatic filter needs to be washed frequently and sized in such a way to allow plenty of air flow through the return air ducting. I used Lifetime Filters in many installations and had great success with them. I was also able to get free replacement if the filter malfunctioned, clogged or came apart.
Bottom line check your filters, or better yet schedule changes based on filter type and use.
The best solution is of course a maintenence program from a reputable HVAC contractor.
Next time we'll look into electronic air cleaners.