Do Electrostatic Air Filters Work

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When selecting the type of air filter that you lot utilize in your dwelling house's HVAC system, in that location are 2 chief types of filters: disposable air filters, and electrostatic air filters. While almost people utilize the old, in that location are a few advantages to using electrostatic air filters.

In this commodity, I'll hash out what electrostatic air filters are, how they work, and in what state of affairs yous should use them in your habitation's Air-conditioning or heating arrangement.

What are electrostatic air filters?

Electrostatic air filters are air filters that filter out particles by means of static electricity. If you have seen washable, metal air filters, then those are electrostatic air filters.

In fact, the terms "washable air filter" and "electrostatic air filter" have get interchangeable since most electrostatic air filters are the washable, metal type. For the purposes of this commodity, I'm going to exist discussing these types of filters.

However, information technology should be pointed out that some disposable pleated air filters likewise use electrostatic attraction to filter out particles. Then pleated filters are, to some extent, electrostatic air filters equally well (although their primary means of filtration is mechanical and not electrostatic).

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How exercise electrostatic air filters piece of work?

Electrostatic air filters clean air past means of static electricity. If you have ever rubbed your socks on the carpeting then you're already familiar with static electricity and how powerful it can be.

The divergence in charges of particles is what causes static electricity. Electrostatic air filters use this phenomenon to remove particles from the air by attracting the particles to the air filter.

When air flows through an electrostatic air filter, electrical charges are generated in the filter'southward media that allows the filter to attract particles:

As particles that are suspended in the air stream catamenia through the air filter, they first pass through a section that charges the particles. This charging is called ionization. Some filters take multiple layers that increases the attraction of the particles.

Side by side, the charged particles laissez passer through a section in the filter that has an opposite charge to the particles. Equally the charged particles pass through the filtering section, they attract towards the filter media due to their opposite charge. This process is called collection since the particles are collected in the filter.
Some air filters have multiple layers, then the procedure tin can echo several times, filtering out additional particles each pass.

Electrostatic air filter advantages and disadvantages

Using an electrostatic air filter has some advantages:

Lower price. Even though electrostatic air filters cost more than disposable air filters, yous'll terminate upwardly saving money in the long run. This is because electrostatic air filters tin be washed and reused over and over once again.
Affinity for small particles. Since electrostatic air filters apply static electricity to capture particles, they are able to capture small microscopic particles that disposable pleated filters would normally miss.

Like anything else, using an electrostatic air filter besides has some disadvantages:

Limited efficiency. Electrostatic air filters get less efficient when they get dirty. This is in contrast to pleated filters, which become more efficient the dirtier they get.
Less effective with increased airflow. At higher airflow velocities, electrostatic air filters are non very slap-up at filtering out particles. This is because they dont have much mechanical means to capture particles, so the electrostatically-attracted particles can be literally ripped off of the filter'southward collector if airflow velocity is loftier enough.

How to clean an electrostatic air filter

Its no underground that dirty air filters can cause issues in your HVAC system. Reduced airflow and increased free energy usage are some of the impacts that a muddy filter will crusade.

While pleated filters actually get more efficient as they collect particles, electrostatic filters actually get less efficient. This is considering the attractiveness of the air filter's collector gets weaker and weaker equally particles build up on the filter media. Therefore, there is admittedly no do good to using a dirty electrostatic air filter.

To clean your electrostatic air filter, follow these steps:

Turn off your HVAC unit. You don't want to exit your AC or furnace running without a filter. Some people keep a spare filter available to use in their HVAC unit while they are cleaning the main filter.
Carefully remove your electrostatic air filter from the filter rack. The filter rack is unremarkably located in the return duct of the air handler. The air filter can sometimes be located at the render air intake within your dwelling house. It is is a good idea to put the filter in a trash bag to forestall whatsoever dust from falling off the filter inside your habitation.
Using a water hose, spray the filter's clean side with a stream of h2o. You'll want to spray water in the direction reverse of the airflow pointer. This is a process known as backwashing. Continue spraying the air filter, ensuring that the unabridged area is sprayed to dislodge all dust and particles.
Notation: Using a sink or bathtub to make clean out your electrostatic air filter is not sufficient. This is because at that place is not enough water pressure to sufficiently dislodge and remove the particles from the filter.
At this point, you'll need to appraise if a stronger cleaning is needed. It's usually a good idea to use a cleaning solution a few times a year to deep clean your electrostatic air filter.
Ensure that your filter is completely rinsed out – make clean, clear water should be flowing out of it when you spray it.
Leave your filter exterior to let it dry. Prop it up against an object such as the side of your home and ensure that the drain holes are on the lesser to allow backlog water to bleed out.
Wait for 30 to sixty minutes (or every bit long as it takes) for the filter to completely dry out. It is important that the filter is completely dry before reinstalling information technology into your air handler, so requite it some additional time to dry out if needed.
Reinstall the air filter into your air handler. The air filter should have an arrow on its side that indicates the direction of airflow. This is very of import. The arrow should indicate towards the blower. If the filter is installed in your return register, then the arrow should point towards the wall or ceiling.

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How oft should you lot clean your electrostatic air filter?

Cleaning your electrostatic air filter is essential to maintaining its effectiveness. As the filter is used, particles build upward on its collector and reduce the filter'south effectiveness.

To maintain summit filter performance, I recommend cleaning your electrostatic filter at least one time a month. This ensures that the filter doesn't lose its efficiency, and continues to filter out equally many particles as it tin can.

Electrostatic air filter MERV ratings

While some electrostatic air filters are MERV-rated, others are not. That existence said, most electrostatic air filters have similar efficiency to air filters on the lower end of the MERV scale- effectually MERV 4 to MERV 5.

However, if you demand a specific MERV rating for your air filter, then a washable electrostatic air filter may non exist the best option. This is considering electrostatic filters lose their filtration efficiency as they get dirty. So that means that the MERV rating of an electrostatic filter will drop equally it collects more particles. Another adept reason to proceed your electrostatic filter clean!