"All in One"
There’s a kind of obsession these days with devices that let you do everything at once. All-in-one office machines, phones that have internet access, even one-stop-shopping. Not that trying to do everything at once is bad - it just doesn’t work out every time.
Furnace filters are one of those times when trying to do everything at once just doesn’t work. Let’s get one thing perfectly clear, so we can work from common ground: your furnace is NOT an air purifier. It is a heater. And misunderstanding or misusing furnace filters are one of the easiest ways for you to make your furnace work less efficiently.
Sample blower from a furnace
Furnace filters are designed to protect your furnace’s blower - a small but powerful fan - from damage by particles in the air. Clearly, some level of protection is in order, since rocks, leaves. or rodents hanging out with your blower would not be conducive to healthy equipment. However, in order for the furnace to burn fuel and heat your home, air still needs to slip in through the furnace filter. When you get a super-fine furnace filter, not only does it keep inconsequentially small particles out of your furnace, it also makes your furnace work a lot harder to achieve the desired result: a warm house for you to come home to.
IAQ Source put it pretty well in response to the (apparently frequent) query about whether or not HEPA filters can be installed on furnaces. “Unfortunately, HEPA filters restrict too much air to be used as a traditional furnace filter. A HEPA filter is extremely efficient, but a significant amount of air pressure is needed to force air through a HEPA filter. A typical HVAC system will not be equipped to provide enough air pressure to use a HEPA filter - which basically means that no air would blow out of your registers.” By efficient, they mean the HEPA filter works well for its intended purpose: filtering tiny particles out of the air for your respiratory comfort, not helping your furnace work more efficiently.
Air Purifier
For once, there’s a simple fix: If you or someone in your family has allergies, get an air purifier. For your furnace’s good health, buy a cheap, coarse furnace filter and replace it as directed. Don’t buy the expensive, super-”efficient” filters; the only sure thing that’ll accomplish is making you replace your entire furnace sooner. And there’s nothing efficient about that.
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Very good post - I will definitely keep this in mind when it comes time to purchase and replace my own equipment!
Great article. It was really important for me to get an air purifier filter after my daughter was born and we got a dog for her.
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Yes very good article, my daughter has severe allergies. It’s very important to get the right filters and air cleaners.
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-Robert Shumake Fifth Third
Thanks for the good info here. Are you familiar with anything about black mold? We have some in our bathroom and I worry it could actually be making us sick. We’ve removed it several times using various cleaners but nothing seems to work. I read online somewhere else that this type of mold can make you have allergic reactions to other things that you were never allergic to prior to black mold exposure. Any ideas as to black mold treatment and/or how to get rid of it permanently? Thanks.
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