People spend approximately 90% of their time indoors, with a majority of that time in residential settings. Indoor environments can have two to five times (or more) pollutants than outdoor environments and can potentially have a significant impact on health. Throughout the years, the dangers associated with poor indoor air quality (IAQ) have become much more widely understood and recognized, resulting in greater efforts to resolve the problem.
The sources of indoor air pollutants are varied. They range from compounds introduced through outdoor air exchange to the off-gassing of building materials and cleaning chemicals to by-products of combustion to biological contaminants, all of which contribute to poor air quality. In recent years, standards focused on improving indoor air quality have emerged. For example, California’s revision of building code Title 24 increased the level of filtration from MERV 8 to MERV 13 for residential buildings. Split duct systems with mesh dust screens are moving to proper filters with improved filtration efficiency and whole-house air cleaners (WHACs) with efficiency levels up to MERV 16.
What Is the Role of Filters in Residential HVAC Systems?
Long-term exposure to poor IAQ can result in allergies, asthma, cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases, immune dysfunctions, and even human infertility. Utilizing proper filters can significantly improve air quality and keep HVAC system coils and ducts clean so the system can continue to work efficiently.
What Types of Filters and Filter Media Are Used in Residential HVAC Systems?
ASHRAE 52.2 is commonly used to rate filtration efficiency in residential settings. Ashrae 52.2 prescribes a MERV rating where a higher number reflects higher effectiveness in removing fine particles. Similarly, there are a host of other proprietary standards in the market utilizing similar principles of grading filtration performance.
In residential forced air HVAC systems, the most commonly used filters are pleated filters with pleats between 1 to 2 inches in height. These filters are commonly referred to as furnace filters. The filter media is often wire backed by the filter manufacturer and then pleated and framed into a filter.
In HVAC systems, the filter varies with regard to construction, pleat height, and material. The filter media ranges from Electret media to pleatable synthetic media to microfiber glass media and MFM combi-filters to remove VOCs and household odors.
In split duct systems, low-efficiency mesh filters have been historically used but can be upgraded to provide meaningful levels of filtration performance.
Why Choose H&V’s Residential HVAC Filter Media Solutions?
H&V offers a comprehensive product line for residential HVAC filtration applications, including:
- Technostat® – Technostat is the leading electret filter media in the market for MERV 11-13. It offers the lowest pressure drop for any given efficiency and great dust-holding capability.
- AlphaPerm® – AlphaPerm is composite media for pleated filters. It is the leading meltblown media in the market.
- MFM combi-media – H&V’s MFM media enables VOC and odor removal in residential filters by combining activated carbon in a composite with a particulate filtration layer.
- NanoWave® – NanoWave is an extended surface area filter media that provides unmatched stability in high-efficiency filtration in a multi-layer synthetic composite.
- Low-energy Ashrae glass – H&V low pressure drop Ashrae Microfiber glass media is used to provide mechanical filtration properties with excellent dust-holding capability.
- Nanoweb® – Nanoweb is H&V’s synthetic low pressure drop mechanical filter media.
- Composite media – H&V offers a wide variety of composite media for this market space, such as our MFM, AlphaPerm, NanoWave, Technostat, and Nanoweb.
At Hollingsworth & Vose, we specialize in advanced filtration materials for creating a cleaner world. Our extensive expertise, broad process capabilities, and global footprint make us a worldwide leader in filtration. Contact us today to learn how we can improve your filtration performance.