Electronic Air Filters For A Furnace?

[jr37]

Does anyone use an electronic air filtering system on your heating/ air condition system? What are your feelings on how good it works? How often do you have to change the filters and how much are they?

We have wood heat, and air, and are considering this type of unit. Everything about it sounds good, and should definately give us cleaner air in the house. I just wonder if the cost is worth it. As always, any feed back is appreciated. Thanks.

 

[ezra]

I am in alot of houses and of the houses that have say the honeywell in line electronic filter well over 1/2 have the electronic filter out and a wide fabric filter in its place.why dont know never ask but I do notice it alot.

 

[peter]

I have installed many "Trane Clean Effect" air cleaners they claim to be 99.9% effective as far as removing airborn stuff. Most my customers have said they notice a difference. I think the key thing to do with electronic air cleaners is to keep them clean. Also a lot of hvac guys dont know is the trane clean effects has to be set up properly and adjusted for your home, there is power levals and settings for this air cleaner. You can read up on them on Trane's website www.trane.com

Honeywell has had electronic air cleaners for years and years. More then half the ones I see don't work or have been converted to media style filter "not cost effective to repair". These to also work better when the cells are properly cleaned.

I have Aprilaire Spacegaurds on my furnaces which is a media type. Aprilaire has a few different kinds just media type or electronic media "model 5000". Mine are electronic media which have a electronic cell and a media. The media is a paper like material kinda like a coffee filter, so it gets all the little stuff and electronic part kills oders, mold, bacterias and what ever else might be in the air. The media part gets change 1-2 times a year and wash the electronic part 1-2 times a year. Never had a problem with them.

I also have UV lights in my ductwork systems to kill oders, mold, bacterias, and anything else. My son has Asthma so I put all the bells and whistles on my hvac system to improve the air in the house for him. And besides I'm a hvac guy so why not have the bells and whistles. Also I have variable speed fan motors in my furnaces, so I can run the fan 24/7 for constant air cleaning and get a more stedy even temperture though out the house.

 

[mjkaliszak]

peter: good post
Obviously.... the hvac guy's that did my house could have learned a few things from you. The builder was supposed to provide a balanced heating & cooling system and I have far from that. Not to high-jack this thread but is it worth having the ducts cleaned ? ( Rhetorical question answer is always yes ???
I have a aprilair media style 2200 filtering system , been looking into electronic filtering over the years but was never convinced that upgrading & retrofitting would be worth it. My kids have allergies.

 

[peter]

peter: good post
Obviously.... the hvac guy's that did my house could have learned a few things from you. The builder was supposed to provide a balanced heating & cooling system and I have far from that. Not to high-jack this thread but is it worth having the ducts cleaned ? ( Rhetorical question answer is always yes ???
I have a aprilair media style 2200 filtering system , been looking into electronic filtering over the years but was never convinced that upgrading & retrofitting would be worth it. My kids have allergies.

Duct cleaning is good PROVIDED you use a good company and spend the money to do it right. So many scam type duct cleaning companys out there.
Here in the Chicagoland area a good duct cleaning will take 4-5 hours and cost around $400-500 for the avrage home. A scam company will send coupons in the mail $99 duct cleaning and carpet cleaning. Stay away from them. They will come in your house hook up machine to your system for a hour and try to sell air freshner and other stuff then be gone in a hour.
We use General duct cleaning from Antioch IL. been using them for years. They have long time employees and good rep. They also build the duct cleaning equipment for many other companys.
This might be some help to find a good company in your area www.nadca.com

What I like about the 2200 spacegaurd is they are fail proof nothing realy to break. If your considering electronic reserch the Trane clean effects cost little bit more then others but maybe worth it. I installed one of Tranes Prototype clean effect air cleaner for the chicagoland area before they hit the market. They did 3-4 months of testing air quality before and after the install. This house had dogs, cats, rabbits, kids, and other pets in the house. Seeing is beliveing it did make a difference in the air quality.

The reason I do not have them in my house is I already had the aprilaire air cleaners in my house when they came out. Most likly would have them if they were out when I did my systems.

 

[snowbuff]

I had one on my furnace and ended up taking it out. Didn't notice any difference. Didn't think it was worth the trouble but, thats just me.

 

[xcr440]

I had one in my old house in the Twin Cities.

At that time I lived with a smoker (Ugh, never again) and a pretty obnoxious smoker at that, but I must say, it really did a good job of removing the smoke from the house, I was pretty impressed actually. And when that thing got dirty, and needed cleaning, I could tell immediately. It starts "snapping" when dirt starts to collect on it, so that was kind of annoying, but that was the sign to wash it in the laundry tub with soap and water, and it was good to go again. I suppose I cleaned it every couple months with that smoker in the house.

Would I have one again? Probably not, because I will NEVER live with a smoker again.

 

[stealthv]

Had the Trane Clean Effects installed two years ago and beyond an annual 3 minute vacuuming to clean it, the filter system is invisible. Don't miss buying filters at all.

 

[Magnumb]

I have also read that these EAC filters put out Ozone. Not sure how much or if it could prove to have ill effects. I'll be moving to the paper filter after my reno is complete. When this unit was 1st turned on it smelled like chorline for about a month.

 

[frnash]

I have also read that these EAC filters put out Ozone. Not sure how much or if it could prove to have ill effects. I'll be moving to the paper filter after my reno is complete. When this unit was 1st turned on it smelled like chorline for about a month.

Ooooh, Ozone! So dangerous!

When I was in the hospital, as a kid, for a tonsillectomy, the hospital had an ultraviolet ozone generator above the door to each room, as a source of ultraviolet germicidal irradiation! (Of course that was a few thousand years ago. )

Ozone is also routinely produced by lightning.

How did I ever survive?

 

[yamahauler]

Ozone can kill but I would think it would take a lot. I know if you put a ozone machine in your house and you are in there, you are definitely going to be dead (I know obvious). Ozone does do a great job a getting rid of smells in the house, hence why they maybe use it.

 

[chords]

I had an electronic filter eon's ago installed new with furnace in a non smoking house. It continuely made a snapping noise like a bug zapper. I soaked and brushed in a tub, dishwashered it, kept it clean. Maybe the duct's kicked up dirt particles. But I won't ever have one again.

 

[freezinbevr]

Peter- Great advise!! We just took a system out for replacement (I wish I took a picture) the other day which had a Electronic Air Cleaner installed in it 17 yrs ago and the AC coil was completely friggin' plugged!! I see more negatives than positives when it comes to the operation of an air system from the debris they let thru. We are not a Trane dealer, but I have heard the Clean Effects is actually a decent system. Good 4 inch media filter changed 2-3 times a year may seem like a lot of money, but when it comes to keeping the equipment clean and at optimum efficiency, a good 4 inch media filter is the way to go! MERV 10 Good, 12 Better, 13- Even Better, Merv 16- BEST (as close to HEPA as you can get without killing your airflow). Lots of options out there for accessories, all cost money to install and maintain. We try to do a progressive approach with our clients to see what actually works for their exact situation and the different Merv rating filters is HUGE!! Talk to a TRUSTED HVAC person not on commision and you will be happy. Give me a call if you want to discuss.
Brad-612-282-2352

 

[peter]

Peter- Great advise!! We just took a system out for replacement (I wish I took a picture) the other day which had a Electronic Air Cleaner installed in it 17 yrs ago and the AC coil was completely friggin' plugged!! I see more negatives than positives when it comes to the operation of an air system from the debris they let thru. We are not a Trane dealer, but I have heard the Clean Effects is actually a decent system. Good 4 inch media filter changed 2-3 times a year may seem like a lot of money, but when it comes to keeping the equipment clean and at optimum efficiency, a good 4 inch media filter is the way to go! MERV 10 Good, 12 Better, 13- Even Better, Merv 16- BEST (as close to HEPA as you can get without killing your airflow). Lots of options out there for accessories, all cost money to install and maintain. We try to do a progressive approach with our clients to see what actually works for their exact situation and the different Merv rating filters is HUGE!! Talk to a TRUSTED HVAC person not on commision and you will be happy. Give me a call if you want to discuss.
Brad-612-282-2352

Funny thing is I to pulled out a coil the other day to that was plugged solid. Customer was telling me he saw ice on the lines, and his heat durning the winter would short cycle. Wonder why?? Furnace had to be trip limit. Got him set up with a spacegaurd filter. Wont have that problem anymore.
I have pulled out coils with a old spacegaurd or media filter and coil look almost new, super clean.