Air Purifier Vs Furnace Filter

To test air purifiers we inject smoke and dust particles into a sealed chamber and measure how well each model removes particles between 0 1 and 1 micron.

Air purifier vs furnace filter.

Replacement filter based whole house air purifiers. An air purifier is capable of targeting smaller particles unlike hvac air filters up to 99 97 of allergens dust mold and other particles like smoke and odors can be removed by an air purifier. While our air quality experts recommend using an hvac air filter they agree that an hvac air filter alone provides inadequate filtration. In essence replacement filter based whole house air purifiers are simply furnace filters for your hvac unit.

Purify the air by removing dangerous fumes and finer particles that an hvac filter doesn t touch. The simplest 1 filters for your furnace prevent hair and larger dust particles from getting into your furnace and reducing its efficiency. We feel the manufacturers concerns are a bit overcautious in part because a recent innovation in air filters permits high merv ratings 11 to 13 with low pressure drop. A clean air filter can help to stabilize your energy bills but an air purifier might increase the costs because they run in addition to your ac system.

Air purifiers she cautioned are not a replacement for what she calls proximal source interventions for instance a hepa air cleaner can reduce particulate matter in the home of a smoker and. Human hair has a diameter of 100 microns. There s nothing wrong with these if you don t suffer from any allergic symptoms. An air purifier cleans the air in one room or living area while an air filter works to clean the air as it circulates in your home.

The difference between air purifiers air cleaners and air filters. These are sold as either a media filter or a more expensive electronic air cleaner to be installed into your hvac unit in lieu of the media filter. 2 so called electret. Air purifiers are often conflated with air filters but they differ slightly said john mckeon md and ceo of allergy standards.

While an air filter is built in to your hvac system an air purifier is a stand alone appliance designed to do one job.