Turn Your Furnace into a “Whole-House Filtration System” with a HEPA filter.

Asthma, allergies, and general breathing difficulties have led to an increased and more intensive movement to improve home air quality. Indoor air quality contamination is most often accidental and simply a result of home neglect – resulting in dust and mold inside the ventilation system.

A common remedy for poor indoor air quality is replacing the furnace filter. While normal furnace filters don’t entirely eliminate toxic materials, they do help to remove much of the contaminants finding their way into the airflow, and thus create cleaner air inside the home. All furnace filters are designed to protect indoor air from contamination. However, too often furnace filters are not purchased for their efficiency, or their purifying abilities, but for their short-term cost. As you will find by doing a small amount of research, investing in quality furnace and air filters is more cost effective in the long run, and is much healthier.

Recently, some families have invested in electrically-charged ionizer plates which capture contaminated particles to relieve asthmatics from their symptoms. Unfortunately the ionizer byproduct is an ozone, which, when expelled into the air, compounds poor indoor air quality. Some marketers claim the ozone kills bacteria and mold, when it is, in effect, counterproductive to healthy breathing. Read our recent article about the Ionic Breeze Air Cleaners, and why they are not a smart investment.

Doctors are often advising patients instead, to turn their furnaces into “whole-house filtration systems,” by installing high MERV (minimum efficiency reporting value) furnace filters, and continually running the furnace fan. HEPA filters typically have MERV ratings in the highest 13-16 range. HEPA filters are the most commonly used high efficiency air filters. They typically capture 99.7% or more particulates, 0.3 microns or larger. When HEPA filters are used as furnace filters, they improve indoor air quality by helping remove dust. HEPA furnace filters are invaluable investments which lengthen the life of your furnace and improve the health of your family.

To view a list of HEPA filters for sale online click HERE.