How To Clean Electrostatic Air Filter

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When selecting the type of air filter that you lot apply in your home'south HVAC system, at that place are ii main types of filters: disposable air filters, and electrostatic air filters. While most people apply the one-time, there are a few advantages to using electrostatic air filters.

In this article, I'll discuss what electrostatic air filters are, how they work, and in what situation you should utilize them in your home's AC or heating system.

What are electrostatic air filters?

Electrostatic air filters are air filters that filter out particles by means of static electricity. If you accept seen washable, metal air filters, then those are electrostatic air filters.

In fact, the terms "washable air filter" and "electrostatic air filter" have become interchangeable since most electrostatic air filters are the washable, metal blazon. For the purposes of this commodity, I'g going to be discussing these types of filters.

However, it should exist pointed out that some disposable pleated air filters also utilise electrostatic attraction to filter out particles. So pleated filters are, to some extent, electrostatic air filters too (although their primary means of filtration is mechanical and not electrostatic).

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How practise electrostatic air filters work?

Electrostatic air filters clean air by means of static electricity. If you accept ever rubbed your socks on the carpet then you're already familiar with static electricity and how powerful it can be.

The deviation in charges of particles is what causes static electricity. Electrostatic air filters use this phenomenon to remove particles from the air past attracting the particles to the air filter.

When air flows through an electrostatic air filter, electrical charges are generated in the filter's media that allows the filter to attract particles:

As particles that are suspended in the air stream flow through the air filter, they first pass through a section that charges the particles. This charging is called ionization. Some filters have multiple layers that increases the allure of the particles.

Next, the charged particles pass through a section in the filter that has an reverse charge to the particles. Every bit the charged particles pass through the filtering section, they attract towards the filter media due to their opposite charge. This process is chosen collection since the particles are nerveless in the filter.
Some air filters have multiple layers, so the process can echo several times, filtering out additional particles each laissez passer.

Electrostatic air filter advantages and disadvantages

Using an electrostatic air filter has some advantages:

Lower cost. Even though electrostatic air filters cost more disposable air filters, y'all'll end up saving money in the long run. This is because electrostatic air filters can be washed and reused over and over once more.
Affinity for small particles. Since electrostatic air filters use static electricity to capture particles, they are able to capture pocket-size microscopic particles that disposable pleated filters would normally miss.

Like anything else, using an electrostatic air filter besides has some disadvantages:

Limited efficiency. Electrostatic air filters get less efficient when they get muddied. This is in contrast to pleated filters, which go more efficient the dirtier they get.
Less constructive with increased airflow. At college airflow velocities, electrostatic air filters are not very great at filtering out particles. This is considering they dont take much mechanical means to capture particles, so the electrostatically-attracted particles can be literally ripped off of the filter's collector if airflow velocity is high enough.

How to clean an electrostatic air filter

Its no clandestine that muddied air filters tin can cause problems in your HVAC arrangement. Reduced airflow and increased energy usage are some of the impacts that a dirty filter will cause.

While pleated filters actually get more efficient as they collect particles, electrostatic filters actually get less efficient. This is because the attractiveness of the air filter's collector gets weaker and weaker equally particles build upward on the filter media. Therefore, there is admittedly no benefit to using a muddied electrostatic air filter.

To make clean your electrostatic air filter, follow these steps:

Turn off your HVAC unit. Y'all don't want to exit your Air conditioning or furnace running without a filter. Some people continue a spare filter available to use in their HVAC unit while they are cleaning the main filter.
Carefully remove your electrostatic air filter from the filter rack. The filter rack is usually located in the render duct of the air handler. The air filter can sometimes be located at the render air intake inside your abode. Information technology is is a expert idea to put the filter in a trash bag to prevent whatever dust from falling off the filter inside your home.
Using a water hose, spray the filter's clean side with a stream of water. You lot'll desire to spray water in the direction opposite of the airflow arrow. This is a process known every bit backwashing. Proceed spraying the air filter, ensuring that the entire area is sprayed to dislodge all grit and particles.
Note: Using a sink or bathtub to make clean out your electrostatic air filter is not sufficient. This is because at that place is not enough water pressure to sufficiently dislodge and remove the particles from the filter.
At this point, you lot'll need to assess if a stronger cleaning is needed. It'south normally a good idea to utilize a cleaning solution a few times a year to deep clean your electrostatic air filter.
Ensure that your filter is completely rinsed out – clean, clear h2o should be flowing out of it when you lot spray it.
Get out your filter outside to let information technology dry. Prop information technology up against an object such as the side of your home and ensure that the drain holes are on the bottom to allow excess water to drain out.
Wait for 30 to 60 minutes (or as long as it takes) for the filter to completely dry. It is important that the filter is completely dry earlier reinstalling it into your air handler, so give information technology some additional fourth dimension to dry out out if needed.
Reinstall the air filter into your air handler. The air filter should have an pointer on its side that indicates the direction of airflow. This is very important. The pointer should indicate towards the blower. If the filter is installed in your return register, so the arrow should bespeak towards the wall or ceiling.

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Air-Intendance UOK Electrostatic Air Filter Cleaner

This electrostatic air filter cleaning spray is peculiarly formulated to clean off soil, grime, and other contaminants while maintaining the filter's effectiveness.

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How oft should you clean your electrostatic air filter?

Cleaning your electrostatic air filter is essential to maintaining its effectiveness. Every bit the filter is used, particles build upwards on its collector and reduce the filter's effectiveness.

To maintain summit filter performance, I recommend cleaning your electrostatic filter at least once a month. This ensures that the filter doesn't lose its efficiency, and continues to filter out as many particles every bit it can.

Electrostatic air filter MERV ratings

While some electrostatic air filters are MERV-rated, others are non. That being said, most electrostatic air filters have like efficiency to air filters on the lower end of the MERV scale- around MERV iv to MERV v.

However, if you need a specific MERV rating for your air filter, and then a washable electrostatic air filter may not exist the all-time option. This is considering electrostatic filters lose their filtration efficiency as they get dingy. So that means that the MERV rating of an electrostatic filter will drop as it collects more particles. Another proficient reason to proceed your electrostatic filter make clean!