Greetings Central Texas, how were the two months of cooler temperatures? As we all know Spring is around the corner, which means Summer is not too far behind. The long months of hot days, and hopefully cooler nights, are upon us. Regardless of the season or the temperature, and we cannot stress this enough, air filters are important! Not surprisingly, these previous babies should be the first to be addressed when it comes to heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) maintenance. The 20th and 21st century saw vast improvements in living standards, including HVAC. Over the past century the part of filtration has grown to focus on the increasing issue of indoor air quality. Today’s filters have the ability to seize particulates smaller than a red blood cell!
Finding the Filter of Your Dreams
We at Alamo Austin Air Conditioning recommend purchasing a filter with a minimum rating of MERV 7. At this point you are probably thinking, “What does MERV mean?” Well never fear, we are here to help. The Minimum Efficiency Rating Value or MERV was created to provide the public with a relatively easy way to compare the multitude of filtration products. The MERV system does so by tracking a filter’s ability to capture contaminants.
There are many filters to choose from, and each serves its purpose. The question you must answer is, “How much of a purpose do you want your air filter to serve?” The following are the different filters you can choose from:
- Fiberglass filters: The most basic of filters. It is able to remove large particulates.
- Pleated filters: These filters have more surface area and are able to pick up smaller particles.
- Electrostatic filters: These models use an electrical charge to grasp at the contaminants in the air that passes through.
- Electric air cleaners: Much like the electrostatic filters, these filters use electrical charges to clean the air. They differ in their efficiency, electric air cleaners are up to 95% successful.
- Media filters: These filters come in different degrees of thickness, and provide the highest level of filtration.
Your Local HVAC Specialisits
At Alamo Austin Air Conditioning & Heating we do our best to accommodate our patrons wishes. Choosing a filter, or in some cases remembering to change out filters, can be tedious. We are all busy, allow us the privilege to help you take one worry off your list. To set up an appointment or for more information, please click here.