By Jim Rosenthal, CAFS Several years ago I wrote an article for this website comparing different commonly available filters for resistance and efficiency (at 0.3um). The article continues to be one of the most popular on our site. There just aren’t many places where one is able to compare filters from various manufacturers. Somehow it … More
Air Filtration
It’s All About the Air Flow Through the Filter
By Jim Rosenthal, CAFS Users of air filters – whether they are residential or commercial – are not interested in filter efficiency. Efficiency is just a number. What they are interested in is whether or not an air filter will protect their HVAC system and provide better indoor air quality in their home or building. … More
How a MERV 13 Air Filter and a Box Fan Can Help Fight Covid-19
By Jim Rosenthal, CAFS A MERV 13 filter and a box fan? It is definitely not a new idea. It has been floating around for years. However, in the era of Covid-19, it is time to take all of the tools out of the toolbox. This simple, inexpensive air cleaning device can remove substantial amounts … More
Is ISO 16890 Adoption Related to PM1 Removal in Indoor Air?
“The World Health Organization (WHO) has stated that air pollution is the greatest threat to human health today. The smallest and most dangerous fraction is PM1. It is so dangerous that we need to protect ourselves against it. The industry is responding. That is why we welcome ISO 16890 – the new industry standard … More
ISO 16890 Should not be Adopted as the US Air Filter Testing Standard – Continued
After publishing this article: https://www.texairfilters.com/the-usa-should-not-adopt-iso-16890-for-air-filter-testing-heres-why/ on Linkedin, we had a very good discussion about the pros and cons of the US adopting ISO 16890 as our air filter test standard. This article is taken from that discussion. I have omitted some comments and the names of participants, have shortened the comments of other participants (although I … More
The USA Should Not Adopt ISO 16890 for Air Filter Testing – Here’s Why
Currently, air filters are tested in the United States according to the procedures described in ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 52.2-2012. This test procedure results in a Minumum Efficiency Reporting Value (MERV) for an air filter. For details of how the test is conducted see other articles on this site. There is a movement to approve the new … More
Importance of Air Filtration
To reduce maintenance and operating costs of the equipment and to provide the level of cleanliness required, and Protecting the general well-being of the occupants of a space; Protecting the décor of occupied spaces by removing the staining portion of airborne dust; Reducing maintenance of building interiors by reducing the freuency of washing such items … More
ASHRAE Research Project Report On Air Filters Raises More Questions Than it Answers
In March of 2013 the results of ASHRAE Research Project Report 1360-RP was made available for distribution. The 415 page Report is entitled “How Do Pressure Drop, Efficiency, Weight Gain, and Loaded Dust Composition Change throughout Filter Lifetime. The Contractor was RTI International and the Principal Investigator was Kathleen Owen. Ms. Owen presented the findings … More
Selecting the Right Filter to Improve Indoor Air Quality
Many HVAC technicians falsely believe that the only type of filter to use in a system is a fiberglass one-month “throwaway.” They are convinced that the only purpose of a filter is to protect the equipment from dust and debris and that the need for the better air flow provided by the fiberglass filter overrides … More
How Concerned Should We Be with the Filtration of Sub-micron Sized Particles in Indoor Environments?
In recent years more and more studies have been published showing that increased levels of sub-micron sized particles in the air result in higher levels of inflammation. This inflammation has been found in the cardiovascular and the respiratory system of exposed individuals resulting in increased morbidity and mortality. Increased levels of heart attacks and asthma attacks … More