Pleated air filters function better when they have an electrostatic charge

There are several types of furnace filter: fiberglass or polyester furnace filters, electrostatic filters, and pleated air filters. Of the three, pleated air filters are usually the most effective.

Fiberglass or polyester furnace filters can remove only up to 75% of the larger particles, and only up to 2% of particles between 0.3 and 1 micron (medium sized particles). They have therefore virtually no effect on airborne materials that cause allergies or sickness.

The fibers of electrostatic filters have a charge, and this enables these filters to capture smaller particles than by ordinary mechanical filtration methods. They can generally remove up to 95% of the larger particles, and up to 20% of medium sized particles (0.3 to 1 micron). They need to be cleaned regularly or replaced regularly, otherwise they quickly become less effective.

Pleated air filters remove up to 99% of larger particles, and up to 55% of the medium sized particles.
This means they are reasonably effective at removing micro particles and allergens such as pet dander, mold, some bacteria, carpet lint, dust mite feces, and pollen.

Pleated air filters can also be electrostatically charged to trap even smaller particles than 0.3 microns.

Also, if these filters have been electrostatically charged, such as the 3M filtrete, they can capture up to 73% of medium sized particles, making these hybrid filters very good value.

Pleated air filters are usually made from cotton or polyester, and have a larger surface area than the other two filter types. It’s important to replace them regularly – every three months or so, or they might start to release some of the pollutants back into the air.

Most filters are 1” thick, and the filters are available in a variety of sizes, so make sure that you know what size to purchase.

There are also thicker pleated air filters on the market 4”, 5” or 6” thick. They are more effective, but make sure that your system has the capacity to accept them.

Finally, these filters all help with removing airborne pollutants to various degrees, and not only work when the conditioning/heater is on, so here’s a tip.
When spring comes around, and somebody in the household starts to suffer from hay fever, turn the fan on only. They’ll thank you for it!

For more information on related products, please choose from the following:

Whole House Purifiers | Replacement Filters