Pleated electrostatic air conditioning filters are our top choice

Air conditioning filters serve several functions: reducing fire risk in the ductwork, protecting the heating and/or cooling coils, and reducing the need for vacuum cleaning and dusting. But what people generally do not consider is that an air conditioning filter can protect us against allergies, bacteria and/or viruses.

The question of what type of air conditioning filter to use goes hand in hand with how effective it should be at removing a particular size of pollutants.

There are several types of air conditioning filter. They are, in order of increasing effectiveness:

• panel type filter,
• electrostatic filter,
• pleated filter,
• pleated electrostatic air filter.

Because the panel type air conditioning filters are basically meant to protect the HVAC system from damage, these fiberglass or polyester filters capture only the largest particles, such as dust and lint.

Pleated filters are of better quality, and are made from cotton or polyester. They are denser than the basic panel type,. These air conditioning filters will capture smaller particles such as spores and mold, pollen, human hair, pet dander, and lint, but most bacteria, viruses, and smoke are not removed.

The fibers of electrostatic filters have a charge, enabling them to capture smaller particles than the previous two 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). To prevent them from quickly become less effective, it’s important to clean or replace these air conditioning filters frequently.

The pleated electrostatic air filter performs best. According to a study by Kinzer, it can capture up to 58% of particles between the size of 0.3 and 1 micron, so even some viruses and bacteria are removed.
Because these hybrid air conditioning filters are such good value, they are our top choice.

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

Whole House Purifiers | Replacement Filters