By adding air filters to your home's vents, you'll trap and eliminate any allergens before they reach your loved ones inside your home. Those inside your home will likely notice the difference in air quality almost immediately, as their allergy symptoms are greatly reduced. If you're plagued by allergies and have done everything you can to reduce allergens in your home, an air filter might be the solution. Some of the allergy supply companies carry material to cut and put in the ventilation grilles.
These people may know a lot about allergies, but they are unaware of air conditioning systems or indoor environmental hygiene. It is important to note that you should not place filters in the ventilation holes of supplies. Making sure you have a filter with a MERV rating of 6 can help reduce the amount of contaminants that reach the main filter from the house, but ventilation blockages or other problems can mean that even these low-density filters can throttle the oven. A common symptom of this is a house where rooms accumulate dust quickly, while the oven filter remains relatively clean. In contrast, a MERV 13 air filter (which is the highest rating that works with typical HVAC systems in a modern home) will capture 98% of particles between 0.3 and 1 micron in size.
There are filters on the market that claim to be HEPA, but they may not be as efficient, so look for a system that meets true HEPA filtration standards. Vent filters can be a great way to increase the main filter and are useful for homes where the HVAC system stays off for much of the year. Gas phase filters eliminate odors and non-particulate pollution, such as cooking gas, gases emitted by paint or construction materials, and perfume. There are many tasks to do at home, and changing your air filter is probably one of the easiest to forget. But without the right air filters for allergies, you'll keep smelling and sneezing all season long.
While they can't eliminate the problem completely, ventilation filters can also help reduce airborne allergens, such as pet dander and pollen. Controlling pollution and ventilation that cause allergies is more important; there is disagreement over whether filters provide additional relief from asthma in a clean, well-ventilated home. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reports that air filters with MERV ratings between 7 and 13 are your best option for removing some of the airborne particles that cause the biggest health problems. While air filters for your home can have a MERV rating of up to 13, MERV 8 is the highest recommended for ventilation filters. In such cases, adding filters to air returns can reduce the amount of airflow enough to affect the oven.
As with any optional component of an HVAC system, ventilation filters have both positive and negative qualities that can affect whether they will benefit your home. However, some filter manufacturers and retailers have developed proprietary rating systems, such as microparticle performance rating (MPR) or filter performance rating (FPR). Some air filters are designed to trap microscopic particles that can cause an allergy attack or worsen allergy symptoms. In conclusion, vent filters can be an effective way to reduce allergens in your home if used correctly. Make sure you choose an appropriate MERV rating for your HVAC system and replace it regularly for optimal performance. Additionally, controlling pollution and ventilation that cause allergies is more important than using vent filters alone.
