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Allergy-Proof Your Home with an Allergy Furnace Filter
Most Americans are unaware that the air inside their homes or offices can be up to ten times worse than the air outside. Some contributing factors to indoor air pollution can include the following:
Unfortunately for allergy sufferers, the above contaminants can lead to exacerbated symptoms such as allergic reactions, hypersensitivity pneumonitis, asthma, sneezing, watery eyes, coughing, hay fever, and other respiratory disorders. Increasing indoor ventilation and choosing "green" products can help temporarily alleviate allergy symptoms, but investing in a low-cost allergy furnace filter may also keep allergic reactions at bay. Allergy furnace filters are inexpensive, high-efficiency air filters that come in the form of pleated panels. They are often over 90% effective at capturing larger particles such as dust from the air, and are perfect for asthma or allergy sufferers, as they do not use harmful ionizers or ozone to remove pollutants. They are also simple to install and require little to no tools - the filter is simply inserted into the filter opening of your home furnace or air conditioning unit, which then filters out particulates from the air. Some furnace filters can be washed or reused, while many models are actually disposable and can be tossed when dirty.
The two components to a furnace filter usually consist of a frame and filter media. The frame allows the filter to withstand the pressure created by the air conditioning and heating system. When choosing a high-efficiency allergy furnace filter, look for models with highly specialized, synthetic filtration media, such as those from AllergyZone. Such media provides a combination of electrostatic and mechanical filtration to ensure sustained performance. The gradient layer of the media effectively captures particulates while minimizing airflow resistance, and this should not absorb moisture which supports the growth of microorganisms such as bacteria, mold, or fungi. Another factor to consider when choosing a furnace filter is the MERV Rating, which stands for Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value. Derived from a test method developed by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air Conditioning Engineers, the MERV rating is a measure of a filter's ability to capture larger particles between 0.3 and 10 microns, and is extremely helpful in comparing the performance of different furnace filters. The higher the filter's MERV rating, the more effective it is at trapping specific types of particles. Of course, while it is true that allergy furnace filters are very effective at trapping harmful particulates, they are best used in combination with an air purifier as part of an all-out campaign to reduce allergens in the air. |
