With an increased focus on the healthy ventilation of indoor spaces, facility managers and building owners are proactively investigating ways to improve the indoor environment for their tenants and customers.
HVAC filters provide an important barrier between your HVAC system and the air that recirculates throughout your building. Therefore, they are one of the essential tools that can be used to reduce contaminants in your air conditioning systems.
While the degree of filtration depends on the filter MERV (Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value) rating, there’s a range of criteria to consider when selecting the right level of filtration to suit your type of building and the problem that you need to address.
For one of our key customers who is responsible for the safe operation of facilities operating 24/7, we chose MERV 13 filters for a number of reasons:
- MERV 13 filters provide excellent filtration, filtering out small particles effectively including mould, bacteria, pollen, dust and dust mites, smoke (including smoke from cooking oil), smog and virus carriers, preventing it from moving through the ductwork and into the indoor environment.
- Using MERV 13 filters avoid significant drops in pressure, which would negatively affect the efficiency of the HVAC plant.
According to ASHREA’s Epidemic Task Force*, recommendation measures to reduce airborne infectious aerosol exposure include using filters or a combination of filters and cleaning that achieves a MERV 13 performance.
As with any filter system, it is important to change filters regularly so that dirt and and contaminants don’t build up, restricting air movement and culminating in a more significant pressure drop.
If you would like to find out more about this essential measure, please contact Wissam Salama on 1300 728 310.
*As published on the ASHREA website on January 2021 – Core Recommendations for Reducing Airborne Infectious Aerosol Exposure