Electronic Air Cleaners

Why You Need a Whole House Electronic Air Cleaners

Custom Air can install a New Whole house air cleaner to your existing heating and air conditioning system. Your Heating and Cooling System Runs Best When it Runs Clean.

Your heating and cooling system is most efficient when it's has a smooth, unobstructed air flow. Keeping your system clean also prevents particles and contaminants from circulating in your home and affecting the air your family breathes. Whole House Indoor Electronic Air Cleaners can help keep your heating and cooling system clean, and can replace regular duct cleaning.

When installed in your home's heating and cooling system, a Whole House Indoor Electronic Air Cleaner removes up to 98% of airborne particles like dirt and dust, so they don't build up on your equipment. That means your heating and cooling system will run better, require less maintenance and have a longer operating lifecycle.

A standard air filter which you buy at Wal Mart or the local hardware store is only about 10% efficient.

Whole house Electronic Air Cleaners from Custom Air are the only way to clean your building's air to around 94% pure. They are called many things, some of the terms to describe them are, air purifiers, air cleaners, electronic air cleaner, air filters, hepa air filter, negative ion generators, ozone generators, air purification systems, ozonating air purifier. These units are what you would find in a hospital for instance. They are a piece of equipment that must be installed at the furnace. Don't confuse them with " Electrostatic Filters " which are simply a replacement furnace filter which have the ability to trap much more dust. The electrostatic filters are very good on dust but don't do much for people with allergies or sinus problems nor will they do much for tobacco smoke if these are the things causing health problems. They are MUCH cheaper to install than true Electronic Air Cleaners however. We have these units also if that is all you require.

True Electronic Air Cleaners will remove dust, mold, and pollen which lead to many health problems, respiratory problems and asthma. If you have a pet they will get rid of pet dander. The model Sheridan Mechanical Services most often uses is the Honeywell Model F50. There is also a Honeywell 300 available, but other than cosmetics is the same as the F50 and costs more money. We also sell the Trane Electronic Air Cleaner. Your ductwork design will dictate which one we use. A standard air filter that you buy at Walmart is not an electronic air cleaner.

The Electronic air cleaners operate by putting a high voltage charge across electronic cells which are built with metal plates. When dust, pet dander or any minute particle travels through the ductwork and goes through this cell it gets " zapped " with around 14,000 volts but at a low amperage. This zapped particle then is burnt and remains on the cell where it can't go back into the building's air stream. You will hear a snap when a dust particle hits the cell. There are also a couple of "pre filters" which are made of metal mesh. These pre filters catch big dust balls before going to the cells. These pre filters and cells can be washed in your dishwasher, ( recommended by the manufacturer ) using powdered dishwasher detergent, normally every couple of months. When cleaned this way, care should be taken to be sure you run them through a rinse cycle as any residue left on the cells will lead to cell failure eventually. You may have to wash one cell and one pre filter or in other words (2) cycles.

If your doctor prescribes one of these units it may be tax deductible!

We PROMISE, once you have one you won't want to be without it. The lady of the house will see the dusting cut WAY down. Cleaning of drapes and painting will also get cut down. These units even get rid of cigarette smoke! Any Electronic Air Cleaner we install carries a (1) year labor warranty!

To read a report by the E.P.A. on air cleaners click here:

http://www.epa.gov/iaq/pubs/airclean.html

ELECTRONIC AIR CLEANERS

What is Ozone?

Ozone (O3), a 3-atom form of oxygen, is a normal trace element in the earth's atmosphere. Ozone is a different chemical than common oxygen (O2) which supports life on our planet. Like many substances, ozone is beneficial to life and to man, but can also be harmful in excessive concentrations. Ozone is created naturally by the action of the sun on oxygen; it also is created by man as a by-product of processes such as combustion, power generation and operation of common appliances such as sun lamps, copy machines or electric hair dryers.

Do Electronic Air Cleaners produce ozone?

Like other household appliances (hairdryers, mixers and electric fans), the Honeywell Electronic Air Cleaner, and any other high efficiency electronic air cleaner will produce trace levels of ozone when they are running. [In extensive testing of electronic air cleaners performance both in test chambers and in actual homes, under normal operating conditions, ozone levels measured are in the range of .005 to .020 parts per million (PPM), well below indoor safety levels set by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).] For outdoor air, levels above .120 are considered excessively stressing to people with a respiratory illness or who are sensitive to ozone. [In general, levels below .080 are considered acceptable for outdoors, but these levels are often exceeded in some urban areas. The FDA sets .050 with a 24 hour a day exposure as the maximum indoor ozone concentration acceptable.] [An electronic air cleaner can be expected to add about .005 PPM ozone to the steady state indoor level.] As the electronic air cleaner loads with dirt, the level of ozone produced further decreases. Odor perception for ozone varies quite a bit among people. Some people can smell levels as low as .003 PPM. Most people can smell a level of .020 PPM well below the FDA standard. The smell of ozone is not necessarily an indicator the level is above normal, or even near the recommended limit set by the FDA.

How do I Clean My Electronic Air Cleaner Filter Cells?

Using the dishwasher.

Honeywell recommends consulting the manufacturer of your dishwasher before you attempt to wash the electronic cells.

The only recommended washing methods for Electronic Air Cleaner cells are with soaps that are safe for use on aluminum, such as automatic dishwasher detergents.
Do not use Coil Cleaners or Contact Cleaners.
When placing the cells in a dishwasher, set four glasses upside-down to rest the cells on top of. This will protect the cells from the dishwasher spikes that may break ionizing wires, and bend collector plates.
Never allow the cells to go through the drying cycle.
This will "bake on" any materials that were not removed during the wash cycle. Be careful when removing cells after washing. The cells may be hot, and sharp edges may cause cuts. After washing the cells, take a clean cloth and gently wipe down the ionizing wires.
Establish a regular schedule for washing your cells

Using a tub

You may also use a tub with hot water to wash your electronic cells.

Dissolve approximately 3/4 of a cup of automatic dishwasher detergent per cell in a large plastic tub. Let soak for 15-20 minutes. Agitate up and down few times then remove.

My air cleaner is working, but I still see dust in my house. Why?

Air Cleaners will remove dust and other staining particles from the air. Larger dust particles have a tendency to settle out on flat surfaces before they make it to the cold air return. An air cleaner can only remove particles that pass through it. The reason these particles settle on a surface is due to their weight. The air cleaner can not "dust" a home, but it will remove dust particles that make it to the air cleaner. The particles that do not make it to the cold air return will settle out on flat surfaces and will need to be removed by hand. These large particles will begin to appear white because they are no longer being stained by the smaller particles. The smaller staining particles (5 microns or smaller) stay continuously suspended and thus make it to the cold air return. White dust is actually an indicator of air cleaner efficiency.

Your heating and cooling system is no different than your expensive car. Your gas furnace, your oil furnace, your heat pump, your central air conditioners, commercial heating and ac units all require regular maintenance to get the most performance and longest life from your system.

If you would like more information one Whole House Electronic Air Cleaners Please Contact Us