If you’re not sure whether you should opt for a dedicated air purifier or just rely on your hair conditioner, you’re on the right page. In other words, you need to find out if an air conditioner can filter out different types of pollutants, wildfire smoke, or viruses. The sad news is that most air conditioners are not designed for their purpose. If you want to keep your indoor air as clean as possible, you may want to consider a few types of these units. Keep reading to know more.
Dust filters cannot filter smoke
Almost all air conditioning units come with a dust filter inside the indoor unit. The function of these filters is to remove dust to prevent it from blocking internal systems. However, dust filters do not have a significant impact on fine particles, such as smoke. Therefore, you may want to get access to these filters and clean them regularly. This is essential for proper airflow and a functional unit.
Ionization filters can filter the smoke slightly
Depending on the ionization, some types of air conditioners contain air purification filters. And they are available in a wide variety, such as plasma flow and photocatalytic electrical filters. The good thing about ionizing filters is that they can filter smoke. However, manufacturers claim that the units can remove germs, virgins, odors, mold spores, and fine dust.
How does an ionization filter work?
Basically, ions are formed inside the indoor unit of an air conditioner. Basically, they are used to break down or trap contaminants such as bacteria, pollen, and dust. What happens is that they adhere to the contaminant particles. They break down through the oxidation process.
Are ionizing filters installed in HVAC systems?
The good news is that you can find several brands that offer ionization-based filters. You can opt for their premium models to get these benefits.
Disadvantages of these filters
They don’t have any drawbacks. However, it may need to be cleaned and replaced from time to time. For this reason, we suggest that you refer to the instructions for performing these maintenance tasks. It is essential to note that the ionization process can generate some ozone. Therefore, it can irritate your airways.
hepa filters
If you want to filter out the finest particles of mold spores, viruses, pollen, and smoke, we suggest trying a HEPA filter. You can find them in different types of vacuum cleaners and air purifiers. However, they are not installed in air conditioners.
In most cases, HEPA filters can provide their best performance at low airflow levels due to the density of the filter. In other words, you cannot install them on your ducted air conditioners. In the future, we may have home air conditioners that have HEPA filters inside.
Simply put, you can’t use your air conditioners as an air purifier. Therefore, you may want to invest in a separate good quality air purifier to cover your air purification requirements.
