FILTRATION PART ONE:
Sure, you quickly said the Aggies, Hornfrogs or Notre Dame, but in this context, let's say filters. (Wasn't that subtle) -- filters.
Filters filters filters.
You would surely think there to be some importance to filtration with that outburst. Well, there
is...Filtration is only a part of cooling, heat, filtration,
infiltration, exhaust, ventilation, circulation, noise abatement, humidification and
dehumidification -- but it's an important part. To the home owner and resident alike, it's the "air". And we desire to be comfortable and breath freely (but cheaply). If you agree, then you will certainly
profit from an understanding of good filtration.
| Typically, people spend 90 percent of their time indoors, breathing in an average of 280 to 300 cubic feet of air per day. |
Your equipment comes from the factory new, shipped and stored with careful attention to maintaining it's newness. It is installed by professionals. It is bright and clean.
Painters and floor people need heat in the wintertime. The floor and walls must be dry and warm for the paint or glue. We've got to have it "on".
So sometimes, it runs for days with tons of paint, construction dust, concrete, glue, etc. flowing through it's insides. Anyone who thinks that the filter is even in it or is adequate for this deluge is much more concerned with the "important things" in life than to give it but a passing thought. Probably the painter's help or the floorman's employee doesn't even know it exists except to provide comfort and the ability for him or her to "get the job done".
"Uh, this is the way we always do it" might be the remark. (Not in any home I'm building it isn't !!!!!!!)
On a "service adventure" to the home later on, I've found the insides of days-old equipment looking as if it operated without a filter of any kind while in the mill shop bay. This is deplorable, I know, but sometimes true.
This type of condition doesn't always occur, but as often as not, the average unit after just a few years use my take on that same deplorable condition. Why? Because of inadequate filtration. Sadly, the home owner really did change the filter regularly, but it simply was not enough. Why?
To answer this we must go a little deeply into the subject of this air movement.
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It is 100 yards long and 160 feet wide. Imagine all the air it would contain on the surface. Now consider all the air it could contain in the first 18 feet in height. 100 yards X 160 feet X 18 feet high. Your three ton home air conditioner will move exactly that amount if it ran for just 50% of ONE DAY. In a month of running 50% of the time, it will move enough air to be the amount of that football field fifty-five stories high (or 550 feet high). That is a lot of air to filter!
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| That is the amount of air that traveled through that $.59 filter in 31 days. |
And many times, it wasn't changed for 60 to 90 days -- and longer. And when it is then checked, it is found laying half in the unit and half on the floor under it. There is a problem here.
The system removes and replenishes all the air in every room of your home six to eight times every hour if it is running. If it were to be filtered well each pass, Ah...
