Aprilaire Media Filters are worth every penny. Especially the new style without the plastic "fingers"
I have a friend who recently moved into a new house. The house was not cleaned well post construction and as usual existing duct was left exposed. The air handler has since distributed dust, especially from the laminate flooring through the house.
His son has been sick since the move and he suspects the dust. I think this is a fair assumption based on the quantity that continues to coat the house.
Its been forever since I've done resi but I have always felt duct cleaning is a waste. Maybe not in this case? I will be pricing an aprilair media for him for sure but I wonder about that too, I'm not so sure that thats worth it for him in this case.
What do you guys think about this? Duct cleaning, aprilair media, any other options I'm not thinking of?
Thanks
Guinness for strength
Aprilaire Media Filters are worth every penny. Especially the new style without the plastic "fingers"
Ha Thanks!
+1 on the avitar. These things arent a huge PITA to change anymore? Its been forever but I remember those stupid separators that were constantly snapping the clips off. Man they were irritating.
Back then the aprilair had a lower static drop then the air bear with a better micron rating....far superior. Is that still the case?
Guinness for strength
The new aprilair filters have a lower SP drop then the ones you remember... the micron rating is better, and filter change rate is stated as 1 - 2 years.
It is a one piece filter that slides out on rails. They also sell upgrade kits for the old 2200's with the plastic fingers.
Fully agree with the others: Get an AprilAir (or at least an AirBear). And get the largest one you can. A few 'C' notes extra for install is not much... considering years of cleaner air in the house. Would one go cheap on a doctor or a surgery? NO... so why go cheap on the air you breathe?
A media style filter will allow a lower micron catch while not hurting static pressure. The way this is accomplished is with more sq/ft of media area. Simple... right!
An easy way to determine if one needs duct cleaning is to remove a few supply vent covers. If you see a lot of dust in there... you may need duct cleaning. If it were me, I would not invest in duct cleaning without the media filter system. Reason is; once the ducts and equipment have been cleaned... nothing after the media filter will need cleaning again as long as the filters are changed regularly and put in properly. I have customers with 20+ year old furnaces with clean blower wheels and coils... all because they have a 2200 on each system.
GA-HVAC-Tech
Your comfort, Your way, Everyday!
GA's basic rules of home heating and AC upgrades:
*Installation is more important than the brand of equipment
*The duct system keeps the house comfortable; the equipment only heats and cools (and dehumidifies)
*The value of comfort, over the long term; leave economic choices behind!
Choose your contractor wisely!
Proper duct cleaning (not all services are created equal) along with a media filter will help a lot. I use Honeywells instead of the Space Guard / Aprilaire line because their new filter medias have gotten to be too expensive.
A good HVAC tech knows how, an educated HVAC tech knows why!
DEM
Probably should tell your friend to complain to the builder, they should of never allowed the HVAC to be installed until the end so non of the dust from construction accumulates inside the HO's duct work or goes thru the new equipment. Most all Builders around here will install a temp furnace during the construction period and will not be hooked into the permanent duck work until all work is finished is SOP's for the Good Builders in my area.
I would also tell your friend to ask that the builder pay for the duct work to be cleaned at his expense plus new filters and a good house cleaning to boot.
On new construction we cover all supply openings with cardboard.
The furnace cannot be used during construction, and the supplies should be protected.
Returns are not protected, but filters take care of that problem.
"Hey Lama, hey, how about a little something, you know, for the effort." And he says, "there won't be any money, but when you die, on your deathbed, you will receive total consciousness." So I got that goin' for me, which is nice. - Carl Spackler
Wish it was like that down here... using the furnace is kinda 'expected'...
I seldom do RNC; just a few flips a year. The flippers expect me to change the filter at the end of the job... For some reason the furnace does not work until the end of the job... then by a miracle seems to just 'start'... Those pesky electronics you know...
GA-HVAC-Tech
Your comfort, Your way, Everyday!
GA's basic rules of home heating and AC upgrades:
*Installation is more important than the brand of equipment
*The duct system keeps the house comfortable; the equipment only heats and cools (and dehumidifies)
*The value of comfort, over the long term; leave economic choices behind!
Choose your contractor wisely!
Those pesky 'lectronics. You haven't been poking around in there, have you GA?
But hey, miracles DO happen.
"Hey Lama, hey, how about a little something, you know, for the effort." And he says, "there won't be any money, but when you die, on your deathbed, you will receive total consciousness." So I got that goin' for me, which is nice. - Carl Spackler
I was at a job Just today... We installed a Heat Pump and 2stage VS furnace for a middle aged batchelor about midsummer.... Since then he's added on a garage with living space above it and gutted a bunch of the old house, and sheetrocked all around. The house was not sealed until a week ago.
But he's been running his a/c and heat pump nonstop, against our advice. Welllll....
Took a peek in the blower cabinet today
NOT prettty.
Who me... Just a 'cottin pickin' GA boy... messin with the innerds... Naaaaah...
Just little things like the wire nut inside the power box inside the blower compartment seems to not have the black wire from the furnace in it... Or the power switch on the gas valve by the burner is switched off... Or maybe the cap for the DIM is missing... Or the little tube between the pressure switch and the DIM motor is missing...
Always a different miracle to make it work...
MeThinks one of the contractors understands... he did not on the last one...
GA-HVAC-Tech
Your comfort, Your way, Everyday!
GA's basic rules of home heating and AC upgrades:
*Installation is more important than the brand of equipment
*The duct system keeps the house comfortable; the equipment only heats and cools (and dehumidifies)
*The value of comfort, over the long term; leave economic choices behind!
Choose your contractor wisely!