By now, you know that the indoor air is more hazardous than the air available outdoors. You have a variety of contaminants inside the house that you will not find outside. It is because these contaminants can disperse into the outdoor air quickly. You deal with different types of odours inside the room such as smell from cooking activities, incense, perfumes, air fresheners, insect repellents, and so on. Also, animal lovers have to deal with animal dander. These impurities can take a heavy toll on our health as they contaminate the air we breathe. Therefore, you need to use air conditioners having potent filters. One such filter is the ‘Electrostatic Filter.’
Electrostatic Filters – The Principle
These filters clean the air by using static electricity. It is a safe and naturally occurring phenomenon. The air flows through a maze of static prone fibres and generates an electrostatic charge whereby it attracts the airborne particles. The charge holds these particles until you wash them away.
Electrostatic Filters – The Working
The electrostatic filters have multiple layers of vented metal through which the air passes. The impending friction between the filter and the air molecules when it crosses the first layer of filtration charges them positively. These positively charged molecules attach to the subsequent layers of the filter thereby ensuring that the output is nothing but pure air bereft of all contaminants.
Electrostatic Filters – Pros
- The cleaning process is quick and easy. You have many years of trouble-free use.
- The dust loading patterns are such that it improves airflow while providing maximum filtration.
- These filters can remove contaminants like pollen, dust, bacteria, moulds, spores, and animal dander. Most of these contaminants are PM 10 and less.
- These electrostatic filters do not need frequent replacement as the activated carbon filters do.
Electrostatic Filters – Cons
- The replacement cycle is lower than the activated carbon filters, but these filters take a long time to clean.
- Due to the principle of static electricity, the dust particles tend to stick inside the duct line. It becomes challenging to clean them as these particles are charged ions tending to stick to the surface.
- These filters tend to block the airflow more as compared to the other filters. Hence, the AC units have to work harder to cool the room.
Electrostatic Filters – How to clean them
Regular cleaning of these filters is essential as the accumulation of dust can hamper the air flow. The ideal frequency should be around once in 4 to 6 weeks. The process is a straightforward one.
- Remove the air filter from the AC
- Flush with water from the opposite direction. The higher the pressure, the better is the cleaning.
- Rinse the filter from the opposite side
- Use specified cleaners to remove stubborn stains
- Rinse thoroughly to remove the remaining dirt
- Drain the excess water and leave the screen to dry before reinstalling it.
Electrostatic Filters – Different Types
Different types of electrostatic filters are available on the market depending on the arrestance capacity. The standard range is the 82% arrestance whereas you have the 94% arrestance capacity filters for heavy-duty AC units.
Air conditioners that use Electrostatic filters
You can find these electrostatic filters in specific models of Daikin Air Conditioners. They have benefits such as lower replacement frequency and so on. However, these filters require constant maintenance. The advantage of using these filters is that you can clean them, unlike the activated carbon filters that become useless after the clogging of the pores. You have to replace the activated carbon filters whereas it is not necessary in the case of electrostatic filters.