It’s discouraging when scientists and leaders can’t agree on the cause, cure, and prevention of coronavirus. All of us are doing the best we can with the information we have.
If you have an AC installation in your Salt Lake City home or commercial property, you have to be wondering, “Does AC spread the coronavirus?”
AC Installation in Salt Lake City
HVAC (heating, ventilation, air conditioning) professionals that provide AC installation in Salt Lake City want to improve IAQ (indoor air quality) for everyone. We believe coronavirus is airborne.
Healthcare professionals don’t think AC is a primary cause of the spread of Coronavirus. But they acknowledge it may be a contributing factor:
While there is no clear evidence at this time,
fans and air conditioners do move air around in a room,
so they theoretically pose a risk of spreading viral
particles and droplets. More research is needed… –Cleveland Clinic
A proper furnace filter can help prevent the spread of bacteria and viruses, like Coronavirus. Your home or office furnace filters are MERV (minimum efficiency reporting value) rated. MERV filters are rated 1-20. The higher the number; the better the protection.
AC filters go through several test cycles to determine their MERV ratings. Testing involves spraying particles through a filer then counting how many particles were filtered-out. The lowest percentage of filtration gives an AC filter a lower MEREV score.
A “pressure drop” is also scored. Pressure drop is the air resistance certain HVAC filters offer. Tightly woven filters make it harder for air to pass, so a high-porous fiberglass filter would have a very low pressure drop. Fiberglass AC filters don’t have a lot of impact on IAQ.
You replace your HVAC filters frequently because dirt, dust, and airborne bacteria particles get trapped by the filters. This increases the pressure drop and decreases your system’s airflow.
You Can Breathe Easier: Better Filtration for Salt Lake City AC Installations
Did you know the air quality inside your home can be as much as five times more polluted than the air outside? Ways to improve your IAQ include:
- Add indoor plants
- Better-control indoor humidity
- Change your AC filters more often
- Clean air ducts
- Clean/check other filters
- Clothes dryer
- Kitchen vents
- Vacuum cleaner
- Increase dusting and cleaning
- Keep rugs/carpets clean
- Use cooking vent more often
- Use MERV 16 filters
Previously, only hospitals and facilities with biological “clean rooms” had AC filters rated MERV 16-20. These filtration systems must be professionally installed to ensure you have the right-size filter installed correctly for your home or business.
The MERV 16 Aprilaire® filter can trap as much as 96% of Coronavirus airborne bacteria. It can better-reduce allergens and trap asthma-causing particles.
Contact Us Today
Our HVAC professionals and technicians can evaluate your home’s ability to filter airborne bacteria. But we especially want to protect you, your loved ones, employees, and visitors from Coronavirus. Contact us today to learn more.
We care about our Salt Lake City friends and neighbors because we live here too.
