14 • SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2021 • HOUSE TO HOME
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311 E. Sixth Ave., Tarentum • 724-224-4687
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Dear Jim: My kids have allergies
year-round, so I need room air
cleaners in addition to the main one
on the furnace. How do I compare
the effectiveness and efficiency of
various units? — Patty K.
Dear Patty:
Selecting
a room air
cleaner can
be confusing
with all the
types, sizes
and prices.
There actually
are significant
effectiveness
and
electricity
usage differences
among
the units. The
proper filtration
type, depending
upon
your kids’
allergies, is
more important
than the
size or price.
Using room
air cleaners does not eliminate
the need for the main furnace
filter. It removes particles that
stay suspended in the air through
the ductwork. This not only helps
indoor air quality, but it keeps the
heat exchanger clean for better
furnace efficiency. The amount of
electricity used by room air cleaners
does not vary much among
the designs.
Many of the particles and allergens
in room air are relatively
large (mold, pollen), so they do
not stay suspended long enough
to make it all the way to the furnace
filter. They puff up each time
someone sits on a sofa or bed, so
room air cleaners are more effective
for removing these.
The AHAM (Association of
Home Appliance Manufacturers)
has testing standards to rate the
effectiveness of different types
of room air cleaners. It is called
CADR (clean air delivery rates).
This allows you to compare the
effectiveness without having to
consider the design or the type
of filter material.
First, check with your allergist
to determine which allergens are
causing the most problems for
your kids. The particle size varies
significantly for various allergens,
so it is important to know
which ones need to be removed
from the room air.
The CADR rating tests are done
for the three most common particles
in the air — household dust,
tobacco smoke and pollen. Most
allergens are in this range of
particle sizes. Each air cleaner
will have three individual rating
numbers, one for each particle
of the above sizes. A filter that is
good for pollen may not be very
effective for smoke.
To use the CADR rating when
selecting a model, calculate the
square footage of the room and
multiply it by 0.67. For example, if
you need to remove pollen from a
10 x 12-foot bedroom, the room air
cleaner should have CADR pollen
rating of 80 or higher.
If you are not sure which particles
you want to remove and just
want generally cleaner room air,
a model with a HEPA filter and
a carbon element (also removes
odors) is a good overall choice. A
multiple-speed model for rapid filtering
or for slow quiet operation
at night is a plus.
The following companies offer
room air cleaners: Blueair,
blueair.com; Holmes, holmesproducts.
com; Honeywell, honeywellpluggedin.
com; LakeAir, lakeair.
com; and Whirlpool, whirlpool.
com.
•••
Dear Jim: Our old concrete patio
is crumbling and needs to be replaced.
It got pretty warm in the
summer sun. What do you think
about putting in pipes when the
new patio is poured to preheat the
incoming water? — Rick N.
Dear Rick: Your basic idea of
preheating the incoming water
so your water heater runs less
makes sense. With concrete’s high
heat capacity and its relatively
poor thermal conductivity, it
would not be very effective.
A better choice is to make some
type of solar collector which gets
hotter in the sun, and therefore,
transfers more heat to the incoming
water. Make sure to install
valves to bypass it during the
winter.
Send inquiries to James Dulley,
House to Home, 6906 Royalgreen
Dr., Cincinnati, OH 45244 or visit
www.dulley.com
by JIM DULLEY
Tips for comparing air filters, cleaners
If you are not
sure which
particles you
want to remove
and just want
generally
cleaner room
air, a model
with a HEPA
filter and a
carbon element
(also removes
odors) is a
good overall
choice. A
multiple-speed
model for rapid
filtering or for
slow quiet
operation at
night is a plus. ADOBE STOCK