Clear the Air With an Electrostatic Air Filter

Cut down on waste, and breathe cleaner air. Then get more indoor air quality tips.

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Permanent furnace filter, electrostatic model, for better indoor air quality.

Photo: Istock

By Brian Clark Howard

Cut down on waste, and breathe cleaner air, by using an electronic furnace filter instead of those throwaway fiberglass screens. Electronic models are permanent, washable and easy to install and clean.

Disposable fiberglass filters were designed to remove the largest particles from the air, with the goal of protecting your heating equipment, not your health. They trap only 10% to 40% of the debris passing through them. Electronic filters work in the neighborhood of 88%, and are much better at controlling the bacteria, mold, viruses and pollen that cause illness and irritation. Electronic air filters, also called "electrostatic filters" since they rely on the principle of static electricity, range in price from more than $1,000 for high-end models to as low as $50.

Whichever system you decide to use, experts recommend you clean or replace your filter about once a month during the heating season. Dirty or clogged filters reduce energy efficiency and decrease air quality.

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