i'm getting estimates for a central AC system.
one estimate involves installation of an 'Aprilaire' (or similar) filter, which is a heavy duty type AC filter that needs element replacement once a year.
has anyone had experience with this type of filter?? is it worth the extra cost??
I don't know about the once a year deal, I doubt if it is really going to be good for that long. On the other hand Aprilaire is a quality product.
I have an Aprilaire filter system. You should change them every 6 months or so. I guess they're ok, but I haven't noticed a big difference since it went in.
I was going to get an electronic airfilter, but I let my HVAC contractor talk me out of that and in to an Aprilaire filter instead. He said it was better. I know now he just wanted to sell me filters for 22 bucks a pop for it for LIFE.
Yes, yes.
I've installed a bunch of them. The boss loves em. The customers love em. Enjoy!
I have 2 april air 2200 ? media filters at at 2 separate locations, the media is good and can last 1 year easily , your environment determines that. But the housing holding the filter is crap, it leaks air past the upper U channel on both units, april air came out, the factory rep and gave a new unit free but it is the same. I found out about this by looking at junk on the coil across from the filter on a horizontal Space Pack and had to have the coil cleaned. My solution is rubber weatherstrip in the U channel. I would not buy it again, why the idiots cant weatherstrip their filter housing is a joke, a superior type is Trion? Air Bear, positive seal and no paper to mess with, you just slide in a replacement. Large media are good , last longer, April Airs design is flawed.
Stormin, your boss loves em because they make him money, did you ever look at a coil of a spacepack that is 12" away from a april air media, both space pack and April air being in direct horizontal airflow, no you havn`t or you would have seen the top of the spacepack coil get dirty. You cant see anything on a side furnace instal. This is not a new issue, just a poor design that bypasses air over the top, next time move the filter holder up and down in the case , you will see a positive air seal does not exist as in the Air Bear design by Triton. April air has great humidifiers, but poor case design on the 2200
Do the math, cheap filters go for about $3.50, $11 for standard filters that you change every 2-3 months under very bad conditions, so $44-66 per year. What is the capital cost and the annual replacement of the Aprilaire type. If the Aprilaire type costs more for the first 8 years of operations than the $11 filters, then go with the $11 filter types. Just a thought!
I second M ransley's post. The Aprilaire filter is fine, the housing leaks air past the media.
If I could do it again, i would go with a good electrostatic unit.
Media air filters work better than almost any other type because of the tight seal and large surface area, but the replacement filters can be expensive. Aprilaire uses the same housing for their electronic air cleaner, and the plates in an electronic air cleaner only need to be washed. Whatever brand you get, make sure it can be used as either an electronic or a media air cleaner. Then have your contractor install an electronic one. After that, if you want to switch to media, all you have to do is turn the switch off, remove the plates, and install the filter media. Getting it installed now can save you a lot of money vs. installation later, because of all the duct work involved.
"George E. Cawthon" wrote
We sell the replace filters (Spaceguard 2200?) for about $33. I have some customers that have found them online for half that.
Well, if you get a thicker (3" up) pleated filter you can combine high efficiecy (gets the small stuff almost like a HEPA filter) along with a low pressure drop. When you have a low pressure drop a little "air leakage" that bypasses the filter just doesn't make much difference.
>HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.