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High Efficiency Furnace Filter
QUESTION:I live in the Chicago area and am very allergic to grass and tree
pollen and dust mites. I know an electrostatic air filter or HEPA
filter can capture the pollens I am sensitive to. And I know dust
mites can be reasonably controlled by keeping year-round indoor
humidity levels at or below 50%.
I've noticed that Carrier and a few other vendors sell "Thermidistat"
devices that can manage both temperature and humidity, with claims
that humidity can be reduced without overly-chilling the house with
the AC. These products tend to recommend high efficiency/variable
speed systems for best effect.
My current situation is that I have a 10 year old 80% efficient
Carrier gas furnace and a Williams AC outdoor unit. I run the blower
fan 24 hours a day in the spring, summer and into the fall to keep
pollen levels down in the house. (I use a new 3M Ultra Allen throwaway
air filter once a month, 16X20 size.) My home is a 2,100 square foot
ranch built in 1965, and fairly well shaded by old growth trees, in
the suburbs. Conditioned air ducts are insulated sheet metal and run
in the crawl space, with vents on the floor. Stale air return vents
are near the ceiling and run through the attic. The attic is
insulated to about a value of R40. The doors and windows are
typically drafty for their era, unlike new construction.
My problems/concerns:
The furnace is near living space and is pretty noisy.
My power bill is somewhat higher than I'd like due to the blower fan
being on all the time (but it really does make a difference to my
pollen allergies.)
Humid days that are not hot still force me to manually run the AC to
reduce humidity to keep the dust mites from flourishing. I do this
particularly when I come home from work. (I have a handy Radio Shack
humidistat near the thermostat).
My questions:
Would a variable speed furnace and AC, thermidistat controlled, with
an electrostatic air filter address my allergies?
Would I likely see lower power bills with such a system compared to my
current system?
Are there HVAC dealers used to serving allergy-prone customers? Or
are my needs no big deal and OK for any reasonable installer?
Given that my house is not "tight," would a high efficiency furnace
that uses outside combustion air make sense?
I can afford about $3,500 or so. Am I pipe-dreaming given my budget?
My current system is not all that bad in that it heats and cools the
house. And 10 years is not all that old. But the manufacturer
literature out there makes me think a new system could be worth
considering given my situation. I've owned this home for 1 year and
will probably stay here 5-10 years. Could a new system really deliver
for my situation?
What is your take?
ANSWER: Address them? Yes. Cure them? No. I dont like electrostatic filters.
Get a Aprilaire Space-Gard or the like. Im also not a fan of that
thermidistat. I do like variable speed but it needs to be applied
properly. Just tossin in a var spd with no thought can become a
problem. In my neighbor hood, yes. That wouldnt even get you the var spd
furnace installed. Much less the electronic filter, UV light and any
duct changes.
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