electronic air cleaners,are they worth it? - Contractor Talk - Professional Construction and Remodeling Forum

bmf5150 · 01-23-2006, 11:31 PM

im getting a airease furnace in my new house and debating getting the electronic air cleaner.what do you guys think,are they worth it?it will cost me around $800.

**Teetorbilt** · 01-23-2006, 11:36 PM

Why do you think that you need one? Salesman?

mdshunk · 01-23-2006, 11:43 PM

If anyone in the house has breathing problems, like asthma or allergies, they can be of some benefit. A good quality pleated filter will do a good job too.

bmf5150 · 01-24-2006, 12:08 AM

i have alerigies and my wife has asthma,so thats why i was thinking about getting one.just wasnt sure if there good or all hype?

locofoco · 01-24-2006, 04:05 PM

If you decide to get one, find one with a low ozone rating. during the ionization process these things produce ozone gas which is considered a lung irritant. I would research it on the web. These are a high profit add on for contractors, especially on a tear-our/ replacement. When I left the business 3 years ago we were buying them for about $300. and made 100%+ on them.

bmf5150 · 01-24-2006, 06:13 PM

great info!thanks!

ron schenker · 01-24-2006, 07:43 PM

If it's within your budget, rip out your carpet and replace it with hardwood. Also, Central vac systems do a much better job of exhausting floor dirt, pollutants, and allergens to the exterior than cheap vacuum cleaners. Change your furnace filter often especially because you live in a new construction area (dusty,muddy, fumes, etc.) Last but not least, keep your furnace fan running all the time to exchange the stale air with fresh air more frequently.

**Teetorbilt** · 01-24-2006, 09:21 PM

When my daughter was little, she had athsma so badly that we came close to losing her a couple of times. We had a system installed that cost $3500 in 1982 dollars and got to write it off as medical expenses.

Sidebar to smokers; Don't smoke in the house when you have kids. We're 98% sure that we caused the problem.

bmf5150 · 01-24-2006, 10:30 PM

here is the electronic aircleaner we where going with.how do i find out if it has low ozone gas?
http://www.airease.com/aircleaners.shtml

**Teetorbilt** · 01-25-2006, 12:33 AM

Check out Consumers Reports online or the mag. They just went head to head with Sharper Image over the effectiveness of their ozone/electronic/POC. The judge dismissed the case citing no scientific evidence on Sharper Image's part. If you notice, the new model has an ozone guard. Something else discovered during CR's testing.

Do your homework thoroughly berfore plunking down your money.

Grumpy · 01-25-2006, 08:59 AM

I had a portable unit which basically recycled the air and passed it through an ionizer. Was it worth it? At the time I lived with 4 smokers ( I had already quit) and 3 pets. I'd wash the filters once a month (they were washable) and the water would look like mud.

747 · 01-25-2006, 05:31 PM

I wouldn't hesitate to get one. I would have one but i have hotwater heat. On some you can just pull them and slap in dishwasher for a cleaning.

747 · 01-25-2006, 05:32 PM

Oh md did say once on the forum he got zapped by one and it wasn't pleasant so be carefull.

Bestheating · 01-25-2006, 10:23 PM

Electronic in addition to possible health issues, requries maintenance about monthly. If you do not keep this up, you will be replacing it with a media type filter. It is like a pleated filter, but about 5" thick. Good brands are Trion, Aprilaire (spaceguard) General and others. Look for something that filters down to about 1 micron or smaller and forget the 1" thick pleated filters.

bmf5150 · 01-25-2006, 10:42 PM

or take a vote on if i should get one,how many yes?how many no?

bmf5150 · 01-25-2006, 10:42 PM

i cant decide!

service fitter · 01-27-2006, 07:19 PM

I would say get a spacegaurd pleated media , when I did residental work the air cleaners never seemed to work very good , if you look at a furnace with an electronic air cleaner 9 times out of 10 the blower motor will be packed with dirt, the space gaurd media is a pleated filter about 6" thick that you change three times a year.

service fitter · 01-27-2006, 07:21 PM

sorry two times a year

bmf5150 · 01-28-2006, 10:50 AM

ok,thanks for the advice

Marty4164 · 02-06-2006, 07:28 PM

I vote no.
I agree with fitter, get a media type filter.