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Debunking Air Quality Myths
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The first step to getting cleaner air in your home is knowing the facts. Here, we debunk common air quality myths, so you can find smart solutions more easily.
Myth: If I keep all my windows and doors closed, my indoor air can’t get polluted.
Fact: Indoor air can be polluted by more than outdoor contaminants.
Keeping windows and doors closed can reduce the amount of pollen, smog and other outdoor pollutants that come into your home, but there are things inside the house that can pollute your air, too. Think dust mites, clothing fibers, bacteria and virus particles; mold and mildew in the bathroom; soot from candles and cooking smoke from the oven or stovetop. Even vacuuming can kick up unwanted airborne particles. Plus, even if your windows are closed, you can bring outdoor pollutants like pollen into the house on your clothes and shoes. If you want cleaner indoor air, keep your air moving and incorporate things like room air purifiers and change your HVAC filter frequently.
Myth: All HVAC filters can capture particles equally well.
Fact: Not all filters are the same quality. Every filter has a filtration level that determines its ability to catch dust, pet dander, bacteria, virus particles and other allergens.
Filtrete™ Air Quality Solutions use a microparticle performance rating (MPR) to measure how effective our filters are at capturing the smallest airborne particles—even those so small you can’t see. The higher the MPR, the better the filter is as capturing particles. A filter with an MPR of 1500 will be more effective at capturing particles from the air than a fiberglass filter. Filtrete™ Smart Air Filters and Healthy Living Filters can pull in and trap teeny tiny particles as small as 0.3 microns.
Myth: As long as I have one, changing my HVAC filter isn’t that important.
Fact: A dirty filter will restrict air flow through the HVAC system, limiting the overall system efficiency.
It’s very important to change your filter according to package directions. One-inch Filtrete™ Filters last up to three months. Our filters with depths 4” or larger last up to 12 months. Using the Filtrete™ Smart App allows you to confidently know when it’s time to replace it. The app can track the life of Filtrete™ Smart Filters in real time and via a countdown timer for all other Filtrete™ Filters, then you’ll receive a reminder when it’s time to change.
If I don’t have an HVAC system, I can’t improve my air quality.
Fact: Portable air purifiers can help improve indoor air quality in individual rooms.
These convenient devices, including Filtrete™ Air Purifiers, are great options for apartment dwellers, college students—really anyone who wants cleaner, fresher indoor air in a specific room (hint, hint parents of tiny humans). Our air purifiers with HEPA filtration are able to capture 99.97% of airborne particles*. We also offer compatible filters for Honeywell™, Holmes® and Idyllis devices, so you can still enjoy the benefits of 3M technology.
* as small as 0.3 microns, from the air passing through the filter media. Initial efficiency value.
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