Impact of Residential HVAC Filters on Indoor Air Quality

Filtration and ventilation are commonly used to remove or dilute airborne contaminants and improve indoor air quality. This presentation concentrates on the effectiveness of residential HVAC filters for reducing air contaminants in residential buildings. To assess the efficacy of residential HVAC filters, efficiencies and pressure drops of filters of different MERV levels were first measured according to ASHRAE 52.2. Then an indoor air quality (IAQ) model was applied to characterize health-relevant indoor aerosols in different residences with various combinations of filter types and ventilation conditions. Modeling results are discussed in the presentation.