What Makes Pleated Air Filters So Effective?
Pleated air filters are known to be one of the more effective types of filters. For this reason, they are commonly used in commercial and industrial settings, but not in homes as their high filtration capabilities are not suitable for environments with less need for filtration and more need for good airflow.
Here are the elements that make pleated air filters so effective at filtration:
1. Larger Surface Area
Because of their pleated or folded design, pleated air filters are able to have a larger surface area without taking up too much space. This extra surface area is able to filter out more dirt and particulates, with the pleats being able to catch more of the dust and debris floating in the air in different locations. Furthermore, the pleats add structural integrity to the filter so it is not as flimsy and thus, more durable.
2. Changing Airspeed
Pleated air filters are able to change the airspeed as the air flows through the filter on its way to the HVAC system. This disruption allows smaller particles to get captured by the filter instead of getting pulled through the system.
3. Increased Fibre Density
Pleated air filters have translucent fibres, which means the gaps between the individual fibres are so small that they cannot be seen by the human eye. These highly dense fibres make it incredibly difficult for small particles to pass through, especially compared to other conventional filters such as fibreglass filters.
4. High MERV Rating
MERV stands for Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value and it refers to a filter’s ability to filter our smaller particles. The higher the MERV rating, the more effectively a filter is able to capture smaller particles. With their high density fibres, even lower-end pleated filters can rank around a level 6 on the MERV scale, compared to fibreglass filters which rank around 2-4. The MERV scale caps at 20 for HEPA-type filters used in medical applications. For higher-end pleated filters, you can get filters rated at 11-13 MERV for more industrial applications.
Indeed, pleated air filters continue to enjoy a high level of popularity among businesses. For more information of various types of filters, give Dynamic Filtration a call today.