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KY_EnviroGuy

(14,489 posts)
11. If you have central air, study the air circulation patterns in your rooms....
Sun Aug 2, 2020, 12:36 AM
Aug 2020

so that when there's multiple people around, you can avoid return air bringing virus toward you. Just locate your air discharge vents (D) and your return air suction portals (R) and envision air traveling from D-to-R. In many older homes, there's only a large central return air port in a common hallway.

Next (assuming you have central air), consider purchasing a HEPA filter for your system to replace the standard fiberglass filter. A HEPA AC system filter can trap virus particles and dust before they can get to your condenser coil. Virus particles will mostly pass through a standard filter and can collect on the air conditioner's condenser coil and remain there in a viable state for quite some time because the coil is chilled. A portion of those particles can then be re-entrained into the feed air as the system cycles and therefore spread virus throughout the home.

I recommend 3M Filtrete Ultra Allergen Air Filters - 1500 (Purple) which run around $25 each, although you can find generic equivalents for around $10 each. Regardless of what you consider buying for your home, make sure the filter(s) are rated and tested for capture of virus particles. Not all so-called HEPA filters are necessarily capable of capturing a high percentage of viruses. COVID-19 particles are reported to range approximately in size between 0.05 and 0.15 microns diameter.

If you're like me and use window AC units, consider a portable HEPA unit for the room or rooms you occupy most. Holmes, Honeywell and several other companies make those but always consider replacement filter costs and read lots of reviews.

Dispersion of certain essential oil blends via an atomizer is another way to reduce viruses in you home's air.


Thanks for posting and I hope this helps!.........

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