does use of AC improve indoor air quality ?

[fvw53]

I read that a very important factor of air quality in Bangkok are the numbers of dust particles in the air.

Does use of air conditioning improve indoor air quality....I do not see dust particles coming out of my AC...

Edited January 22, 2020 by fvw53
typo

[zappalot]

Of course you cannot see dust particles coming out of your AC. They are just too small. And this is what makes them dangerous.

 

Anyway your AC does only filter out the dangerous particles if it has this functionality. An ordinary AC does not filter out PM 2.5 dust particles.

 

In our bedroom we have a Samsung air-conditioner which filters out PM 2.5 dust particles.

 

In the other rooms we have the Hatari purifiers. They are the cheapest yet most effective. We check with a digital meter for PM 2.5 dust particles to make sure.

[Moonlover]

We have a Panasonic with nanoe G technology. If you accept the claims on their website, it does indeed remove 99% of these pesky little particles that we're all getting so excited about.

 

I can't, with all honesty vouch for their claims because we live in a region with fairly good air quality anyway, but I've no complaints about the unit thus far. You might find this website informative.

 

https://aircon.panasonic.com/consumer/nanoe-g.html

[Thainess]

No, it makes it worse by concentrating the pollutants in a confined space (the room).

[Tracyb]

Placing 3M Filtrete sheets on top of the internal air filter screens of the aircon helps to reduce the “dust” in your rooms.  The sheets DO filter PM 2.5 particles.  Replace the sheets biweekly.  Cover only 80-90% of the filter to assist in increased airflow through them as the Filtrete sheets gather dust.  Check them regularly and watch them turn grey....

 

Aircon units do not bring air into the rooms from outside. They circulate interior air.

Edited January 24, 2020 by Tracyb

[bluejets]

Not as such, BUT if you can close off all windows and doors so that zero outside air enters, and you have a clean room to begin with via say some form of HEPA unit, and you put your system on internal recirculate, all would assist. Remembering these particles are apparently around 3% the dia of a human hair and tend to stay suspended in air for long periods.

If one could set up a stack of sprinklers in the bedroom and give it all a good wash down before bed, then this would have to be an advantage.

Check out the news from Melbourne where the remnants of a dust storm from South Aus descended, and was washed into every crevice of Melbourne via torrential downpours.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7_64Q9afnY

 

Welcome to Aus where we do it better than most.....????????????

[AJBangkok]

Unless your aircon has a HEPA rated filter then I doubt it.

[Nanaplaza666]

5 hours ago, Thainess said:

No, it makes it worse by concentrating the pollutants in a confined space (the room).

And if you do not turn on the aircon do you think the pollutants will leave (the room) by themselfs or maybe go stay in another ROOM so you can sleep safely ?????

[orientalist]

When I switch on the aircon it makes no difference to the PM 2.5 levels. I use a cheap air purifier I got from lazada. It is rated for up to 32sq meters and my room is 35, so it takes 2 hours to bring down the PM 2.5 to reasonable levels. This one:

 

https://www.lazada.co.th/products/xpx-32-jd55-i273701284-s433554982.html?

[AAArdvark]

Only if filtered. My 3M filters turn disgusting dark gray in a few weeks.

  

[bbi1]

On 1/22/2020 at 9:53 PM, zappalot said:

In the other rooms we have the Hatari purifiers. They are the cheapest yet most effective. We check with a digital meter for PM 2.5 dust particles to make sure.

Which Hatari model and how much? Also where did you buy it from?

[Skallywag]

Bought this 3M filtrete at Homepro and installed on the a/c units in living room and bedroom.  One package 15X48 cm covered all 4 filter panels (2 per a/c unit).  Says it filters out 2.5, have no 2.5 meter, so cannot check, but I feel better ever since installing a few weeks ago

https://www.homepro.co.th/p/94675

[Kurtf]

It may not filter out the small deadly particles but you'll feel a hell of a lot more comfortable as you slowly die. 

[buick]

1 hour ago, orientalist said:

When I switch on the aircon it makes no difference to the PM 2.5 levels. I use a cheap air purifier I got from lazada. It is rated for up to 32sq meters and my room is 35, so it takes 2 hours to bring down the PM 2.5 to reasonable levels. This one:

 

https://www.lazada.co.th/products/xpx-32-jd55-i273701284-s433554982.html?

 

this has been my experience also.  got an air purifier from lazada a few weeks ago.  having the AC on doesn't seem to improve the PM2.5 levels, nor does it make them worse.  opening the sliding door for an hour tends to double the PM 2.5 level.  as long as i keep the sliding door closed, the PM 2.5 levels stay relatively steady.  they don't increase overnight.  so i only need the purifier when i've let 'fresh' air in.

[Beggar]

The aircon will have 2 positive effects. It will clean the air because a lot of things flying around will be removed at the evaporator with the condense water - some have even HEPA filters. The other positive effect will be that you don't smell so much in dry air. In respect of air cleaners you have to be careful especially if it comes to Ions. Normally they are created by a light bow with very high voltage. But not the voltage is the problem (you can touch the area) but the ozone that is created. 

[chilly07]

What Thais call air con isn't! It's just Comfort Cooling. Eg refrigeration only. Proper air conditioning would remove particles but is very expensive as it heats or cools filters and controls humidity as well by taking in air from outside and conditions it

[Max69xl]

7 hours ago, Tracyb said:

Placing 3M Filtrete sheets on top of the internal air filter screens of the aircon helps to reduce the “dust” in your rooms.  The sheets DO filter PM 2.5 particles.  Replace the sheets biweekly.  Cover only 80-90% of the filter to assist in increased airflow through them as the Filtrete sheets gather dust.  Check them regularly and watch them turn grey....

 

Aircon units do not bring air into the rooms from outside. They circulate interior air.

"Aircon units do not bring air into the rooms from outside. They circulate interior air."

Really? Do you know how a standard air-conditioning system works? Have you seen the outdoor unit on every balcony in Thailand? Where do you think the air comes from? There are filters in the wall mounted unit in the room which filters the cold air. 

[SoonOh]

https://www.estopolis.com/article/creative/material/5-แอร์ลด-PM25-กันฝุ่น

 

[lopburi3]

56 minutes ago, Max69xl said:

"Aircon units do not bring air into the rooms from outside. They circulate interior air."

Really?

Yes really.  The window type units used in USA may mix some outside air but the split systems used here do not.

 

58 minutes ago, Max69xl said:

There are filters in the wall mounted unit in the room which filters the cold air. 

These filter the hot air from room going into the cooling units and after being cooled spread by the fan.

[sletraveler]

I have a new Daikin ac in the bedroom.  It is supposed to filter 2.5 dust but sure doesn’t do a good job.  I just leave the Xiaomi filter running with or without AC running.  

[Tracyb]

16 hours ago, Max69xl said:

"Aircon units do not bring air into the rooms from outside. They circulate interior air."

Really? Do you know how a standard air-conditioning system works? Have you seen the outdoor unit on every balcony in Thailand? Where do you think the air comes from? There are filters in the wall mounted unit in the room which filters the cold air. 

maybe you should do some research.  Google is your friend!

[zappalot]

On 1/24/2020 at 10:42 AM, bbi1 said:

Which Hatari model and how much? Also where did you buy it from?

 

https://youtu.be/O9HtsdLdYpM

 

We bought the AIR PURIFIER HATARI HT-AP12 during a discount offer with Homepro for about 4500, normal price incl. spare filter is 4888 Baht

 

With a price tag of 4888 baht it comes with an extra filter set. The filter set is 888 baht normally. So that puts the actual device to a price of 4000 baht. With this purifier it is easy to lengthen the lifetime of the  filter system by adding a sheet of PM 2.5 filtering Filtrete. See in the video how the extra layer catches a lot of dust within exactly 2 months of usage (running in average eight hours per day). Make sure to buy the 3M FILTRETE size 16x96". The height of the original Hatari filter inside the device is exactly 16 inch as well. So you only cut away the actual length you need and it just fits as shown in the video.

 

is all this really working? Yes it is. We have another purifier from Xiamoi with a built in digital PM 2.5 meter. If you turn off the Xiamoi purifier, switch on the Hatari purifier and let it run for 30 minutes and after checking again with the Xiamoi purifier you will notice a significant reduction in PM 2.5 particles.