How Effective Are Car Air Filters?

[edwardandtubs]

I was reading an article that said the pollution levels inside a car are worse than the levels outside on the street. It also said that the worst pollution is found inside taxis. This worries me as I spend 30-60 minutes a day inside Bangkok taxis. A lot of research has been done confirming this, although the last one I can find is from 2006. The smell inside a Bangkok taxi is sometimes quite foul so it wouldn't surprise me if pollution accumulates inside them. How effective do you think the Bangkok taxi fleet is in filtering air pollution? It's scary to think it would be healthier to ride around in one of the 7 baht buses.

[katabeachbum]

One month old I bet every filter is removed caused clogged, and never replaced due to cost.

In addition they all run aircon on recircultion, avoiding to take in fresh air when its present

So airquality inside a bkk taxi is probably even worse than out on the streets.

[ThaiLife]

I all ways change the filter on my Triton every few Months ..

I make my own filters now and they work fine

TL :jap:

[MoonRiverOasis]

Most air conditioning filters are only effective against particulates not gases, so can only ever be partially effective.

There are also "plasma" style filters that claim to clean their air through the process of ioniziation and/or ozonation, but the former (ions) is far less effective than a physical air filter, and the latter (ozone) is necessarily generated in such small quantities that it's not of much use at all (effective amounts of ozone are seriously toxic during their half-life).

So the best solution is still good old mechanical filtration - most car air conditioners have a provision for a filter, but most cars don't actually come from the factory with a filter cartridge installed. A reasonable pleated filter (good filtering + enough surface area to keep the flow levels respectable) only costs ~450 Baht, so there's not a lot of reason not to have one, unless you're a taxi driver heh

One other point here is that a dirty filter is actually better at filtering than a clean one, it's just not as good for airflow... So long as the air flow is OK there's no need to clean or replace the filter

[VocalNeal]

Two things come to mind. Filtering air? Isn't that what nose hairs and a mucous membrane are for?

Saab used to have a HEMA filter in their A/C system. Don't know if they still do.

OK three things.

Mostly i find the inside of taxis smell of BO or Armor All.

[Lickey]

If you dont replace/clean a dirty filter, its a quick way to burn out your blower motor,,

[cocoy]

If you dont replace/clean a dirty filter, its a quick way to burn out your blower motor,,

wouldnt opening the door when u walk in or out of a taxi be enough to change some of that air in the car? to make it more even with the outside air?

im just wondering. because on a very hot day. when you open the car door or window for a few seconds you instantly feel the heat coming into the car.. hhhmmmm

[BSJ]

What you need is some extra protection. Take your own clean environment with you!

[aussiebebe]

What you need is some extra protection. Take your own clean environment with you!

That's a funny joke, but it's the only way you'd breathe clean air inside a taxi, short of bringing your own supply of compressed air in a little tank. All the taxis I've seen such as the Toyota Altis/Limo, Chevrolet Optra, even saw on Honda Civic once, have replaceable cabin air filters. The small older Toyotas you seen won't have these, so the OP could try to use only the larger newer taxis. Do the owners change these regularly? I doubt it. I replace the filter in my car every six months at THB450, so I doubt the Taxi owners do this, ever.

Filters won't protect against germs or diseases, which I think is the main problem with taxis, aside from the smell, if you think back to that Foot and Mouth disease going round a few years ago. If the OP is worried, just buy a mouth mask from a pharmacy or 7/11. These silly scare-mongering reports crop up all the time; more bacterial on keyboards than toilet seats, shaking hands is harmful, etc etc.

[edwardandtubs]

I'm more worried about particulates which is the biggest health risk. I have noticed the larger, newer Toyota taxis smell a lot fresher but I think the mask idea is still a good one. Something like the totobobo mask or even a medical mask held close to the mouth so there's a total seal would get rid of 90% of particulates. Buying a new car is the other option but opens up a whole new can of worms.

[HDRIDER]

Hi

In my car there is a control there will change to re-cir if it can smell its bad outside, and also tell you if the filter should be changed, (i never drive in BKK)