Air filtration when surrounded by winds and dirt?

softdown · June 2020

Not aware of an accepted study that shows such airborne dirt is significantly harmful to human health. On the other hand, dust on everything else can be problematic. Perhaps an efficient air cleaner, running while the sun shines, is a worthwhile endeavor. Looking for options.

I used to buy large Honeywell filters. They had a large round paper filter surrounded by a carbon mesh filter. Each successive Honeywell had a shorter life than the model it succeeded. So I gave up on the project after 4-5 Honeywell's had bit the dust. The MBA/Economics myopic dash to improved short time profits reared its ugly head so many times that millions of consumers eventually hung their heads in despair and abandoned the project to prop up domestic manufacturing. But I digress - because that is what I do.

The local winds built the world famous Great Sand Dunes National Park. They are pretty inspiring due to their immense size and mountainous background. Those same winds pick up tons of fine dirt that manages to find its way into local homes. Sometimes visibility is limited by these dust storms. But enough of the background.

Have folks found a good off grid filtration system? By off grid - meaning that it economically helps out in spite of somewhat limited hours.

Dave Angelini · June 2020

A mini split heat pump and a well sealed home and you will never have to open a window again. We opened our windows last in 2007.
We do sometimes let the air in but never when it is windy, dusty, smokey, or nasty. The default is closed. Good cooking ventilation by fans. Dusting the home, burning firewood is cut in half by a split. If I want to smell the sweet smell of pine trees, I go outside.

Look at how Hospitals do this with MERV rated filters. They even slow down the air in carbon and zap it with UV to kill most anything.

A mini split is about the best thing we have ever paid money for. About....

softdown · June 2020

The home/shop is sealed but the roof is not. Steel roofing keeps out water and not much else. The areas that have dry walled roofs do not suffer a dust problem now that I think about it. But so much does not have such a roof.

My problem with anything protruding from a window is a lot of opportunistic visits when I am away. The electric fencing has certainly diminished that for awhile. A matter of time until that is studied and no longer effective in some likelihood. Someone is accustomed to years of the gravy train.

Dave Angelini · June 2020

You should read how to install a split heat pump. About a 2 or 3 inch hole max.
If your place is not well sealed, you are not going to get there.

People like to say how messed up such and such a state is. I remind them that if you love where you live, it really does not matter about politics and such.

Sounds like you need to move! Have a good day man!

softdown · June 2020

Working on that but it will likely take years. I should likely look for a spot with no internet. For so many reasons. That would actually make an interesting thread. Except that all the posters obviously have internet. I wonder how the transition would go.

mike95490 · June 2020

I've had success with home brew filters using a $20 hardware store 20" box fan, and a 20x20" furnace filter taped over it. If you want the really find dust, I guess try a HEPA furnace filter. And you can get fancy with a box to hold it all. The fan lasts about 3 years on low speed, the filters a couple months -depending on your dirt load

softdown · June 2020

mike95490 said:

I've had success with home brew filters using a $20 hardware store 20" box fan, and a 20x20" furnace filter taped over it. If you want the really find dust, I guess try a HEPA furnace filter. And you can get fancy with a box to hold it all. The fan lasts about 3 years on low speed, the filters a couple months -depending on your dirt load

Thanks - exactly what I was looking for.

Air filtration when surrounded by winds and dirt?

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