Air Filter | Fiberglass | Pleated Paper | Media Filters | Electrostatic Filters | Electronic Air Filters | HEPA Air Filters 
Utica • Gaylord • Highland • Imlay City • Birmingham

Buildings are on the news as making their tenants sick and it's referred to as sick building syndrome. Individual homes are linked in allergies and asthma. Can it happen to your home and what can you do to prevent it or correct it if you are already the proud owner of a house that is making you sick. Today you can do something about the problem.

The increasing cases of sick building syndrome are due to the way houses and buildings are built to conserve energy. Stop air movement in and out of the home and you reduce the energy required to heat and cool the house. After you seal the house up, central cooling and heating systems maintain livable temperatures and humidity levels within the home by re-circulation of the same air and pollutants day after day. Dust, bacteria, viruses, mold, fungus, mildew and gases circulate through the building. The dust can come from skin, hair, clothes or just come off shoes when we walk in and out. The mildew, fungus and molds can come in along with the dust or we can grow our own in the HVAC system. The gases are volatile organic compounds that are given off by dyes, paints, varnishes and adhesives used in modern building materials.

Filter the Air

The most important step in filter improvement is to make sure that all the air that goes through the electric air handler or gas furnace is filtered. If your HVAC system is pulling air through cracks in the duct system or return air chase, it pulls the contaminates along with it. Have your service technician check to verify that all the return air to a system is pulled through the filter system. This is a good time for your service technician to verify that the filter system is sized large enough for proper operation of the system.

Filters come in different efficiencies that are measured in the percentage of arrestance of particles. Simply stated, what amount and size of particles do they stop? The higher the percentage, the smaller the particle the filter will stop. The other factor that must be considered is the resistance to air flow, or will this super filter let enough air through to allow my system to function properly? Information Request

Fiberglass

Fiberglass are the most inexpensive filters that you can buy. Most people refer to them as the filter you can see through. They stop 15 % of the largest particles in the air. Replace monthly.

Pleated Paper

Pleated Paper filters look like a paper version of drapery pleats and stop up to 45% of the particles in the air. This type filter is the easiest upgrade for the money spent. These filters come in the same size as a fiberglass filter and are available at most hardware/home improvement stores. This type of filter gives the greatest degree of improvement for the money spent. Replace every 1 to 3 months.

Media Filters

Media filters are up to 4 inches thick and come in limited sizes, though the size selection is increasing. Rated at 90 to 95 % efficiency, these filters are changed 2 to 3 times a year. Media filters require a special frame to be mounted in the wall or mounted directly to the furnace or air handler. There are some media filters that come with special adapters that allow them to be mounted in a standard filter frame that has 4 inches of clearance behind it.

Electrostatic Filters

As an upgrade to Fiberglass filters, Electrostatic filters are made up of layers of synthetic material that generate an electrical charge to attract dust particles. Electrostatic filters come with guarantees from five years to life. There have been problems due to high restriction of airflow across the filter. This reduction of airflow can greatly reduce the system capacity and efficiency. A new generation of these filters is now coming to market that promises less restriction to airflow. Clean at intervals of between 1 to 4 weeks.

Electronic Air Filters

Electronic air filters are the premiere filter system on the market today. An electrostatic grid is powered when the AC or heat comes on and attracts particles to it. The grid is cleaned as needed with a water hose or in the dishwasher. This is the most efficient filter system available. This type of filter normally fits the same space as a Fiberglass filter, but does require modification to the ductwork and wiring to be installed in your air conditioning system.

HEPA Air Filters

HEPA air filters collect 99.97% of particles down to 0.3 Microns including dust, pet dander, mold, tobacco and cooking smoke.

Radiant and In the Floor Heating with Boilers

• HEPA Air Filters - Whole house HEPA filers can be installed with minimal duct and vents.
  
  
• ERV & HRV – Energy Recovery Ventilators and Energy Recovery Ventilators will exchange all the air within your home with outside air. The use the heat from your home to warm the incoming air in cold or winter conditions to balance energy used to heat your home. These units will keep your home fresh while filtering incoming air.

Visit the Nu-Way Michigan Showrooms,
Where Our Knowledge and Service Bring You the Best Value

• Our Highland Showroom serves western and northwestern metropolitan Detroit and mid-Michigan locations, and features the latest in plumbing, heating and cabinetry for homeowners, builders, and contractors.
  
  
• Our Birmingham Showroom serves the immediate metropolitan Detroit area and features kitchen and bath design and remodeling, for homeowners, contractors, interior designers and architects.
  
  
• Our Utica Showroom serves northeastern metropolitan Detroit and is a Kohler Premier Showroom, featuring faucets, cabinetry, heating and plumbing fixtures.
  
  
• Our Gaylord Showroom serves northern lower Michigan and the upper peninsula and features kitchen and bath fixtures, plumbing, heating, and well supplies.
  
  
• Our Imlay City Showroom serves Michigan’s thumb area and features plumbing and heating supplies and kitchen and bath fixtures.