Re: Window unit AC, source for MERV 6 filters?

[Guest guest]

Todd,

That is a rating given to the filter. At Lowes/Home Depot/Target/Kmart they

generally range from 6-11. The higher the number the more air pollutants they

trap. Not all filters are rated. So those pretty much do nothing. If you look

on the back (sometimes it will say on the front) There will the words MERV then

the number (MERV6, MERV10,MERV11) You will have to buy a furnace filter and

then cut it down. I have never looked for a rating under 10 there. I have seen

a rating of 8 but don't recall a 6. Hope this helps.

-Moderator

[] Window unit AC, source for MERV 6 filters?

My apologies is this is a repedative post.

Could someone direct me to a good source

for filters for a window unit air conditioner

please?

Recent Activity

a.. 11New Members

Visit Your Group

[Guest guest]

Todd,

Get a " WEB Electrostatic Filter for Room Air Conditioners " (WEB Products,

Inc. K.C. Kansas: <www.webproducts.com>.

Since it is unlikely that the WEB filter will fit to replace the existing

" filter, " make sure that when you attach it to the front intake that there

is no bypass (all intake air must go through the filter). Use tape to seal

edges and adhere the filter.

Air conditioning is one of the largest sources of indoor mold allergens.

Almost every system that I have ever inspected had microbial growth. The

only way to minimize the growth is through filtration (no cheap fiberglass

furnace " filters " !) and maintenance.

C. May, M.A., CIAQP

May Indoor Air Investigations LLC

1522 Cambridge Street

Cambridge, MA 02139

617-354-1055

www.mayindoorair.com

www.myhouseiskillingme.com

Window unit AC, source for MERV 6 filters?

Posted by: " bhp355 " zippy890@... bhp355

Date: Sun May 20, 2007 7:49 pm ((PDT))

My apologies is this is a repedative post.

Could someone direct me to a good source

for filters for a window unit air conditioner

please?

I read in May's book that

MERV 6 was probably the highest rating one

should get for a window unit. I just finished

cleaning the coils today and am getting ready

to slap that sucker back in and fire 'er up.

But I wish I had a better filter for it. I searched

at Lowe's in vain. " MERV, what? " they said. Clueless.

Thanks in advance for the help,

Todd

[Guest guest]

Jeff,

You can e-mail me privately if you'd like, or share w/the board. I have one

room I use an AC unit in. It was brand new last year. I drained it made sure

it was dry. But, am unsure how to check it and clean the coils. I can do it to

my main unit, but not sure how to do it w/the small one. Do I have to take the

entire thing apart? I didn't even know it had a filter. Well, I guess I did

but it isn't what I'd call a filter. It is a black piece of plastic filter. Is

this where I would put the type you are speaking of? Thank you for your help, I

have been putting off installing it back into the window. Want to make sure I

check and get it cleaned properly.

-Moderator

[] Re: Window unit AC, source for MERV 6 filters?

Todd,

Get a " WEB Electrostatic Filter for Room Air Conditioners " (WEB Products,

Inc. K.C. Kansas: <www.webproducts.com>.

Since it is unlikely that the WEB filter will fit to replace the existing

" filter, " make sure that when you attach it to the front intake that there

is no bypass (all intake air must go through the filter). Use tape to seal

edges and adhere the filter.

Air conditioning is one of the largest sources of indoor mold allergens.

Almost every system that I have ever inspected had microbial growth. The

only way to minimize the growth is through filtration (no cheap fiberglass

furnace " filters " !) and maintenance.

C. May, M.A., CIAQP

May Indoor Air Investigations LLC

1522 Cambridge Street

Cambridge, MA 02139

617-354-1055

www.mayindoorair.com

www.myhouseiskillingme.com

Window unit AC, source for MERV 6 filters?

Posted by: " bhp355 " zippy890@... bhp355

Date: Sun May 20, 2007 7:49 pm ((PDT))

My apologies is this is a repedative post.

Could someone direct me to a good source

for filters for a window unit air conditioner

please?

I read in May's book that

MERV 6 was probably the highest rating one

should get for a window unit. I just finished

cleaning the coils today and am getting ready

to slap that sucker back in and fire 'er up.

But I wish I had a better filter for it. I searched

at Lowe's in vain. " MERV, what? " they said. Clueless.

Thanks in advance for the help,

Todd

[Guest guest]

,

To properly clean the window AC unit you have to remove it from the case,

most easily done outside. You shouldn't really do this work unless you

understand something about the AC components and can lift the unit. There

are a dozen or more small screws to remove. When the case is taken off, you

should have access to both the inside (cooling) coil, some of the blower and

the outside (condensing) coil, as well as the condensate tray (the entire

bottom).

I cover the electrical components (controls, motor, etc.) with taped

aluminum foil to protect them from liquid. You can spray the coils and

blower with bleach (one part to two parts water in a hand sprayer). I wear

gloves, mask and goggles and use a test tube brush or soft tooth brush in a

vertical motion to gently clean the coil fins (they must not be bent in any

way). The tray must also be brushed but you can use a stiffer bruch for

this.

Then all the bleach has to be rinsed out. I use a carefully-directed gentle

spray from a garden hose to get some pressure, but avoid wetting any

electrical components. The unit has to be tilted (tipped up, front to the

back) in order to drain all the liquid and gook out the back.

The thin plastic mesh they call a washable filter (listed as a " feature " on

some AC ads)is useless. There is usually no room inside for a WEB filter so

it has to be taped (at its perimeter) to the front exterior of the AC (over

the intake).

The filter will fit inside some models. A foam filter that is installed at

the interior should NEVER touch the wet coil or you will have a moldy sponge

inside.

It's probably less trouble to replace a very moldy AC than to clean it. An

AC that has had a MERV 7 filter on it should not require a whole lot of

cleaning each year, but should be treated nonetheless.

House dust is light grey. If there are black spots or dots on the gray dust,

or if the build up on the inside coil or blower blades is black, most

probably there is mold growth.

In my opinion, window ACs are fertile grounds for a class action suit

because (unlike central systems) the manufacturers provide us with the

nearly useless " filters " that inevitably lead to mold growth.

Jeff May

May Indoor Air Investigations

www.maindoorair.com

www.myhouseiskillingme.com

Re: Window unit AC, source for MERV 6 filters?

Posted by: " " vbrk@... vbrk123

Date: Mon May 21, 2007 5:05 am ((PDT))

Jeff,

You can e-mail me privately if you'd like, or share w/the board. I have one

room I use an AC unit in. It was brand new last year. I drained it made

sure it was dry. But, am unsure how to check it and clean the coils. I can

do it to my main unit, but not sure how to do it w/the small one. Do I have

to take the entire thing apart? I didn't even know it had a filter. Well,

I guess I did but it isn't what I'd call a filter. It is a black piece of

plastic filter. Is this where I would put the type you are speaking of?

Thank you for your help, I have been putting off installing it back into the

window. Want to make sure I check and get it cleaned properly.

-Moderator

[Guest guest]

I want to thank everyone for their responses,

and backchannels.

I squeezed the unit back in today. It was a VERY

tight fit, as I had glued a rubber garage door flange

all the way around it. But it did make a excellent seal.

Trouble is the dern thing won't run now. I've wracked my

brain to figure out what the trouble is. I sealed the

electronics very well before washing it. I'm perplexed.

It will blow and cool for about 4 minutes perfectly, then it is like

the fan stops working, and it just sits there making a funny

noise. I don't think I did anything to cause this.

Calling a repair man tomorrow.

Anyway, you wouldn't believe what all I found in this thing.

And after only two season of use without cleaning. These things

are flat out dangerous. That's my opinion.

Will keep the group posted on what I'm doing, as I think

I'm doing a lot of right things here that might help others.

Best,

Todd

[Guest guest]

Yep, I call them mold machines. I don't think they should be able to

be sold without good filters in them.

>

Anyway, you wouldn't believe what all I found in this thing.

> And after only two season of use without cleaning. These things

> are flat out dangerous. That's my opinion.

[Guest guest]

Jackie,

Im sorry you are alone in all this. I was to. I was living with my

boyfriend of ten years when I got sick from work. I had to remove things in his

house,which was near the beach, that was moldy. He told me I was crazy and one

night

after a fight he called the cops to get me out. I will never forgive that. I

had a child with me too and I was sooooo sick. Some friends helped me find a

new apartment anbd are helping me pay the rent. I call Dan and Joyce my angels.

So I sympathize with you and you are in my prayuers.

God Bless,

Janet

**************************************

See what's free at

http://www.aol.com.

[Guest guest]

We have 2 units we need to clean. I bet the one in our window has not

been cleaned in 10 years! I bought a small one at a thrift store which

is not very old but still needs cleaning. I just want to cry thinking

about having to clean that crap! My husband said he was going to clean

them but it looks like that is not going to happen.

So yesterday I drag out my furniture which needed to be painted and

drawers cleaned with vinegar. Today, I am cleaning my walls and

ceiling before I put the furniture back in. As most of you know we had

a leak awhile back. It is amazing how much better this house smells

after getting a new roof! This room was hit the worse with the leak

and I am just not feeling up to scrubbing it down, but i have to,

today. It appeared we got some of that smoke last week from Florida up

here in SC and I have been ill to say the least.

Anyway, I am catching a bad attitude because there is so much to do in

this house and I am only one person! It was the only place we could

afford when we moved from the mold free ghetto. We do live in a

paridise (spelled??) setting, with forest, woods, springs and streams,

Before we got this place I was concerned about several things and

husband said he would take care of all of them, well, that never

happened! Parts of thos house was built in 1775! Never the less, I

believe the 1775 part is healthier than the rest of the house!! Why

can't family members understand this stuff is real??? I have a doctor

saying it is real but my own family can't seem to get the fact our

house has to be clean from all dust and mold due to my illness.

Now our pond is filling up with a fungus called parrots feather!

It is time for me to stop venting and get off of here and clean these

walls...<CRYING>!

> >

> Anyway, you wouldn't believe what all I found in this thing.

> > And after only two season of use without cleaning. These things

> > are flat out dangerous. That's my opinion.

>

[Guest guest]

Jackie, Re: pond with fungus

I used to go ice skating on a natural lake that was on property of a

friend of mine. She has kids now and I asked her were they enjoying

the lake like we all had years ago and she said no, that the small

lake/large pond doesn't freeze over anymore due to too much algae on

the top of it. They said they had tried several things to correct

but short of putting a fountain in the center of it, have given up,

so climatic change is bringing this upon us, warmer weather changing

many things including just more mold and fungus and other pathogens

I suppose. It is exhausting, all the cleaning, and to be sick on

top of that, overwhelming. My house is overwhelming me but I just

hate to give up because I'm afraid I will just move and run into the

same thing elsewhere or a different indoor air problem since I think

I have become very sensitive to environmental factors.

Anyway, tell me about the new roof please. Do you have new

insulation also? Since air travels downward in summer, new clean

roof and insulation should improve air in house. This is area that

is turning out to be source of my troubles, summertime air coming

down from attic. I have estimates for work in attic but I

worry...what if there is problem on ROOF/under shingles, then I will

be cleaning area under a contaminated area. How could you tell your

roof needed replacing? Very interested in your story.

Did you replace entire roof, wood and all or just have it newly

reshingled?

I have been crying too, really crying over my house lately. I have

to investigate and plan everything myself with help from people

online. I just wish I could call someone and could get a straight

answer and adequate help.

>

>understand this stuff is real??? I have a doctor

> saying it is real but my own family can't seem to get the fact our

> house has to be clean from all dust and mold due to my illness.

> Now our pond is filling up with a fungus called parrots feather!

> It is time for me to stop venting and get off of here and clean

these

> walls...<CRYING>!

[Guest guest]

Jeff,

Have you ever heard of this filter? They have one sized for air

conditioner. I don't know what antimicrobial material is they

state, if they mean it doesn't support mold and bacterial growth, or

it is impregnated with a chemical:

<http://www.dustfree.com/filters/df84.htm>

Do you think Webb are better than Filtrete air conditioner

filters?

Filtrete filters for air conditioner:

<http://www.natlallergy.com/

product.asp?pn=1141 & bhcd2=1179945642>

>

> Todd,

>

> Get a " WEB Electrostatic Filter for Room Air Conditioners " (WEB

Products,

> Inc. K.C. Kansas: <www.webproducts.com>.

>

> Since it is unlikely that the WEB filter will fit to replace the

existing

> " filter, " make sure that when you attach it to the front intake

that there

> is no bypass (all intake air must go through the filter). Use tape

to seal

> edges and adhere the filter.

>

>

[Guest guest]

Todd, MERV is a rating of how small a particle filter will pick up.

Sometimes I cannot find a MERV rating on a filter and other times they

are in bold, sometimes they are there but hard to find.

>

> I read in May's book that

> MERV 6 was probably the highest rating one

> should get for a window unit. I just finished

> cleaning the coils today and am getting ready

> to slap that sucker back in and fire 'er up.

> But I wish I had a better filter for it. I searched

> at Lowe's in vain. " MERV, what? " they said. Clueless.

>

> Thanks in advance for the help,

> Todd

>

[Guest guest]

For those of you following this saga:

I tried the AC this morning, and the dern

thing worked... well sort of. It still ain't

quite right, but it is running right now.

Perhaps, the electronics did get damp somehow?

I flipped the hatch on them this afternoon, and

gave them a prophilactic drying with a heater fan.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

Anyway, the point is, I think it is possible

to get a very tight seal around these things. A seal

not only from the wall to the casing, but just as

importantly, from the casing to the interior of the

unit as well. The only place that cannot be sealed

is the drain hole.

However, if the drain pan is drilled out, so that it

will not hold water, drowned chopped up bugs, and all manner

of other unidentifiable things, then I think one would

be OK provided the coils were cleaned each year.

(And, of course, provided such a manuever does not

burn out the compressor ! assured me it

was kosher, so I'm going with it.)

I am confused on filters so I am by passing that matter

for the time being, and have instead ordered a Therma-Stor

Santa Fe Rx ( bling, bling !). This was part of my grand scheme

all along anyway. I'm going to sit the Santa Fe Rx

right next to the AC, and let it create a bubble of

dehumidified/HEPA filtered air around it. I figure that

should keep those freakin' coils clean. And if I add

a MERV 6 filter later on , so much the better.

As I said, I think these things are flat out dangerous.

I really believe our old one contributed to me getting

arthritis, and perhaps even to the death of a loved one.

Hope this helps someone,

Todd

[Guest guest]

I don't have a whole lot to add to what Jeff

has said. He seems to have covered it pretty well.

Coil cleaner with phosphoric acid in another option

in addition to bleach though.

As is, anti-bacterial soap. Heck, I used them all !

Too, I REALLY should add:

In my zeal to seal, I may have overlooked

a very critical thing. It is possible (I'm not sure)

that the top of the cooling ducts could be removed

on some models. This would be VERY desirable in cleaning,

as one would have much better access to the blower fan

and cooling coils. I just noticed that this might be

possible on my unit as I was finishing up my glueing.

Do-oh ! But I was so proud of my handiwork, there was

no way I was going to rip all the rubber off just for a

chance that I might could pop the ducts off.

So you might want to check this first.

Btw, our old unit spit out black crums of mold

for years. And even worse, the vent was stuck open

sucking in air right over the drain pan, which was

stopped up, and filled with something that looked

like strawberry/vanilla swirl ice cream. Why am I

so freakin' sick ? Gee, I wonder.

(I got my first sign of arthritis in late July 2004,

and a nice big rash on my shin at the same time.

One week later my grandmother nearly died from

pneumonia. She eeked out two more years of poor

health after that. We lived in the same house.)

Getting older, and hopefully wiser.

Todd

-----------------------------------------------

>

> ,

>

> To properly clean the window AC unit you have to remove it from the

case,

> most easily done outside. You shouldn't really do this work unless

you

> understand something about the AC components and can lift the unit.

There

> are a dozen or more small screws to remove. When the case is taken

off, you

> should have access to both the inside (cooling) coil, some of the

blower and

> the outside (condensing) coil, as well as the condensate tray (the

entire

> bottom).

>

> I cover the electrical components (controls, motor, etc.) with

taped

> aluminum foil to protect them from liquid. You can spray the coils

and

> blower with bleach (one part to two parts water in a hand sprayer).

I wear

> gloves, mask and goggles and use a test tube brush or soft tooth

brush in a

> vertical motion to gently clean the coil fins (they must not be

bent in any

> way). The tray must also be brushed but you can use a stiffer bruch

for

> this.

>

> Then all the bleach has to be rinsed out. I use a carefully-

directed gentle

> spray from a garden hose to get some pressure, but avoid wetting

any

> electrical components. The unit has to be tilted (tipped up, front

to the

> back) in order to drain all the liquid and gook out the back.

>

> The thin plastic mesh they call a washable filter (listed as

a " feature " on

> some AC ads)is useless. There is usually no room inside for a WEB

filter so

> it has to be taped (at its perimeter) to the front exterior of the

AC (over

> the intake).

>

> The filter will fit inside some models. A foam filter that is

installed at

> the interior should NEVER touch the wet coil or you will have a

moldy sponge

> inside.

>

> It's probably less trouble to replace a very moldy AC than to clean

it. An

> AC that has had a MERV 7 filter on it should not require a whole

lot of

> cleaning each year, but should be treated nonetheless.

>

> House dust is light grey. If there are black spots or dots on the

gray dust,

> or if the build up on the inside coil or blower blades is black,

most

> probably there is mold growth.

>

> In my opinion, window ACs are fertile grounds for a class action

suit

> because (unlike central systems) the manufacturers provide us with

the

> nearly useless " filters " that inevitably lead to mold growth.

>

> Jeff May

> May Indoor Air Investigations

> www.maindoorair.com

> www.myhouseiskillingme.com

>

>

> Re: Window unit AC, source for MERV 6 filters?

> Posted by: " " vbrk@... vbrk123

> Date: Mon May 21, 2007 5:05 am ((PDT))

>

> Jeff,

> You can e-mail me privately if you'd like, or share w/the board. I

have one

> room I use an AC unit in. It was brand new last year. I drained

it made

> sure it was dry. But, am unsure how to check it and clean the

coils. I can

> do it to my main unit, but not sure how to do it w/the small one.

Do I have

> to take the entire thing apart? I didn't even know it had a

filter. Well,

> I guess I did but it isn't what I'd call a filter. It is a black

piece of

> plastic filter. Is this where I would put the type you are

speaking of?

> Thank you for your help, I have been putting off installing it back

into the

> window. Want to make sure I check and get it cleaned properly.

> -Moderator

>

[Guest guest]

Thanks Ginger!

In some ways, my husband is supported but then he isn't. He thinks

the fact he asked me to stop working when I fell ill was enough. If

I had known he was not going to help get this house cleaned up, I

would not moved here but opted for a newer apt or house. I told him

of my concerns about certain things before we moved here and he said

he would take care of them but that was in Nov. Don't get me wrong,

we live in a beautiful place that one can only dream of living at,

but all of that beauty is outside, well, except the pond, it has

parrots feather fungus in it! I went to Clemson University which is

just down the street from me to see what I can do about the pond and

all they recommend is herbicide which will cost 300.00. We can't pan

out money like that for something we don't own. The landlord said he

would pay for it if my husband did the treatment but his wife said

she was afraid of the herbicide and what it will do to the

enviroment...I am like, well, the fungus is not exactly

enviromentally friendly! So, her we are with a fungus pond! The

house is nice but there is much that needs to be done! Recently,

something died in our heating vents! I had to cover all of the vents

with plastic bags to keep the odor out of the house! I just hope the

landlord will change the pipes or what ever one calls the things the

air passes through before winter! Ducts..that's what they are!

I finally finished scrubbing my ceiling and walls. My ceiling had a

yellow tint in teh water so I am assuming a smoker lived here before

and just smoked in this room as the other rooms don't have that tint.

Once I get off the internet, I will close the windows and crank on

the dehumidifier. Tomorrow, I will bring the furniture in. I even

painted my furniture and washed the drawers. My daughter was telling

me all of this was unnecessary. I told her these kind of things must

be done, especially after a leak. My dressers and furniture was not

musty or moldy but I always cleaned in inside of mine once a year

with either winter green alchol spray or vinegar. This helps them to

not become musty. I figured I would just get it all done at once..one

room at a time!

I am glad you got help with moving. Are you in Florida? Some of the

best people I ever knew are from S. Florida!

Thanks so much for your prayers!

Jackie

>

> Jackie,

> Im sorry you are alone in all this. I was to. I was living with

my

> boyfriend of ten years when I got sick from work. I had to remove

things in his

> house,which was near the beach, that was moldy. He told me I was

crazy and one night

> after a fight he called the cops to get me out. I will never

forgive that. I

> had a child with me too and I was sooooo sick. Some friends helped

me find a

> new apartment anbd are helping me pay the rent. I call Dan and

Joyce my angels.

> So I sympathize with you and you are in my prayuers.

> God Bless,

> Janet

>

>

> **************************************

> See what's free at

> http://www.aol.com.

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Jackie,

Your welcome for the prayers. I just know what its like to feel allla alone

in this. I live in Southern Maine.

Janet

**************************************

See what's free at

http://www.aol.com.