Question: We moved to Sun City three months ago. Our house has an electrostatic filter on the furnace. How do we clean it and how often?
Answer: Electrostatic filters need to be cleaned every 3 to 6 months. If you have pets or if you smoke you will need to clean the filters more often.
There are two methods you can use to clean your filters. One is to wash them in the dishwasher and the other is to clean them in a large tub or a trash can.
Check the dishwasher owner’s manual. Some manufacturers do not recommend washing electronic cells in their dishwashers. To clean the filter, first turn off the power to the air filter and remove the electronic cells and the prefilters.
Be careful to avoid damaging the cells when placing them in the dishwasher. The ionizer wires are delicate and are easily broken. The collector plates can be bent if you are not careful. If the dishwasher has upper and lower arms, position the cells carefully to allow good water circulation, and make sure the wash arms do not touch the cells causing them not to turn freely.
Very dirty cells, especially from tobacco or cooking smoke, can discolor the plastic parts and the lining of some dishwashers. This discoloration is not harmful. To minimize it, wash the cells more frequently or try a different brand of detergent. Do not allow the dishwasher to run through the dry cycle. This will bake on any contaminants not removed during the wash cycle and reduce the air cleaner efficiently.
Put the cells on the lower rack of the dishwasher with the airflow arrow pointing up. Use regular dishwashing detergent, and allow the dishwasher to run through the complete wash and rinse cycle..
After the cells have cooled and are not hot to the touch, remove them and wipe the ionizer wires and contact board on the end of the cells using a small damp cloth.
The other method of washing the cells is to use a large tub or a trash can to wash the cells. The container must be large enough to completely submerge the cell. Dissolve about ¾ of a cup of automatic dishwasher detergent or a dishwasher detergent pod in enough hot water to completely submerge the cell. Let the cell soak for 20 minutes and agitate the cell up and down several times. Rinse the cells thoroughly with a spray of hot water. Repeat this process for the other electronic cell and for both prefilters. Wipe the ionizer wires and contact board on the end of the cells using a small damp cloth.
Let the cells drip dry for a couple of hours. Reinstall the prefilters in the upstream prefilters guides. Make sure they are installed so the furnace air flow goes through them in the proper direction and so that the airflow arrow points downstream and the handle faces outward. Close the access door and turn the filter back on. Record the date of each washing on a chart mounted to the furnace so you can gauge when to do the next washing.
If you have suggestions for future tips or have questions about maintenance around your home submit them to ask.the.woodchucks@gmail.com.
