Changing the cabin air filter is as important as replacing other filters in the car in a timely manner – not only for comfort and a pleasant aroma, but also for your health, says Reinis Puharts, head of the ” Inter Cars”. Product Group.
“If we think about our health in the long term, it is even more important to change the cabin air filter. Regular renewal contributes to good ventilation inside the car, ensuring adequate air quality for the driver and passengers. It is interesting that up to 500,000 liters of air escape through the interior of a car in an hour. the concentration of harmful substances in a car without a cabin filter is higher than in the surrounding road environment. For example, when you stand in traffic jams with closed windows, the level of harmful substances in the cabin can be 4 – 6 times higher than in the air next to the car.
How often should the cabin air filter be changed?
“Manufacturers recommend doing it at least once a year, but their recommendations vary by mileage. One manufacturer recommends doing it every 10,000 km, another again after 15,000 km, but regardless of the mileage, it’s worth doing it at least once a year,” says the an expert.
He recommends changing the cabin air filter even twice a year – in spring and autumn. “I have made sure that in the autumn, after the summer, even if less than 7,000 km have been driven since the filter change, the filter is very dirty, so that problems ventilation in the cabin later in the fall and winter. it can rise. Poor ventilation shows itself, for example, in the fogging of the windows,” explained R. Puharts.
When asked about how to choose a more successful cabin air filter, he says – the choice on the market is very large and the unknown may even be confused in their offer, there are filters from different manufacturers and suppliers and there can be one type of filter. up to four different variations.
“I recommend starting with a filter that has a layer of activated carbon, which is an additional safety against gases in the environment. Here you should also pay attention to the product itself and its price. In cheaper products, the amount of activated carbon can be very small compared to a high quality filter, and this will affect the filtration rate accordingly. People with allergies are advised to choose bioactive filters, they are also called anti-allergic filters, “says the representative of “Inter Cars”.
The different types of filters
For example, by choosing an appropriate cabin air filter, people with allergies can save themselves a large dose of discomfort during pollen season, at least in the cabin of their car, and the latest filters can even stop put on viruses.
One car model can have one size filter, but with different modifications based on three types of filters. In addition, the fourth type of air filter is already on the market, says the expert. “The first type is the most basic – a single layer particle filter that captures dust, sand and other solid particles. The second type is the same particle filter, but with an additional layer of activated carbon, thanks to which prevents several gases, such as nitrogen oxide, ozone, etc., from entering the cabin, to the also called an odor absorber. The third type, which is on the market relatively recently, is the bioactive filter, which is based on the combination of the mentioned filters with an additional third bioactive layer, which ‘ captures and activates small particles of allergens. In addition, this coating prevents bacteria and mold from multiplying or developing on the surface of the filter. As the fourth type, we can mention the HEPA type filters, which appeared on the market two years ago, mainly due to the Covid pandemic. This filter is special because it filters out even virus-sized particles. This HEPA technology is traditionally used in medical and pharmaceutical environments, clean rooms and the aerospace industry, where a high level of air disinfection is essential. “
The car’s air conditioning system also likes clean air
“If we talk about the health of the driver or the passengers, most likely the driver himself will not immediately feel that he has been driving for a long time without changing the air filter . But, in the long run, it can cause health problems,” says R. Puhart, “Of course, even opening the window will bring fresh air into the car’s cabin, but you have to take into account that this air is filtered, especially in the city, standing in traffic jams,” explained the representative of “Inter Cars”.
“If we talk about how the technical condition of the car changes when you drivewith a clogged air filter, it can cause problems in the ventilation system, especially the formation of bacteria and mold, and the then unpleasant smells in the interior of the car. In wet weather, the most often seen problem is more fog on the windows, which endangers not only the driver himself, but also other road users. We can also mention the cabin fan, which can be damaged when it works at a higher load. There have also been cases where people tend to just blow out these filters with compressed air, which is not correct, the air pressure damages the filter element and does not – now keeps the particles in the air as much as a completely new filter,” said R. Puhart.
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2024-05-01 05:19:45
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