A plenum is a great alternative to traditional ducts, and ensuring your plenum stays free of dust ensures proper air circulation. If your HVAC plenum is dusty, it can cause problems with your entire system.
Wondering what an air conditioning plenum is? A plenum is an open space below or above an occupied space such as an office, a living room, or a kitchen, that circulates conditioned air through vents in the floor or ceiling.
It is worth noting, however, that, according to the Berkley University of California, pressurized plenums typically provide a velocity of supply air that is too low for dirt particles to be carried into the air stream via floor diffusers.
If you are having issues, there are some easy ways to avoid excessive dust in your plenum and some incredible benefits of an underfloor air distribution (UFAD) system.
Managing Dust in an Underfloor Plenum HVAC System
According to University of California, Berkeley, UFAD air conditioning plenum systems with a floor-to-ceiling air flow pattern generally offer lower air plenum contaminant levels than other air distribution systems.
By ensuring a proper initial installation (with no leaks) and regular maintenance throughout its lifespan, you’ll have no need for an HVAC plenum replacement in the future.
Regularly replacing the air filters in your HVAC system, making sure your vents are opened from time to time, and actively dusting your home or office can also help you keep dust out of your plenum HVAC system.
Over time, dust will likely collect in an underfloor plenum. In the rare instances when the plenum space needs to be physically cleaned, the floor above is composed of easily removable tiles, allowing access to the underfloor space.
Ensuring Proper HVAC Plenum Installation
A large cause of plenum dust leaks in the ductwork or heat pump plenum and inadequate air filtration is faulty or improper HVAC Plenum installation.
If there are any leaks in the ductwork, air will escape and pull dust from the surrounding area into the plenum.
Fortunately, with more than 103.7 million square feet of underfloor duct and plenum HVAC systems installed, AirFixture has the AC duct and plenum installation process down to a science.
With experience and highly trained technicians, AirFixture can ensure a leak-free installation.
Save Money and Space With AirFixture's CleanAir Tower
Rather than building a dust collector plenum, consider the AirFixture CleanAir Tower. This is a great solution for ensuring clean air via your plenum HVAC System.
The CleanAir Tower comes fully assembled and offers many benefits even beyond dust filtration.
These include the ability to:
- Keep your office healthy: With a combination of ionization, UV air sanitizer, MERV, and HEPA components, viruses, mold, dust, pollen, and fumes will be filtered away
- Save money and space: A 1400 CFM fan means fewer towers are needed to filter out extra space and support your AC return plenum
- Enjoy the silence: Near whisper-quiet performance is possible with the CleanAir Tower. You'll be able to experience as little as 30dbA of sound from your plenum on the AC unit
Once you know that your air conditioner plenum installation was a success, you can then focus on upkeep over the years to come, which will now be easier to carry out.
Regular Plenum HVAC Maintenance and Upkeep
Proper filtration can minimize the amount of dirt or dust entering the HVAC supply plenum.
If cleaning is required, a plenum HVAC system allows for easy accessibility (compared to extensive distribution ductwork in the ceiling).
You'll have easy access to any necessary plenum air conditioning filter replacements or air-flow troubleshooting.
The Benefits of an Underfloor HVAC Plenum System
The benefits of a UFAD system far outweigh the negatives, like rare dust collection.
Here are some of the top things to keep in mind:
- UFAD systems are more energy-efficient than traditional HVAC systems, and they provide better indoor air quality.
- Air handler plenum systems are less expensive to operate and require less maintenance.
- UFAD systems are easier to install than traditional HVAC systems and can be retrofitted into existing buildings.
If you're looking for an efficient and effective way to heat and cool your home or office, a UFAD system is a perfect solution.
Contact AirFixture today to learn more about our underfloor air distribution systems!
Featured Photo Credit: Carlos Lindner
