Abatement CAP100 Furnace Filter Air Cleaner Series

Abatement CAP100 Furnace Filter Air Cleaner Series

The Abatement CAP100 series provides a significantly higher level of particulate filtration than standard furnace filters at an economical price. The UVP models use germicidal UV-C and UV Plus technology to enhance performance. These upgraded filtration systems are considered Class II medical devices. The CAP100 system offers affordable and effective micro-particulate filtration with the option of UV Plus technology for your health.

Why is the Abatement CAP100 Furnace Filter Air Cleaner Series a great choice?

• Made in Canada!

• High efficiency filters are easily changed without tools and last a relatively long time

• Graded filtration reduces resistance to air flow

• Gasketed filters for a snug fit (you receive a new gasket with every new filter)

• Customers save money over time because of efficient pre-filtration

• Advanced performance of  UV Plus technology offers healthier air and peace of mind

• UVP bulb is quickly and easily changed (only 4 screws need to be removed)

• 5-year warranty provided by Purahome and Abatement against defects in parts and labour. UV bulbs and ballasts are covered by 1 year warranty.

Purahome is a research-based company that strives to meet you and your family’s health needs. "Cheap furnace filters are merely ‘boulder catchers’… they don’t catch the fine dust particles and they don’t catch the microbes.” - Dr. Charlene Bayer, Director of the Georgia Institute of Technology Indoor Environmental Research Program

If your priority is the reduction of larger particulate, as well as some allergens and dust, the Abatement CAP100 air filters provide great value for your money. We highly recommend the UVP models for enhanced mould spore reduction, additional microbial control, and odour reduction. We appreciate that Abatement filters are manufactured in Canada and backed by impressive warranties.

How do you choose an in-duct furnace air filter system?

The Abatement CAP100 series in-duct air filters provide a much higher level of particulate filtration and dirt holding capacity than standard furnace filters or electrostatic filters. These in-line filtration systems capture up to 97% of the microparticles that standard filters miss, including fine dust, dirt particles, and pollens. 

CAP100-U: Unique Two-Stage Filtration

The CAP100-U air cleaners are affordable units that feature a unique two-stage filtration that effectively captures particulates. The larger CAP100-U model has 20" x 25" filters and is designed for systems up to 4 tons in size (1600cfm). This model features an inexpensive 1" deep prefilter that removes larger particles and extends the life of the more expensive high-efficiency final-stage filter. The stage two 5" pleated particulate filter has achieved a very good MERV 11 efficiency rating in tests conducted in accordance with the ASHRAE 52.2 standard. This means that the media filter captures a guaranteed minimum of 65% of particles between 1 and 3 microns in size and a minimum 85% of particles 3 microns in size or larger. When necessary, simply replace each filter.

The Abatement CAP100-U air filters provide a much higher level of particulate filtration and dirt holding capacity than standard furnace filters or electrostatic filters. These in-line filtration systems capture up to 97% of the microparticles that standard filters miss, including fine dust, dirt particles, and pollens. 

High Efficiency Filtration with UVP Technology: CAP100-UVP 

You can get the COMBINED benefits of germicidal and photolytic UV technology with the UVP technology in the CAP100-UVP in-duct air cleaners.

These units combine the MERV 13 micro-particulate filtration with a powerful UV-C ultraviolet lamp that irradiates bacteria, viruses and microbial contaminants as they pass by the lamp in the air stream or are trapped on the special UV-resistant final filter with a controlled level of ozone through a second frequency of light.

Moulds and fungi can grow in moist areas of the HVAC system and create unpleasant odours and toxins. Components such as the AC coil and the drain pan are difficult to irradiate effectively with UV-C, which requires direct line-of-sight exposure to kill microbes. Ozone is a short-lived gas that reverts back into oxygen. It can permeate the hidden nooks and crannies of the HVAC system, where it can react with microbial contaminants and break down VOCs and unpleasant odours. Ozone is widely used in the fire and disaster restoration industry to remove odours from smoke, sewage, or decomposing organics. UV Plus models are especially suitable for homes susceptible to mould growth and microbial odours caused by high-humidity climates or moisture problems, and for homes with chronic odour problems from smokers, cooking or pets. Since ozone is very reactive and breaks down quickly back into oxygen, installation of a CAP UVP system in the HVAC return duct work ensures that ozone levels in the occupied living space are not affected.

Unfortunately, Purahome has seen many companies with little or no experience in indoor air quality install basic UV-C systems as a first-line of-defence (when it should be the last!) above the AC evaporator coil. Although this system can reduce some of the aforementioned problems, surfaces of the A-coil that are not directly visible to the lamp are sometimes difficult to irradiate effectively. In addition, many plastic drain pans can be degraded by continuous UV exposure.

Therefore, Purahome recommends the UV Plus systems that emit UV-C in the germicidal frequency, as well as a second frequency: UV-C at 180 to 200 nanometers. This frequency produces a controlled level of ozone, which is used primarily for odour and VOC control and sanitizing the hard to reach areas in the A-coil.

Built-in safety features include an electrical interlock switch that instantly deactivates the lamp when the filter access door is opened. This system is safety certified by Environmental Testing Laboratories.

How can an Abatement CAP100 furnace filter series help you?

The Abatement CAP100 air filter series provides advanced performance at an affordable price. This effective micro-particulate filtration makes the CAP100 series a very good choice for individuals looking for good particulate and allergen control. The UV Plus technology provides excellent microbial control with some odour reduction.

Allergen control

• Mould spore control

• Pet dander control (cat, dog, etc.)

• House dust mite allergen control

• Pollen control

Particulate air pollution control

• General indoor air pollution and microbial control

• Light  tobacco smoke control

• Wild-fire smoke control

Light Molecular control ONLY with UVP Upgrade

• Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) control

• Molecular (gaseous chemical) control

Light Odour control ONLY with UVP Upgrade

• Pet odours     

• Musty odours

• Cooking odours

• Paint odours

Microbial Control ONLY with UVP Upgrade

• Bacteria

• Viruses 

How does the Abatement CAP100 furnace filter series clean the air in your home?

1. Particulate PreFiltration - Particulate matter in indoor air exists in a wide range of particle sizes, typically measured in microns. One micron is 1/1,000,000 of one meter, and 20—40 microns is about the smallest particle that most of us can see. Particles smaller than 2.5 microns are often referred to as "respirable" particles, since they are also generally too small to be filtered out by our body's natural defence mechanisms before they reach our lungs.

A standard 1” prefilter will trap particles 100 microns in size and larger. These particles are too large to be respirable and are more of a housekeeping problem than a health threat, as they tend to drop out of the air and accumulate on surfaces. This filter serves to extend the life of the more expensive high-efficiency media filter and helps keep resistance to air flow as low as possible.

2. Advanced High-Efficiency Media Filtration - Various types of mechanical filters are suitable for trapping certain sizes of airborne particles. Low, medium, and high-efficiency filters are rated under the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers standard number ASHRAE 52.2. Under this standard, filters are assigned a MERV (Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value) rating between 1 and 16. The higher the MERV rating is, the more efficient the filter. A standard throwaway furnace filter might be rated at MERV 1 or MERV 2, while hospital filters typically are MERV 12 to MERV 16, depending on the critical nature of the area.
Your Abatement CAP100 Series cleaners employ MERV 11 high-efficiency pleated particulate to capture microparticles that would pass right through most throwaway furnace filters. Particles in this size range include soot, very fine dust, dust mite and insect remains, pet dander, and many types of pollen and mold spores.

3. UPGRADE: Ultraviolet Germicidal Irradiation (UV Models only) - Ultraviolet energy is a part of the spectrum of electromagnetic energy generated by the sun. There are three frequency bands within the UV spectrum, none of which are visible to humans. UV-A, also known as "black light", is harmless. UV-B can cause sunburn. UV-C, which is generated in wavelengths between about 180 and 280 nanometers, can (in sufficient dosage) create a chemical reaction that alters the structure of microorganisms thereby destroying their ability to reproduce and colonize. 

Outdoors, direct exposure to the UV-C energy of the sun helps to control the propagation of microorganisms. Abatement UV Technology replicates this phenomenon in indoor environments. These germicidal lamps have been used for more than 40 years to disinfect air in hospitals, tools in dental offices and to reduce bacterial contamination in food storage and pharmaceutical facilities. UV-C is most effective against bacteria and viruses and least effective against mould spores.

4. UPGRADE: Photolysis/Oxidation (UVP Models only) - Molds and fungi are typically the source of unpleasant or "musty" odours, or for more serious odour-related problems such as "dirty socks syndrome". These microorganisms often thrive in the damp, dark, and dirty recesses of an HVAC system. They have a much more complex cell structure than bacteria and viruses, and are typically much more resistant to germicidal UV-C, often requiring up to 100 times more exposure for an effective "kill" rate. Some homes also have higher levels of odors from ill family members, cooking, smoking, pets, fireplaces, wood stoves, and other sources.
For these reasons, each series of CAP products offered by Purahome includes a model equipped with our unique UV Plus lamp technology. Your UV Plus lamps generate 254nm UV-C, but they also generate a second frequency of UV at 180 to 200 nm, via an oxidation reaction known as photolysis. Photolysis generates a controlled amount of ozone. This powerful oxidizer breaks down unpleasant odours, and provides increased effectiveness against molds and mould products and reverts back into oxygen when doing so.

In 1999, Health Canada published an advisory about ozone generators. Homeowners were advised to stop using ozone generators in occupied spaces such as bedrooms. The ozone generators are referred to as “portable, bread-box sized units“. Purahome will never sell ozone generators for residential use. Health Canada clearly stated that “this warning does not apply to any other type of air cleaners, such as mechanical filter-type air cleaners”. Unlike ozone generators, our Abatement CAP air systems lower particle concentrations in the home and provide all family members with healthy air for a healthier lifestyle.
The return duct installation of Abatement CAP100 products enable ozone to break down odours in the HVAC system without elevating ozone levels within the occupied living space. By utilizing the HVAC system as the "oxidation chamber", ozone can penetrate where it matters most; into the AC coil, drain pan, and other downstream components that are particularly susceptible to mould and fungal growth and odours and then reverts back into oxygen.

How to Improve Your Air Quality

As is the case with any whole home air cleaner installation, best results are achieved with the furnace fan running especially when a family member has a greater need for improved air quality. It is your choice whether to run the furnace fan 100% of the time or not, hydro costs will go up but air quality will be better.

Filter Life

To ensure optimal air flow and particle reduction, the 1 inch prefilter should be changed every 3-4 months and the 5 inch media should both replaced every 6-12 months. The UVP bulb should get changed annually.

Replacement filters:

Abatement CAP50-U Furnace Filter Air Cleaner requires the H105 filter (superior 5" MERV 11 pleated particulate filter) and the 1”1625M10 MERV10 prefilter

Abatement CAP100-UVP Furnace Filter Air Cleaner requires the superior UV resistant 16” x 25” x 5" MERV 13 pleated particulate filter, the 1”1625M10 MERV10 prefilter, and the UVP125 – UVGI Plus 16” replacement lamp (replace annually)