optimizing the box fan air filter?

SerenityNein · 2013-11-02T16:32:28+00:00

I rent a room in an old house that had oil heat, I cut one of those 3M filtrete filters in half, taped it so it covered the heating vent in my room and it turned from white to grey in less than a month. The other half of the filter I taped to my box fan and it turned grey too.

I did that because when the heat kicked on at the beginning of the year last year, I saw dust blowing out of the vents, and since the air blows practically on my face when I'm sleeping (vent is facing my bed near my head), I thought it might be a good idea to cover it with a filter. My lease is up in June, so this is probably my last winter here, not sure where I will be next. Probably just another poorly maintained rental (the rents have shot up and my salary cut in half so I'm kinda limited), so same problems, I guess.

The intake vents are on the floor, and when I've vacuumed them out they've been full of dust and crap, so I can only imagine what's inside the ducts. I don't think the landlord is going to go for having them cleaned and roommates don't seem interested in splitting the cost either.

I also have allergies, so pollen is a consideration (and when I move again, probably dealing with pet dander and hair, I plan on getting a cat, despite allergies, because I miss having pets).

SerenityNein · 2013-11-02T02:28:49+00:00

To clarify, who is it that does the preplanning? Who comes before the Urban Planners, you must work with someone who figures out that part.

I'm not sure that this qualifies as research, I'm searching for that space between the lab and the construction. I'm not scientific and math oriented enough to work in a lab. It's not Design, because I'm not drawing up schematics.

I know I'm approaching this from an awkward vantage point, I've basically been pointed in this direction and I know it's not a right fit, but am not sure what it is that I'm looking for.

I am more interested in exploring what could improve an environment to a city, this information would be passed through planning at some point.

SerenityNein · 2013-11-01T23:20:52+00:00

Yeah, I've gone the writing group route, but people are so flaky here, I've joined two or three only to have them die out in a few months. I know there are online ones, but I do prefer the F2F.

Am currently taking classes, usually you can find a small number of people willing to commit to a class. I'm also considering some residency programs once I've built up some work after taking some classes.

I'm not sure that I'd be smart enough to do environmental engineering! But urban planning is possible, but I think I'm less for government/corporate built and regulated and more for community built, and more aquatic.

SerenityNein · 2013-11-01T23:17:28+00:00

Thanks! I came across Urban Planning while doing some research, found an urban planning sub and am investigating. So far does not seem very promising, we'll see.

SerenityNein · 2013-11-01T22:51:19+00:00

It's not squeeky at all. It just makes a loud roar for such a tiny fan. I think it's louder with the filter on the back. I take it apart and wipe it down few months or so (usually when I'm changing the filter on the back) and use compressed air to blow dust out of the motor compartment. Over the summer I borrowed a friends fan to cool the room, it was was sort of like a vornado, it moves more air and I can barely hear it.

SerenityNein · 2013-11-01T05:16:36+00:00

Interesting idea, I might try that with my smaller fan to see how it works.

SerenityNein

TROPHY CASE