Below is an overview to help you understand first how your paint booth filter system works and then two how to locate your filters and change them. This is very important information to have.
If your filters are not properly maintained not only will your system suffer but the jobs that you produce will suffer. Most importantly, toxic fumes that your filters are meant to exhaust create a hazardous work environment for your employees.
In its simplest terms, a filter is a screen that blocks certain debris and contaminants in the air from being released into the air. However working inside of your paint booth are different filters working at cross-purposes.
At the front end of your filter system is your intake unit filter. Your intake unit sucks fresh air into your paint booth. The air is either filtered in from outdoors or from outside of your paint booth. On the backend your exhaust system is working to expel the toxic fumes and debris inside of the booth out through your exhaust filters and then outdoors.
Different filters will need to be changed at different rates. For instance exhaust filters get dirty the fastest and last only a few weeks before they typically need to be changed. Intake filters on the other hand normally last for a few months before a change is necessary.
Deciding When to Change Your Filters
Of all of the parts inside of your paint booth, your filters require the most monitoring. They will need to be maintenance more often than any other feature of your paint booth. A good way to judge when you need to change your filter is based on your volume.
Generally speaking, a high volume shop sees a couple hundred cars per month. With that type of volume your paint booth filters are in use over several hours. After about 60 hours of use, your filters will need to be changed. Keep in mind however if you are running more than one paint booth, you must calculate the running hours for each booth.
Choosing the Right Filter
In order to choose the right filter you have to know its function. Here is a look at a few of the typical paint booth filters that you will need. You will need your size dimensions to find the filter that matches your particular paint booth. Also take note of these characteristics:
Each of these characteristics will have an effect on how your filters operate. A high loft rating is good, your structure or filter design has to fit your unit, and a thicker fibrous composition is the most effective.
Air Makeup Filters: The air that powers your spray hoses inside of your paint booth comes from your air makeup unit. The quality of this filter will determine the air quality inside of your paint booth.
Intake Filters: Once inside of the booth, your intake filters determine the quality of your paint jobs. As you coat vehicles or equipment, your intake filters are necessary to help reduce debris and contamination to the paint coat. These filters last longer and can be inspected visually to determine if they need to be replaced.
Exhaust Filters: Your exhaust filter takes the hardest hit because it is responsible for keeping paint overspray from building up on your fans. The stronger the exhaust fan, the heavier the contamination over time. These filters need changed every two to three weeks.
Which Type of Paint Booth Do You Have?
Ask yourself this question before buying a filter. Crossdraft and downdraft booths use different types of filters. Downdraft paint booths work best with an intake filter that spreads the air evenly for better coating. A Downdraft paint booth intake filter is best as a paneled filter made of polyester.
Once you have figured out what type of filter you need, now changing it is as simple as finding the old one. For intake filters, you will likely need to locate several filters within the unit. In a crossdraft spray booth, you need to look for the filter frame located either in the corner of your spray booth or in the door. Also check your ceiling and the floor for additional intake filters.
Air makeup unit filters are typically found directly in front of your heating and cooling coils inside of the unit. Exhaust filters are often found on the outside of your booth, in the floor for pitted booths and on the outdoor exhaust.
Some units load from the front, others from the side. Check with your local distributor or your product information sheet to see how yours is configured. Have more questions? Contact our team from Accudraft Paint Booths for more information.
