Friedrich Adds MERV 13 Filtration to ‘Old-School’ AC Window Units

Friedrich Air Conditioning Co. is turning “old school” window AC unit technology into a sophisticated IAQ solution of the future, especially for homes, classrooms, multi-family and assisted living facilities.

Friedrich now offers a new MERV 13 filtration option for Kühl, one of the company’s most popular lines of room AC units, as part of Friedrich’s new FreshAire IAQ accessories offerings.

Friedrich Kühl window units with MERV 13 can deliver the level of filtration recommended by leading authorities — including the CDC, EPA, and ASHRAE — to guard against the spread of infectious airborne particles like COVID-19.

MERV 13 filters are 85 percent or more effective at capturing particles down to 1 micron in size (COVID-19 virus travels on particles and nuclei between 1 and 6 microns in size).

MERV 13 filtration also can combat other indoor air quality problems, such as those caused by unhealthy outdoor air from wildfire smoke and pollutant particulates.

“Frankly, other window AC units on the market are little more than lint traps when it comes to the level of filtration they offer,” said TJ Wheeler, Friedrich senior vice president, sales and marketing. “Kühl is light years ahead for not only serving as a highly effective and powerful heating and cooling solution, but also delivering significant air filtration capabilities.”

Thanks to Kühl’s proprietary design, which offers the ability to incorporate the upgraded filter option without sacrificing performance, energy efficiency, or temperature accuracy, even older Kühl window units manufactured after 2010 can utilize the MERV 13 filtration option.

That’s essential because, until now, facilities such as schools and classrooms that rely on window AC units to heat and cool separate areas have had little option to deliver healthier indoor air quality without the expense and hassle of bringing in air purification equipment or undertake a massive upgrade to centralized systems. Friedrich Kühl with MERV 13 filters units can be run continuously to help purify the air in individual spaces, whether or not heating or cooling capabilities are also being used. Additionally, they work to help prevent unhealthy air from being spread throughout entire buildings by addressing IAQ issues on a room-by-room basis.

Already, the demand for such an effective IAQ solution is unprecedented. The New York City Department of Education secured the first available 60,000 Friedrich Kühl FreshAire IAQ MERV 13 kits for schools throughout the district. Friedrich has continued to build up its inventory in anticipation of growing demand from other facilities looking to fight pathogens and microcontaminants as small as viruses in individualized spaces where central air systems cannot reach or are simply not effective.

“It’s very exciting to be on the forefront of being able to offer not only a top performing room AC solution, but to help solve one of the biggest IAQ challenges facing the industry for our customers,” Wheeler said. “In homes, schools and other facilities, that means not only keeping occupants more comfortable, but safer as well.”