I need to add something to my layout area to help control dust. Actually, I don't have a serious dust problem but I am looking for anything I can do to help keep the track clean. My layout is not in the house with a central HVAC with filtered air. It is in a separate building which has heat & air but no real filtering system. Option 1 is a small 20" box fan with a standard filter attached to the front. Just sits on the floor and circulates air thru the filter. I know others have done this but I am not sure how effective it is in capturing the smaller size dust particles. Probably the least expensive approach. Option 2 is one of the small box room sized filters. I have about 160 sqft in my room so it would probably take a unit that cost over $100. Also many of those units use a HEPA filter than needs to be replaced periodically and I suspect they are not cheap. I would prefer one that has a filter that can be removed and cleaned. May not be as effective as a HEPA filter but I don't need the super HEPA filter for health reasons. Looking for feedback on how effective the above solutions are for a layout room.
Hopefully the building is weather tight? Otherwise it will just remain an issue. If the dust is a problem, and spending a bit of cash resolves the situation, the money (even with a small budget) is well spent.
I have the same problem with my hobby room, which is just like any other room in the house in terms of dust, but the buildup is really irritating. It's easy to dust a shelf, but not so a model railroad. I'm eventually considering the purchase of a room-size HEPA air purifier like this, but like the OP, I want a washable filter. I don't suffer from allergies; I just want less particulates in the air.
If I go with a room size cleaner, I have been looking at the Hamilton Beach 04386A Air Purifier which is $54 on Amazon. It has a "HEPA rated" filter but can be cleaned and reused. I doubt it is as good as a true HEPA filter but a true HEPA filter is overkill for my needs plus the replacement filters are pricy. Many of the units also have UV lights and other bells & whistles that drive the cost up and are beyond the simple filter I want. The Hamilton Beach has none of those extra's thus a lot less expensive.
Most of the reviews I have seen are positive. One negative reviewer had an internal circuit board go bad. Looks pretty simple. Has a fan that draws air thru the filter and that is about it. In that regard, it is not much different from a box fan with a filter stuck on it except that it has a smaller footprint than the box fan and that is why I am interested in it. It is most effective at high speed but some said it had fan noise at high speed. Most people that used them for medical reasons ran them 24/7. A box fan at low speed probably moves more air that the room size unit at high speed. Even with the best filter available, I don't think a box fan plus filter will capture the dust like a HEPA filter will. Right now, I am torn between a simple box fax/good filter (bigger footprint) and the smaller room size unit (better filter)
Another point. The Hamilton is listed as "99% HEPA". After further research, that is a term used by mfg to claim a HEPA like performance but they have not been certified as true HEPA. This would be a big problem for me if I wanted an air purifier for health reasons but all I need is a good dust filter so I am OK with that terminology. A true HEPA filter unit would be well over $100 plus use replaceable filters ($$$).
