The best furnace filters to use in your home are the ones that provide the results that you want. When trying to choose a filter to use it is important to consider what you objectives are. Just because a filter is the most efficient doesn’t make it the best furnace filter. It just makes it the best choice for a person who has allergies or other health concerns. There are many variables to consider when selecting a replacement air filter for your furnace or air conditioner. We have created a list of the most common types of filters used by home owners. These are not the only furnace filters available but they are among the most common types.
Pleated furnace filters
- Pleated air filters are the most common filters used in residential and commercial HVAC equipment. They are probably the easiest to find at your local hardware store although better pricing is available online.
- These filters are available in a wide range of efficiencies from about MERV 5 to MERV 12. The higher the MERV rating is the more efficient the filter is. This also means that it may need to be changed more often because the more dust it collects the faster it begins to have a negative impact on air flow.
- These filters are very easy to maintain. Simply change them every two to four months or when recommended by the manufacturer.
- One of the things that make them so common and popular is that they are available in custom sizes.
Electrostatic furnace filters
- Some electrostatic furnace filters are very high quality and will last for many years. Wash them once a month and they are as good as new.
- Electrostatic air filers cost more to purchase but they eliminate the monthly expense of buying disposable filters. Pay $50 to $100 up front for an electrostatic air filter or $5 to $10 or more each time you change your disposable air filter. This adds up to decent savings over a 10 year period. If you replace a $5 filter 4 times a year it adds up to $200 dollars in 10 years. A $10 disposable air filter will cost $400 in 10 years. It’s the little things that save you money.
- If you don’t like doing maintenance tasks then these filters are not for you. They must be maintained properly so they will remain effective.
- If Green living and the environment are important to you these filters are a good choice because they reduce landfill usage and they last for many years.
Media air filters (Pre-Cut Media Pads)
- Pre Cut media air filter pads are not used as often as the types listed above because they are not as popular with retail stores.
- If maintenance is not your thing and you sometimes forget to change your filters these may be for you. Media pads are much more forgiving. They have a much greater dust loading capacity than the other filters listed here. This means that when neglected it takes longer for it to negatively impact air flow and you can potentially avoid the decline in equipment operating efficiency that the other filters create when neglected.
- Carbon media pad inserts can be installed with these filters to help control odors.
- Pre cut pads are less expensive than most of the quality pleated air filters.
HEPA filters
- Hepa air filters are the most efficient air filters available.
- These filters utilize the pleated design of standard pleated air filters. The difference is in the number of pleats per inch of filter and the material used in the construction of the filters is much more efficient at stopping dust, pet dander, pollen and other airborne allergy causing contaminants that you may find in your house.
- Some brands, such as the Hepa-Pure, can be cleaned and used several times.
- True HEPA filters are 99.97% efficient and can remove particles as small a .3 microns in size.
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