Question: Which pleated furnace filter is better from same company.
7 pleat or 11 pleat?

I would say the 11 pleat filter is probably better because more pleats per inch of filter allows for greater air flow. This is important for efficient filters. Quality manufacturers aim for as little impact on air flow as possible when designing their filters. As the efficiency of the filter material increases so does air flow restriction. One method of compensating for this is to have more pleats per inch of filter.

More pleats per inch of filter also distributes the dust collected by the air filter over a larger area and therefore can be in the system longer before needing to be changed.

Hepa air filters have many more pleats per inch than other filters that utilize the pleated design.

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.

Question: I have a Honeywell electronic furnace filter on my furnace. The power panel failed and the unit is very expensive to replace. However, I can install pleated air filters in place of the original electronic cells. The filter size is 20 X 25 X 4 inches thick. As a temporary measure, I have installed 3-1 inch thick MERV 8 air filters in parallel into the filter opening.  How does the MERV rating change when the filters are placed in parallel? Is what I have done a good solution? If not, what would you recommend that I do?

I would remove two of those 1 inch pleated air filters ASAP. Installing filters in this way has a very negative effect on air flow and reduces equipment efficiency greatly. Take a look at your air handler to see if there is a place to install a 1″ filter. Most air handlers come equipped with this filter rack.

Take a look at the pictures on this page “where is my furnace filter” if you are not sure where to look. If you can’t find a place to install a 1″ filter, you can get a 20 X25 X4 MERV 12 filter at NordicPure for a very reasonable price.

There are some common problems that home owners encounter when performing the common task of installing a new furnace filter or air

conditioner filter. Unfortunately they don’t come with directions.

After you perform this maintenance task the first time you quickly realize that it is not difficult to do. Below are links to some articles that attempt to eliminate some of the most common obstacles often encountered when installing a new air filter for the first time.

Where is my furnace filter?

Where is my furnace filter?
Before you can change or inspect your furnace filter you have to

know where it is located. Every air conditioning and heating system should have one and they can often be difficult to find. They are usually installed in the air handler but not always.

Which way do furnace filters go?

Which way do furnace filters go?
This is an important part of changing your air conditioner filter. You don’t want install your new filter the wrong way. There are usually arrows pointing in the direction of air flow. Ignore these and you can negatively impact system performance and reduce filter life. There are some other indicators to determine which way your replacement filter should go.

How do you install a furnace filter?

How do you install a furnace filter?
Sometimes filters are difficult to remove because you can’t get your fingers into the narrow opening of the air handler to remove them. Try this easy solution to make changing your furnace filter much easier.

Question: I was recently told that I could put (4) 1” inch filters together and use as a replacement for the expensive 4 inch pleated filter in my Aprilaire Spaceguard furnace filter system.

It is never a good idea to stack filters in this way.  It restricts air flow and can cause the air conditioner to ice up, among other things.

Any savings would be quickly lost due to decreased equipment efficiency and possible service calls.

Problems related to restricting air flow.

• Reduced operating efficiency
• Increased operating costs
• Evaporator coil icing up
• Reduced air flow to the home
• Longer run times
• Filters could be sucked into the fan causing damage
• Liquid refrigerant flooding back to the compressor
• Possible equipment failure

If the cost of the filter is a real concern, you could possibly install a 2 inch pleated filter into the Aprilaire Spaceguard furnace filter system.  As long as the outside dimensions are the same as the Aprilaire filter it should work.

When installing the narrower filter make certain that it is installed against the down stream side (toward the air handler) of the Aprilaire unit.  This way, air flow will help to keep the narrower pleated filter in place.  This will only work if the filter is mounted in a vertical position.  If it is mounted horizontally, this will not work and you will have to figure out a way to hold the filter in place.

Nordic Pure Anti-Allergenic Pleated Air Filters Half the price of most leading brands!