Buy Furnace Filter
Furnace filters as they are known are basically home air filters used for keeping the coils and heat exchanges clean. They protect the coils and heat exchanges from getting dirty thus making the system work faster and prolonging its HVAC life. Therefore it is suggested to change the filters regularly. As you go to buy a new furnace filters you get a wide variety to choose from. On and all the furnace filters can be categorized on the basis of material and function as following:
Fiberglass filters: As the name suggests, these are made up of fibers as the main component. A layer of fibers is used which may or may not be covered by a grille of the shape of a honeycomb. The fibers used can be of fiberglass or some natural material such as coconut fibers. These filters are the least expensive all varieties.
Pleated filters: These are quite
efficient because of their pleated pattern. The pleats provide more surface area
and so more number of articles get trapped within. Some of pleated filters are
constructed of a bacteria and water-resistant 100% polypropylene media, bonded
to an expanded metal support grid using water resistant adhesive and some are
electro statically charged to attract more and more particles.
Reusable filters: these can be used again and again as the
material used is washable with water.
The furnace filters thus can be bought depending on the requirement. Another
important thing to be seen is the MERV rating i.e. the Minimum efficiency
Reporting Value. This is a measure of filter's ability to trap particles ranging
in size from 3.0 microns to 10.0 microns. MERV is an industry standard rating,
which can be used to compare filters made by different companies. Some
manufacturers also have their own rating systems. It is important because the
higher the MERV rating, the more efficient the filter is, and the more particles
it can filter.
When you go for buying a furnace filter, always look for the highest efficiency filter that works with your furnace. This is because the higher the MERV rating, which is usually listed on the packaging, the better it will be. Health House guidelines require a MERV rating of 10 or higher.
The next thing to be considered before buying a furnace filter is the size and
shape. Depending on the area and size, most of the filters available for
residential HVAC are 1” thick. These come in different shapes, so the required
shape and size should be properly noted down before buying as some large houses
(3,000 sq. ft. and more) require 4" filters because of the volume of air
circulating in the home