How Do I Know What Furnace Filter Is Best To Buy?
You pretty much get what you pay for in filters. If you have a lot of dust in your house or have allergies, go ahead and buy the 3M filtre. It lasts 3 months. Regular filters should be changed monthly, so the price isn’t that mush higher.
November 8, 2009 @ 4:35 am
The standard fiberglass filters work OK, but if you want something more efficient you can buy the pleated paper filters. They’re better at trapping a lot of the smaller particles such as dust, pet dander etc. that normally gets recirculated by the coarser filters. You can even get them in a HEPA rating, if you need one.
The downside is the better the filter, the faster it will need changed. Some come with a pre filter that you can sweep off, but the filters themselves will need a little closer watching.
November 8, 2009 @ 8:59 am
The thing about filters is the more efficient the better, though there is a caveat. If your return air is minimally sized for the amount of CFMs your blower provides, you have to be careful about filters. Too restrictive (efficient) of a filter can cause problems with your A/C and/or heating.
November 8, 2009 @ 2:14 pm
the standard $1 filters are adequate for the ac system but wont do much for the home’s air quality,dust and other allergens with get through..the pleated filters are better..all filters are rated with a “merv” number that rates its filtering ability,or how small the particles are that it can trap…the merv numbers range from 100 through 1700 [or 1 through 17 on some scales,same thing]…the $1 are #100,,,the 3m filtrete #1700 are the best,but they are also $20 each…a good compromise is a merv 800 -1250 for about $6-$15…the pleated filters do cut down on air flow a little even when they are clean but it isnt enough to notice or affect operation..the more expensive pleated filters cut down on air flow less than the cheaper pleated filters,,but all pleated filters are fine for airflow unless you leave them in long enough to get more than a little dirty…how often you change them depends on the situation…i dont like the 90 day recommendation because of the variables…if you keep a very clean house and dont use heating and ac too much then you could probably go longer than 90 days…if you use heating / ac a lot or keep tstat fan switch on during the summer,or have pets, [esp multiple pets] than likely replacing every 90 days is not enough..also remember your not using the heat / ac much in the spring and fall seasons…my rule of thumb is to replace filters at the beginning of the heat / ac season and middle of the heat / ac season.. for most people that would be june 1st,august 1st,,,nov 1st and jan 1st……maybe check the filter more often if you have multiple pets,etc. …stay away from the high efficient washable filters that have the very fine nylon / plastic screens,usually 2 layers of it,front and back..the squares are much smaller than door / window screen and they restrict airflow too much,even when clean….consumer reports has good articles on filters too…….dan
November 8, 2009 @ 8:29 pm
You really don’t, but the key is to make sure enough air can circulate through the filter.
The thicker the filter, the harder you unit needs to work.
If you can see light through the filter, that is the one you should use.
It also depends on your situation. Pet’s, smokers, pollin…….you need to get what your home environment is.
I have a washable one, and wash it every time I pay the mortgage. This is a reminder for me to clean it.