Expert Advice on How to Choose the Best Air Filter

Featured Image Caption: Air Filter Selection Guide

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Air quality is a hot topic. We often pay attention to air quality alerts, and our global community is paying more and more attention to air pollution.

But what about indoor air quality? Often that’s an aspect of our lives that we overlook because we just take for granted that when we are inside, we are good.

How can we keep from having poor indoor air quality? Well, there are lots of options but one of the most important steps to take is buying and maintaining the best air filter for your HVAC system.

We’re going to look at air filter buying tips in this article. Simple tips that you can follow to choose the best air filter for your HVAC system. Thereby creating a higher indoor air quality for you and your family.

What Is the Best Air Filter

The best air filter you can buy depends on a lot of variables. What type of system you have, the size of the filter, and your personal objectives for air quality. There are standard types of air filters that are available and will do what you need them to do.

System size, filter size, room size, and objective are all very important factors in choosing the best air filter for you. Some people need filters to help with pet hair, some need filters to help with other airborne allergens.

Air Filters also come with a MERV rating. A MERV rating is a Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value. This MERV rating ranks the filter’s ability to capture particles, thereby creating cleaner indoor air and helping to keep your HVAC system clean.

MERV rating ranges from a rating of 1 to a rating of 20.

Types of Air Filters

The four main types of Air Filters are:

Flat-Paneled Fiberglass Filters – These are the basic filters that are disposable and affordable. They trap dust and debris and are an effective way to improve the quality of your indoor air. They have lower-end MERV ratings.
Pleated Media Filter – This filter typically has a higher MERV rating. Usually between 5 and 13. This rating tells us that these filters are effective at trapping pet dander and even mold spores.
HEPA Filter – HEPA means High-Efficiency Particulate Air. A HEPA filter is rated at 20. Its high rating tells us that the filter can trap particulates as small as tobacco smoke and bacteria. HEPA filters are recommended by the U.S. Department of Health because, in theory, they can remove up to 99.97% of airborne contaminants.
Reusable Air Filters – These filters are washable, which means that once they are properly cleaned they can be reused. However, they have a low MERV rating range of 1-4 and have the potential to grow mold or mildew if not properly cleaned and fully dried before reinstallation.

Air Filter Buying Tips

With so many options for air filters, how do you know you are buying the best air filter for your system.

Obviously, the top priority is the highest quality indoor air possible, but secondly, you need to address your specific needs for air filtration.

So just what are your needs are for filtering?

Do you have pets? Consider a HEPA filter or a Pleated Media Filter.

Are you doing a home renovation? Perhaps an inexpensive flat-paneled fiberglass filter is a good fit to use and toss more frequently throughout the renovation. Then return to your standard higher-rated air filter.

Four tips for choosing the best air filter are:

Air Filter Size: All air filters have dimensions, for example, a 16x25x1 filter is a very common residential size. It means it is 16 inches wide by 25 inches high and 1 inch deep.
MERV Rating: Pay attention to the MERV rating. Remember the higher the MERV rating the more filtration you will be getting. Cleaner indoor air is not just better for your system, it is better for your health as well!
Air Filter Life: It is very important to pay attention to manufacturer recommendations for just how long an air filter will last. You don’t want to stretch the life, you want the best performance from your air filter.
The thickness makes a difference: Obviously, a thicker filter can filter more particulates from your air, but you have to choose a filter depth (Thickness) that fits your system.

The Best Air Filter Creates the Best Indoor Air

We all want to make changes to stay healthier. We want to keep ourselves and our loved ones as safe and healthy as we can.

In today’s world, it’s estimated we spend approximately 90% of our time inside. Of that 90%, 70% of it is spent inside our homes.

That means it’s time to make indoor air quality a priority.

Indoor air quality can be a combination of a lot of things. From adding houseplants or being more diligent with cleaning floors. It can include dusting more frequently.

But our top priority should be choosing quality air filters so that we get the best filtration out of them, and the indoor pollutants are trapped and removed completely.

Finding Your Best Air Filter

So why wait? With 90% of your life spent inside, and 70% of that time spent inside your own home, let’s get you the best air filter now!

Air filters are sold everywhere and can be purchased online for your convenience.

Let’s get to work today making indoor air quality a priority for you so that you and your loved ones can rest assured knowing your breathing clean, healthy air. Take control of your indoor air today with a high-quality air filter that meets your personal needs!