There will be numerous alternatives when selecting an air filter for your HVAC system, but that doesn’t mean the purchasing process has to be difficult.
ProClean has created this easy guide to help you through each step of choosing the best filter for you and your house.
Size
The size of the air filter you should purchase isn’t always up to you; in order to function effectively, the filter must be a suitable size for your HVAC system.
If you’re not sure what size filter you need, see the owner’s handbook that came with your system. Remove the old filter and take it to your local hardware or HVAC supply shop if you don’t have the instructions.
An associate should be able to tell you what they have that will work with your system.
When you replace your filter, it should fit snuggly into your system. If it’s too big, change it out for a smaller one. When the filter is too tiny, air flows around it rather than through it.
Filter Design
After deciding the amount of filter required, the following step is to choose the kind of filter desired. Fiberglass, pleated, electrostatic, and washable are the four primary kinds.
Fiberglass filters are often cheap and disposable, and they are good at filtering big particles like lint and dust. However, they are not as effective at catching tiny particles, such as pollen, like other kinds of filters.
Pleated filters are also single-use. They have bigger surface areas, which helps them to capture particles more effectively.
Electrostatic filters are available in both reusable and disposable varieties. Strong static charges are generated as air flows through these specifically designed filters. As we learned in sixth-grade science, negatively charged particles attract positively charged particles and vice versa, allowing these filters to grab airborne contaminants like a magnet.
Washable filters are less popular and often more costly, but they only need to be replaced every couple of years. These filters may be cleaned by simply running water over them, as the name implies. However, when a substantial quantity of dust accumulates, their efficiency rises.
Like the filter itself, the frame may be constructed of a variety of materials. Air filter frames may be made of a variety of materials, including cardboard and metal.
When deciding on frames, the most important factors to consider are how long you want your filter to survive and the wattage of your HVAC system.
If you want to purchase a washable filter that will last for two years, it is a good idea to invest a little more money on a more sturdy frame. Similarly, if your HVAC system flows air fast, a cardboard frame may not be able to handle the strain.
Avoid difficulties by changing yours on a regular basis. This article, presented to you by the duct cleaning professionals at ProClean, contains everything you need to know about changing your filter.
