Air Filter Types: Which One is Right for Your Home?

Introduction

All types of HVAC units we install in our houses or other living areas need filters. Air filters ensure the good quality of indoor airflow. The type of filter you use for the job depends on the requirements. Households, factories, and hospitals, all will prefer different types of air filters. But whatever the need from the air filters may be, it is important to choose a good quality filter that will serve the purpose perfectly.

How to Choose the Right Air Filter for Your Home?

All residential air filters must be of good quality as we spend most of our relaxation at home. If the air is not well-purified, it can cause irritation and other health hazards. The MERV rating must be checked to choose the right air filter for your home. A filter’s capability of trapping particles is rated through Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value (MERV) rating.

If the house has members suffering from breathing problems or other respiratory diseases, the filter’s MERV rating needs to be high. If the allergens in the air are not that much of an issue, then the rating do not need to be that high. On the other hand, smoking zones, hospitals, asthma patient care centers, etc places where it is mandatory to clean the air perfectly from smallest particles need very high MERV rated filters.

Air Filter Types

There are several types of air filters available in the market. These filters are divided into groups based on the material they are made of and the structure of the filters. Among all the different types, three are the most popular and seen to be used the most by the customers. The users can evaluate and choose the best one that works for them.

Pleated Filters

In these filters, a pleated fabric medium is used. Pleats are added to increase the filter surface area. A higher number of pleats means better filtration. This filter can sieve smaller particles like dust, pet dander and even mold particles. But the main problem is the fact that pleated filters are more expensive than other types of air filters for home uses.

Fiberglass Filters

This type of filters is the most used in HVAC units. These are made of spun fiberglass strands arranged together to create a flat surface. This is not very effective in entrapping smaller particles. So the main protection is given from pollen, dust, and carpet fibers. The filter can also get jammed very easily. It cannot purify the air; it only keeps the air cleaner in appearance.

HEPA Filters

HEPA, short for High Efficiency Particulate Air, is one of the best types of air filters. These have the capacity to run for a long time and can purify the air from even smaller particles like virus, bacteria, mold, pet dander, pollen etc. The filters do not need to be replaced before a couple of years, so it saves a lot of money as well. But these high-quality filters are more costly than all other types of air filters.

Conclusion

When we think about buying and installing HVAC units in our houses, we never really put much thought into the air filters. But, these should be collected from a good residential air filters supplier such as Custom Filters Direct that supplies custom air filters for home instalments. To keep the indoor air pure and easy to breathe in, the air filters need to be chosen properly and most importantly, they need proper treatment in regular intervals. With the right choice of air filters, like 14x30x1 air filters and 13x20x1a furnace filters, you can easily save money and get the best result from your home’s installed machine.