Effective Tips to Get the Right Air Filter For Your Home
Everyone wants a comfortable and serene home, but everything would not be perfect without fresh air. When you come home from work, all you want is fresh air to make you forget that tiresome day at work. Heating and cooling can be brought to a standstill if your filter is not working. Therefore, you must shop wisely for an air filter and consider multiple factors. Knowing your requirements is especially good, so you buy something that suits you and your home’s HVAC system perfectly.
Here are some things to consider while shopping for an air filter.
- Consider Your Air Purification Needs
First, before purchasing an air filter, consider your needs. How polluted is the air in your home? Do you need to check out https://www.pureairllc.com/ to see if you need your air duct cleaned? Do you smoke? Do you have any allergies or pets? If so, you should consider buying an air filter that is designed to filter out such impurities. And if there are additional health considerations, such as a person in the home has asthma, then consider an asthma air purifier that filters all odors and chemical pollutants which might trigger your asthma.
- Higher Merv Means Better Air Filtration
Minimum efficiency reporting value (Merv) is a measurement scale designed by ASHRAE to rate the effectiveness of filters. The scale usually ranges from 1-16. The higher the Merv value of an air filter is, the more effective the filter is.
Merv values are normally labeled on the air filter. This is something that should definitely be checked before purchasing an air filter. As mentioned previously, if the air in your home is dirty from smoke or pets, keep that in mind. This Merv filter efficiency chart shows the Merv level required to filter impurities from the air, such as carpet fibers, mold spores, and more. Even bacteria can be filtered from the air with a Merv 13 efficiency filter.
- How Large Is Your Home or Room?
The size of your room or house which needs to be purified will largely influence the air filter you are supposed to purchase. You should go ahead and look for an air filter that is designed for your home’s size. You should first research furnace filter sizes online and find your specifications. If you get a smaller filter, you will end up unsatisfied with the service that it will give you.
Air filters are normally labeled with an ACH number which lets you know which size of rooms it is recommended for. For people with asthma and other respiratory allergies, you should consider buying an air filter with a higher ACH.
- Your Home’s HVAC System
Keep in mind that all home HVAC systems are not the same. Some systems will have a very strong blower motor, while others will not be rated as high and therefore may only be rated for use with Merv 8-level filters. Using a higher Merv-rated filter that is specified will cause your furnace system to work harder as the filter will be denser. This could lead to the entire system breaking down much sooner than it otherwise would have. If the efficiency level of the filters to be used with your system is not noted on the outside, you will want to search the model number online or even check with a heating and cooling professional to ensure you select the right filter efficiency level.
- How Often To Replace Filters
It may surprise you to know that most air filters are recommended to be replaced after 90 days. Make sure to check your existing filter and furnace unit to see if there are any specific recommendations. Many manufacturers do sell replacement filters in packs of at least 2, so when shopping, you will have the filters you need for the entire year when only buying 2 packages. If you think your filter does not need to be replaced so often, consider a furnace filter whistle, which is a simple device to attach to the filter. It will make an audible sound once the filter is approximately 50% blocked and needs to be replaced.
Overall, the most important point to remember when changing your home’s air filters is to check the HVAC unit itself. Just because a MERV 13 filter removes the most impurities from the air does not mean it is the best choice for your home. Choosing the filter efficiency recommended by the manufacturer of your HVAC unit will ensure that your home not only has clean air but that your home’s furnace and air conditioning unit will not be damaged and need costly repairs.
