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Air Filters – The Pros and Cons

Sep 8, 2017

Person changing ceiling air filter

The type of air filter you choose the next time you need a filter change can make all the difference in the quality of air in your home. City Heat and Air is here to guide you in deciding what type of air filter is best for your East Tennessee home.

When choosing an air filter for your home it is important to understand MERV (Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value) ratings. All air filters have a MERV rating that vary between 1-20. A good air filter will have a rating of at least 8-13.

  1. DISPOSABLE FIBERGLASS FILTERS: THESE FILTERS ARE VERY INEXPENSIVE AND ARE SUFFICIENT FOR PEOPLE WITH NO ALLERGIES OR ASTHMA. THEY USUALLY HAVE A MERV RATING OF 2-3 AND CAN REMOVE ONLY LARGE PARTICLES FROM THE AIR. FIBERGLASS FILTERS HAVE VERY LITTLE EFFECT ON ACTUALLY CLEANING THE AIR.
  2. DISPOSABLE PLEATED FILTERS: THESE FILTERS ARE A STEP UP FROM FIBERGLASS FILTERS WITH A MERV RATING OF AROUND 6. DISPOSABLE PLEATED FILTERS DO A BETTER JOB OF REMOVING SOME SMALL PARTICLES FROM THE AIR, ARE STILL RELATIVELY INEXPENSIVE, AND YOU MAY BE ABLE TO FIND SOME MADE FROM GREEN MATERIALS. THEY DO NEED TO BE CHANGED OUT A LOT MORE FREQUENTLY, AND CAN BE MORE DIFFICULT ON YOUR HVAC SYSTEM DUE TO THE FACT THEY RESTRICT AIR FLOW MORE THAN A FIBERGLASS FILTER.
  3. DISPOSABLE ELECTROSTATIC FILTERS: A STEP UP FROM THE PLEATED FILTERS WITH A MERV RATING OF 10, BUT ALSO MORE EXPENSIVE TO REPLACE. THEY DO CATCH A LOT MORE SMALL PARTICLES IN THE AIR AND ARE RECOMMENDED FOR PEOPLE WITH CHILDREN AND/OR PETS, OR THAT ARE SMOKERS. IF YOU NEED A CUSTOM SIZED FILTER FOR YOU HVAC SYSTEM THESE COULD BE A LOT MORE EXPENSIVE.
  4. PERMANENT ELECTROSTATIC FILTERS: THESE FILTERS ARE SIMILAR TO THE DISPOSABLE ELECTROSTATIC FILTERS EXCEPT FOR THE FACT THEY HAVE A REMOVABLE, MACHINE-WASHABLE FILTER AND A LOWER MERV RATING OF 8. THEY CAN BE USED FOR UP TO 6-8 YEARS REDUCING OVERALL COSTS AND WASTE.
  5. HIGH-EFFICIENCY PLEATED FILTERS: THESE ARE PREMIUM FILTERS BECAUSE THEY CAN CATCH VERY SMALL PARTICLES PREVENTING AIR-BORNE ILLNESSES AND CLEAN THE AIR IN YOUR HOME TO MAXIMUM EFFICIENCY WITH A MERV RATING OF USUALLY 13-15. THE HIGH-EFFICIENCY PLEATED FILTERS ARE HIGHLY RECOMMENDED TO THOSE WHO HAVE RESPIRATORY PROBLEMS OR AN AUTO-IMMUNE DISEASE. THEY ARE PREMIUM-PRICED AND CAN ONLY BE INSTALLED IN CERTAIN HOMES BECAUSE OF THEIR THICK SIZE. CONSULTING WITH A PROFESSIONAL, LIKE CITY HEATING AND AIR IS RECOMMENDED BEFORE INSTALLATION.

If you have any questions about what type of air filter is right for your home please click HERE or call one of City Heat and Air’s trained professionals at 865-938-1005 today!