What Kinds Of Air Filters Are In The Market?
For every homeowner, indoor air quality is vital, especially if a family member has respiratory issues or allergies.
Buying the proper air filter can be the difference between poor indoor air quality and clean air that is easy to breathe.
Good air quality can help you sleep better, feel more relaxed, or focus more easily. To enhance your home’s air quality with the best air filters, buy here.
What Are the Most Common Types of Air Filters?
There are seven air filter types available on the market today, each with its pros and cons.
Depending on your HVAC specifications and needs, you can find excellent air filters for your HVAC system at affordable prices. Considerations such as owning pets or mold indicate how often your air filters need to be changed.
Air filter materials can go from fiberglass to fabrics. Moreover, all the air filters are rated using the minimum efficiency with reporting value (MERV). This rating process is created by the American Society of Heating and Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE).
The rating goes from 1 to 20, where 1 is the lowest level of filtration and 20 is the highest and most effective.
Every filter is different, and when you are planning to buy air filters for your home. Here are a few factors which you must check for selecting your air filters.
#1. Pleated Filters
Pleated filters are generally made of polyester fabrics or cotton folds and usually have a MERV rating ranging from 5 to 13. The pleats in these air filters give them an advantage over the non-pleated option, as they increase the air filter’s surface area for better filtration.
Usually, more pleats provide better filtering than fewer pleats because they trap and filter problematic pollutants or allergens like pet dander, mold spores, or cockroach mites.
If you are ever worried about your home’s indoor air quality, pleated filters may be just what you need. Pleated filters are the most common air filters available on the market.
You can find them in both disposable and reusable formats, and luckily, they suppress the noise of your HVAC fan. They are also a reasonably-priced option for homeowners that last long.
#2. Media Filters
When it comes to media filters, they provide about the same level of filtration as a high-MERV filter. However, they do so without the negative impact of airflow or even static pressure.
Media filters generally have a larger surface area and are incredibly easy to maintain. They trap and filter airborne contaminants and pollutants such as viruses, bacteria, pet dander, mold spores, cockroach debris, and so on.
Some significant advantages of air filters and media filters are their cost-effectiveness and sturdiness; they only need to be changed once or twice a year.
#3. Washable Filters
While some air filters are disposable, washable filters are environmentally friendly. Truth be told, washable filters have a higher initial price, but if installed and cleaned correctly, they can last for several years.
To ensure they work efficiently, washable filters must be maintained and dried perfectly before putting them back in. Understanding that moisture can lead to mildew growing on the filter and entering the air you and your family breathe is vital.
Washable filters tend to have a lower MERV rating than pleated or media filters, but they can be a long-term investment if you don’t have needs and preferences about your air filter type.
#4. HEPA Filters
The U.S Department of Health strongly recommends high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters because they can remove up to 99.97% of airborne contaminants, allergens, and pollutants.
In fact, HEPA air conditioner filters can trap and filter mold spores and dust small as 0.3 microns. If you or a family member has asthma, allergies, or other respiratory issues, you can benefit from HEPA filters the most.
Compared to other air filters, HEPA filters must be installed by a professional. But when you are installing this type of filter, make sure you are following the proper process of the maintains. This way, you can increase the life of the air purifiers which are having the HEPA Filter.
Final Thoughts
Manufacturers understand how vital your home’s air quality is for your health and comfort, so most provide excellent products at reasonable prices to ensure your home is comfortable and safe.
Choosing the right air filter for your HVAC system can alleviate any concerns you may have about your indoor air quality. Various types of air filters are available on the market. Whether you choose them by brand, size, or MERV rating, you will easily find what you are looking for.
All types of air filters remove allergens and pollutants but based on their MERV rating; some can trap and filter more airborne contaminants than others.
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