How To Choose the Right Air Filter for Your Home

Choosing an air filtration system can be a difficult task. Because there are multiple options on the market, there are a lot of factors to consider first before choosing the right one. An air filter can have a set of benefits, but due to its size, it might not be suitable for your house. In order to avoid that, you need to set up criteria, which you’ll do when you understand exactly what your house needs. In the following guide, we provide you with the most important factors that you should consider when you buy an air filtration system.

 

Filter Size

The first thing that you should worry about when you buy an air filter is the size. After all, this will affect the air quality in your house even if it’s one of the best air filtration systems in the market. This can be determined by the size of the existing filter in your HVAC system or vents. If you don’t know what’s the size of the filter you have, you can simply measure yourself, or read the label of the existing filter. Usually, home filters are 1 inch thick, but if your filter has other measurements, make sure that you buy the right one. The air filter specialists over at https://filterbuy.com/ explain that you can have a filter customized according to your needs.

In cases where there are more standards than just the mere thickness of a filter, like height and width dimensions, you can always hire one of the most competent services to customize a good air filter for you. If you’re not satisfied with the results even after you change the air filter in your HVAC system or vents, you might want to opt for a more effective option, such as air purifiers, which already have air filters installed with multiple new features like ionizing contaminants.

 

MERV Rating

MERV (Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value), is a way to measure the efficiency of filters on a scale from 1 to 20 in terms of the size of the particles a filter can block. A filter’s MERV rating will point out the efficiency of the filter and help you narrow down your options, so take a look at the ratings below to find out how efficient you want your filter to be.

• A rating of 1 to 4 means that the filter can block particles that are bigger than 10 microns, such as bugs, debris, dust mites, and so on. 
• A rating of 5 to 8 indicates that the filter can block particles bigger than 3 microns, like pet dander, mold, and aerosol sprays.
• A rating from 9 to 12 shows that the filter can block particles bigger than 1 micron and most pollutants that fall within that range.
• A rating of 13 to 16 is the highest rating available for commercial filters, and they can capture particles greater 0.3 microns, which includes particles like bacteria, smoke, and the smallest pollutants. 
• A rating of 17 to 20 is the highest and most effective type, as it can block the small particles including viruses and the finest particles of dust. This type however is only used in rooms for scientific experiments or where electronics are manufactured.

 

Filter Type

The most common type of filters is the disposable ones, which require that you annually change them, but there are also reusable air filters that you’ll wash and clean thoroughly then use again. Of course, these filters will be more costly, but since you can use them more than once, their cost will be significantly less than the number of disposable filters that you purchase each year. Aside from the arduous task of learning how to clean a reusable air filter, there is also the drawback of having to clean it once every month, which means that you’ll have to take apart the HVAC system, remove the filter, and clean it before placing it again. This can be extremely tiring, especially in summer where you need to turn on the air conditioning system all the time. At a time like this, cleaning a filter can be quite a challenge. There are also people who reported that these filters can’t trap bigger particles, which makes them opt for disposable filters.

 

Breathing Problems

If you have a family member who has sinus problems or suffers from allergies, asthma, or bronchitis, or any lung problem, they will need to breathe a high-quality air that can only be achieved with an efficient filter, so before you buy an air filter, make sure that it can block allergens or particles that can cause allergic reactions to the person who has a breathing problem.

 

These factors can help choose the right air filter for you and your family. There are probably other factors that you might want to consider, like the type of air filter you should purchase (an activated carbon filter, HEPA filter, or electronic filter). However, make sure that your choice favors quality and performance over design.