How to Choose the Best Air Filters for Your Home

Your unit’s performance is directly influenced by what air filters you choose and how well you maintain them.

Air filters are one of the most important components of your HVAC system. Your unit’s performance is directly influenced by what air filters you choose and how well you maintain them.

Here is a breakdown of the main types of air filters for your home, and how to choose the right one for you. 

Types of Filters

Certain features and properties set apart different types of filters. To browse for air filters efficiently, you have to decide what kind of product your unit needs. Here’s what to keep in mind.

• The Size of the Filters – Make sure to accurately measure or check the size of the old filters on your HVAC system. Only go with that the manufacturer recommends, as filters that are incorrectly sized will not perform properly. Atypical openings will need air filters in special sizes and shapes, as trying to adjust a standard one yourself can render it inefficient. 

• The Materials Used – The variety of materials and styles you can find can make your choice difficult, especially if you don’t know what to look for. You might need a thicker and denser filter if you live in a house where more air is circulated. Most air filters are made out of fiberglass, as it’s one of the more affordable options. Eco-friendly materials are also available, especially for reusable filters that one can wash for maintenance.

• The Style – Two of the most commonly found styles of air filters are: pleated and honeycomb. Pleated filters have a bigger surface area to process the air, allowing the filter to catch more particles and circulate the air easier. In addition to the pleated style, these filters often have an electrostatic charge, which traps the particles and makes them stick to the filter. The honeycomb structure is mostly seen in more affordable filters. The honeycomb cells are made with paper fibers, fiberglass, or textile fibers, filtering the dirty air through the flutes.

The above characteristics are the very basics of air filters for your home. Here is more information that you can check when looking for air filters for your home. 

The MERV Rating

The MERV rating system (an acronym for the minimum efficiency reporting value) is a 1 to 16 scale that shows how effective an air filter is in filtering out particles.

MPR (Microparticle Performance Rating)

MPR rates the filter’s ability to keep out nanoparticles from the air (particles with a circumference smaller than 1 micron. For people suffering from dust, mites, pollen allergies, a system with a high MPR can drastically change the quality of their life.

St. Louis Heating & Air Conditioning

Whether you need a basic filter to replace the old one, or you would like to update your AC filters to something more performant, consulting an HVAC expert will guarantee you the best choice for your system. Contact Thomas Hoffmann Air Conditioning & Heating LLC for all your St. Louis HVAC needs.