Clean air filters keep your home comfort system running at peak efficiency. Regularly cleaned/replaced filters also make your entire home comfort system last longer. And of course, clean air filters keep your air clean, while dirty, clogged ones aren’t up to the job.
The greatest benefit is that good indoor air quality goes a long way toward keeping your loved ones healthy and happy. All this helps you breathe easier in your Dayton-area home while saving energy and money. The problem is, with all the different filters on the market, how do you choose the right one?
Let MERV help you choose the best filter
The MERV (Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value) is an excellent comparison tool that consumers can use to judge the relative efficiency of air filters. Efficiency here is defined as the ability to remove the smallest particles from the air (which means anything bigger is also removed). The scale ranges from a value of 1 up to 20, with 1 being the least efficient. In the range from 1-4 are the lowest-cost, disposable fiberglass furnace filters.
Since most people want to select the most efficient filter that is compatible with their heating/cooling system, many homeowners ask about HEPA, or high efficiency particulate air, filters. The federal EPA points out that true HEPA filters are not often found in residential HVAC systems. That’s because they’re often too large and are so efficient at removing particulates that they impede airflow.
Federal EPA studies show MERV 7-13 pleated filters being almost as effective as true HEPA filters, which are MERV 17-20, at controlling airborne particles indoors. MERVs in the 5-13 range are considered “reasonably” efficient. Since these medium-efficiency filters are less expensive than HEPA filters, and have quieter fan operation and better airflow, they’re often the better choice for homeowners.
For more information about or help with air filters, contact your local HVAC experts at Ace Hardware Home Services. Talk to us for advice on the best filter for your system and your family’s needs – or if you just need instruction on how to change the filter in your particular system. Please visit our website for more information or to contact us.
Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information, click here to download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
Ace Hardware Home Services services the Ohio’s Miami Valley. To get started, check out our website or request an appointment.
