Air filters are important for every home, but for people who suffer from respiratory illnesses or allergies, they are critical. Air filters can help drastically improve air quality when pollution levels are high, and remove mold, dust, and seasonal and pet allergens from the air in your home.
Air filters work by removing particulates from the air before it flows into the rest of your home. They remove all these things that your family doesn’t want to breathe, but they also filter out tiny dirt particles that over time, degrade the performance of your air conditioning system as well.
All air filters have a MERV (Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value) rating and the higher the rating, the more efficient the filter is at removing particles. To keep the air in your home as clean as possible, you should invest in high-efficiency filters. These filters, when installed on your furnace or AC unit, will reduce the number of particulates in your house by up to 85%. Since these filters last longer, you’ll be spending less money and time on replacing filters.
An inexpensive, generic replaceable filter may cost only a few dollars, but it will typically last only a month or so and will be inefficient, trapping perhaps less than 20% of contaminants. Medium-efficiency, more expensive air filters will cost a bit more but will usually be designed to catch up to 50% of contaminants.
Over time, dust and dirt particles collect your HVAC unit’s heat exchangers and cooling coils, blocking air flow. If the air flow is reduced, the system must run longer to bring the home to the same set temperature. Longer run times use more energy, cost you more money, and reduce the blower motor’s lifespan. If you look at it this way, spending more for the expensive air filters up front saves you on replacement, electricity, and unit repair in the long run.
When it comes to the health and comfort of your family, it is a good idea to get the most efficient air filter you can afford. Speedy Electric and AC can advise you on the specific filtering requirements and abilities of your system.
