At its core, an air filter is designed to remove impurities such as dust, pet dander, bacteria, and other particles from the air that flows through the system. Not only does this improve the air quality inside your home, but it also protects your HVAC system from potential damage. Air filters keep debris and air particles out of sensitive components like the duct system and the air handler. Debris will build up over time creating a variety of problems, in addition to polluting indoor air.
The purpose of air filters is to help improve the air quality in the home by trapping particles that are invisible to the naked eye. If we could see what is floating in our houses, we would be surprised. When air is introduced into the HVAC system, it is first heated or cooled and then pushed through the ducts that lead it to every room in the house. The HVAC filter cleans the air just before it enters through the blower and circulates through the ducts.
As air is forced through the filter, the material, usually pleated cloth or paper, traps any contaminants that are in the air. One type that can be particularly difficult to find at the local store is the whole house air filter. These are very different from the more common one-inch filters. You might have heard them called whole-house air purifiers, which is a misnomer.
An air purifier is an addition to your HVAC system, it's not part of it. Although air filters clean the air, they are part of your system and are not optional. Filters with more pleats will provide better filtration than those with fewer folds, trapping even the toughest allergens and contaminants, such as pet dander and mold spores. Air filters with a MERV rating of 14 or higher capture more particles, but they also restrict airflow more and clog faster.
There is a standard cutout on one-inch filters, which means that all one-inch filters are ¼ to ½ smaller than their nominal size, but there is no standard bias cut on filters throughout the house. It brings expert knowledge of a wide range of home air filtration topics, including HVAC filters, filtration efficiency, and indoor air quality. The efficiency level of HVAC filters will vary between different HVAC systems and different types of filters. You'll need as many whole-house filters as there are air handlers, which can vary depending on your HVAC system configuration.
From sizes to types, grades and more, here's everything you need to know about house air filters. While these filters have a low MERV rating, they are a great long-term investment for someone who doesn't have strong preferences about HVAC filter types and doesn't need any special filters. While they can effectively filter dust and other airborne contaminants, they provide low air filtration and are less resistant to airflow. Portable air purifiers, also known as air purifiers or air sanitizers, are designed to filter the air in an individual room or area.
Some people need HVAC system filters that keep the air free of allergens and other contaminants, while others just need a basic filter to get the job done. If you don't change the air filters in your home regularly, you increase the risk of your home getting sick. Now that you know how important it is to replace your house air filters regularly, it's time to check and see if they need to be replaced today.
