2 Tips from the Experts for Choosing the Best Air Filter for Your Home

How to Choose the Best Air Filter for your Home

Thinking about what you can do to improve your home? Indoor air quality is an often ignored consideration. Only when they suffer from a respiratory problem or the indoor air quality becomes bad do they start wondering how to improve their air. One of the first things they can do is choose the best air filter.

If you find yourself wondering how to choose the right air filter for your home’s HVAC, here are two important tips to consider:

Tip #1: Choose a Filter with a MERV Rating Between 5 and 14

Want to learn more about an air filter’s minimum efficiency reporting value, or MERV rating. It is a system of classifying air filters based on their ability to remove particles and contaminants from the air. The lowest MERV rating is one and the highest is 20. Higher ratings remove more contaminants from the air.

An air filter with a MERV rating of five will remove the most mold, hairs, fibers, pet dander and other allergens from the air without resulting in more frequent air filter changes, decreased HVAC efficiency or higher filter costs.

Do you have individuals in your home with special respiratory issues? It’s probably a good idea to choose an air filter with a higher MERV rating, such as 10 or 12. Any filter with a MERV rating of 4 or less won’t do a very good job of removing the most common allergens from the air. However, anything higher than 14 won’t do a significantly better job of cleaning the air yet will be a significant strain on your HVAC system’s air handler.

Tip #2: Avoid HEPA Filters Unless Your HVAC System Can Handle It

HEPA or high-efficiency particulate filters are a buzzword when it comes to indoor air quality. But due to the density of most HEPA options, many HVAC systems won’t be able to use one. That’s because the air handlers won’t be able to move anything through the thick options material effectively. Even if your HVAC can run with an HEPA option installed, you may see a dramatic drop in energy efficiency. This may happen without much of an air filtration performance boost over with a MERV rating of 12 or so.

Our team of indoor air quality professionals at Climatech Air, Inc. is happy to discuss what it takes to choose the right indoor option for your exact needs. Get in touch with us today.