Best Air Filter for Home Air Conditioning

Air filters are necessary to protect your HVAC system from getting penetrated by fine dust. It also protects your family with its ability to capture various air pollutants. Installing a good air filter for home air conditioning inside your HVAC system will produce cleaner indoor air. To make sure you get the best air filters for your home, here are some points to pay attention to:

Types of Air Filter for Home A/C

Different types of air filters work with different kinds of air pollutants. To know which type to choose, you must first identify which contaminants concern you the most. The most common concerns for households are cigarette smoke, allergens, dust, and pollen.

What is MERV?

MERV measures an air filter’s ability to capture small particles. While higher MERV indicates higher efficiency in capturing particles, it is also more restrictive towards airflow. Too high of a MERV will overwork your system, causing a spike in energy bills. For houses, a MERV rating between 10-13 is considered ideal.

What is the Cost?

Calculating the cost of air filters is not solely the price itself but also how often it needs replacing. While most air filters should be changed every six months, some models can last shorter or longer.

What Size?

Take a look into your HVAC system and measure the slot for the air filter. Then, make sure to buy the one that fits perfectly. Undersized filters may leave gaps where all the pollutants can get through. On the contrary, oversized ones are impossible to install.

Knowing the specifications, you need for your air filters, it should be easier to pick the one that suits your home the most. For your reference, here are some of the best home air filters for you to consider:

• Aprilaire Healthy Home 213

This model is only $41 per unit and can be replaced once a year, and is quite impressive. The 4-inch filter can capture the types of dust, pollen, and smoke common in households. The MERV 13 is enough to deliver clean air while also allowing the air to flow smoothly.

• Lennox Healthy Climate CarbonClean 16

With MERV 16, you can have hospital-grade indoor air quality. Impressively, this filter doesn’t n restrict airflow even if you set the fan at its lowest speed. Unfortunately, this model costs around $100 for a unit that needs replacing once a year.

• 3M Filtrete 2500 Smart Premium Allergen

If you can’t afford the expensive filters, this model can be your best solution. Not only is it quite effective with MERV 14, but it also has a Bluetooth-enabled sensor to notify you of the status of dirt buildup. This model is priced at $30 per unit and needs to be replaced every six months. It is truly worth buying.

Not knowing what you need may cause you to buy the wrong air filter, which is a waste of money. But, on the other hand, you will also have terrible indoor air quality and a weaker HVAC system. If choosing air filters seems too complicated, call a professional to help you decide.