Indoor air quality is essential to maintaining a healthy home for you and your family. The most basic thing that contributes to this air quality, is you guessed it: an air filter. When your HVAC system cools or heats the air, it sucks the air through the air filter. Dirty or clogged filters are never good for your system, and if you choose to use an expensive air filter over a less expensive one, it can get quite expensive. Is it worth it to buy expensive air filters? Our heating and cooling experts at Super Heat & Air weigh in…
What Do Air Filters Do?
Essentially, any air filter will filter out the particles from the air before it flows throughout your HVAC system. These particles can include dirt particles, mold spores, pet dander, allergens, and dust, which can all clog up your AC system and decrease its efficiency. As a result, your AC’s airflow will be decreased, it will run more to keep up, and ultimately, energy costs will increase.
Higher quality AC filters, ( which have a higher MERV value) are more expensive but can filter out more particles than their less expensive counterparts.
What is MERV?
MERV, or “Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value,” is a rating that was developed by the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, and Air Conditioning Engineers. This scale rates air conditioning filters from 1 to 16 on their ability to trap particulates from the air. Most air filters have a value from 1 to 13, but HEPA filters, which are often used in hospitals, have a MERV rating of 13+.
Different Types of Air Conditioning Filters
Here is a short list of the air conditioning filters that are on the market today:
Spun fiberglass is the cheapest type of filter, but provides only minimal protection with a MERV rating of 1-4.
Disposable filters made from pleated paper or polyester provide an increased surface area for filtering. These often have a MERV rating of 5 to 7.
High-Efficiency Particulate Arrestance ( HEPA) filters will filter fine particles from the air, up to 0.3 microns, and have a MERV rating of 13+. These remove 99.97% of airborne particles.
Are Expensive Air Conditioning Filters Worth It?
If you have a family member who suffers from respiratory issues or allergies, then more expensive air filters could be a good idea. More expensive air filters such as Pleated Residential filters will filter out dust mites, pollen, pet dander, mold, and even bacteria, which can be worth the extra money, especially for those with severe allergies.
HEPA filters will filter out bacteria and viruses and are worth it for those with severe respiratory conditions such as emphysema.
Call Us for Your Air Quality Needs
Call the pros at Super Heat & Air for all your HVAC needs including general maintenance, emergency repairs, installation, duct cleaning, and air quality audits. We offer 24/7 emergency services, and always stand by our Super Fast Guarantee! Call us today at (813) 279-8213 to schedule an appointment!
