Some hardware stores (such as Home Depot or Lowes) use their own rating system. If anyone in your home has allergies, asthma, any other respiratory conditions, pets, or if you live in a dusty environment you should aim for a higher MERV rating. The higher the MERV rating, the greater the efficiency in removing contaminants and pollutants. MERV ratings are printed on the side of each filter. To be on the safe side, check your furnace manual and see if the manufacturer has a maximum MERV rating for your model of furnace to help you in figuring out which furnace filter would be best for you to use on your system. However, higher-rated filters allow less air to flow through and can force your furnace to work harder and possibly malfunction.Īccording to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, air furnace filters with a MERV between 7 and 13 are adequate for most homes as they are pretty effective at controlling most airborne indoor particles. The higher the rating, the smaller the size of particles the filter can remove. MERV ratings can range from a low of 1 to a high of 20. Furnace filters are rated using the minimum efficiency reporting value (MERV) which was created by The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) to allow consumers to compare air filters made by different companies. It’s important to understand MERV ratings when considering which is the best furnace filter to buy. WHICH TYPE OF FURNACE FILTER SHOULD I BUY? (MERV RATINGS) Maintaining your furnace can add years on to its life expectancy and also takes less energy to run it, saving on your energy bill.Ĥ. That’s why it’s important to have your furnace serviced every year. The average furnace that has not been maintained has about 10 lbs of dirt in it. However, they need to be cleaned out as often as you would replace a disposable one (checking it every month is recommended) so that you have the right amount of air-flow and are not putting undue stress on your furnace. These filters can save money because you don’t have to be buying filters to replace. Permanent reusable filters (also referred to as washable filters) are constructed with either solid aluminum or plastic frame. They come in many standard sizes, but are generally more flimsy and have lower ratings than pleated filters. They have an almost spider-web appearance and are often blue in color. The price of these filters varies from a couple of dollars all the way up to the $30 – $40 range depending on the brand, size, and MERV rating of the filter.ĭisposable fiberglass filters are the cheapest filter on the market but really aren’t the best furnace filters. Pleated filters are constructed out of paper and polyester and do a good job at filtering most household particles and allergens. ![]() These come in a range of standard sizes and ratings. The most common type of furnace filter is a disposable pleated kind. It's a good idea to write this in permanent marker on your furnace so that you can have it visible when you need to know it. You should be able to look at the filter in your furnace currently and see the size printed on the side. A good fit prevents air from slipping around the edges of the filter. It is important to note that you must have an exact fit -“close enough” is not good enough in these circumstances. The filter must fit snugly in your furnace. The easiest way to find out what size you need is to pull out the filter that is currently in your furnace and check it (the size should be written on the frame of the filter) or you can also refer to your furnace manual. Height and length combinations range from 10”x10” all the way to 30”x 30”. The most common thickness is 1”, with 4” also being a popular choice for larger systems. There are a lot of different sizes and you need to use the one that is the correct size for your furnace.įurnace filters are sized by thickness (depth), height, and length. ![]() Now, you need to know what size of filter your furnace needs.
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