Questions to Ask When Buying Air Filters

When looking for an air filter, there are a handful of questions that you want to ask yourself to pick the right one for your home. Picking the right filter will keep the air in your home cleaner and allow for your AC and furnace to run efficiently and smoothly. It also helps create a longer life for your cooling systems.

What is a MERV Rating?

It is the minimum efficiency reporting values, which in layman's terms means, the ability of the filter to catch different types of particles including but not limited to allergens. The higher the MERV rating the smaller the particle it can capture. This doesn’t mean that the higher the rating, that this would help your home or be the right one for your home.

To learn more specifically about MERV ratings please review our article here.

What are the best MERV ratings for my home?

MERV ratings of 8 to 13 are usually the recommended values for your home. This rating helps remove a variety of particles from the house including:

• Pollen
• Dust mites
• Sanding dust
• Textile/carpet fibers
• Mold/spores
• Dust lint
• Cement dust

To figure out the best filter for your home review our easy guide to figure out the best filter for your home.

What size filter should you get?

Unfortunately, this decision isn’t up to you, it's up to what is installed into your home. You’ll want to find your air filters throughout the house. Review what’s already in there. The filter installed should tell you the size. If it doesn’t you’ll measure in inches and on the inside of the frame not the outside. It’ll slip into the spot.

How often should your air filters be changed?

This depends on a few questions and also to change them a minimum of every 3 months. This is the minimum your AC companies recommend.

You should ask yourself:

• Do you have dogs or cats?
• How bad are your allergies?
• Do you frequently cook?
• What does the filter look like when I go check it?
• Do you live in a polluted area, so a city vs the countryside?

If you answered no to every question, live in the country, and your filter looks good when you checked it, you should be fine every 3 months. If you answered yes to each question and that you live in the city, then you should change it every month.

Where should I buy my filters?

Yes, you can get them at a hardware store, but using a monthly subscription like Filtertime will ensure you change your filters on time and correctly. They’ll ensure you have the right size and you can pick great quality to match your lifestyle.

What is the difference between a standard 1& 2 inch filter and a box filter?

The main difference is that box filters are created for newer systems and homes. They are deeper, instead of being 1 or 2 inches that are 4 to 12 inches depending on the home. It’ll be easy to tell in your home if you need one.

Still, have questions? Explore our blog or contact us today!

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