Whole House Air Filters: Everything You Need to Know 

Your home is your sanctuary. It’s where you eat, sleep, and make memories with your friends and family. Therefore, it only makes sense that you keep the air inside of it clean. That’s where a whole home air filter comes in. 

A whole home air filter integrates into your existing HVAC system to remove pollen, dust, pet dander, and other pollutants. It ensures fresh air in every room of your home, not just one or two. Let’s take a closer look at what whole house air filters are and how they work. 

What Do Whole House Air Filters Look Like?

Whole house air filters are exactly what they sound like. Air purifiers that help clear the air in entire homes, instead of just a few rooms. In most cases, whole house air filters are anywhere between three and five inches thick. They look a lot like one and two inch standard air filters but feature more surface area due to their v-shaped pleats. 

In addition to their distinct appearance, whole house air filters tend to last much longer than standard air filters. Due to their massive surface area, they don’t need to be changed as often. Depending on the filter and your unique home, a replacement is only required every six months to a year. Standard air filters, on the other hand, must be changed every one to three months. 

Where Do Whole Home Air Filters Go?

Unlike most other air filters, whole house air filters do not go in your wall. Instead, they get inserted into the ductwork, directly in front of your HVAC unit so they can reach every corner of your house. Some filters come with a housing or cartridge that they fit in before they get installed. Others are designed to be installed directly into a slot in the duct. 

How to Check if Your Home Has or Needs a Whole Home Air Filter?

If you have a central heating and air conditioning system that circulates air throughout your home, it’s highly likely that you have a whole home air filter that needs to be replaced on a regular basis. However, if you have a boiler heating system and no central air conditioning, there’s a good chance you don’t need a whole home air filter and should consider other options. 

Benefits of Whole House Air filters

There are countless reasons to invest in whole house air filters. First and foremost, they can reduce the risk of allergies and asthma, keeping your family and guests healthy while ensuring the air they breathe is clean all the time.

Whole house air filters can also extend the life of your HVAC system. If your home is full of pollutants, the system will be forced to work harder and may be at risk of breaking down. You can count on whole house air filters to push cleaner air through the vents and keep your system running smoothly for longer. 

In addition, whole house air filters can minimize stubborn odors that may be lingering throughout your home. They can eliminate the smell of smoke, paint, and other toxins so that you and your loved ones can breathe fresh, clean air and truly enjoy your home. 

Change Your Air Filters Without the Hassle

With FilterTime’s air filter subscription service, you can keep the air in your home clean, year round. Once you subscribe, the right air filters will get shipped to your doorstep automatically so you’ll know exactly when to change them. Since there are no shipping charges, contracts, or hidden fees, you have nothing to lose. Get started today!

Written by: Anna Baluch