What is the Best Air Filter for Your Home?

The American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHARE) recommends a MERV 6 or higher for optimal air quality in your home. Most people opt for a MERV 8 filter, but there are several other options available.

What is the Best Air Filter for Your Home?

The American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHARE) recommends a MERV 6 or higher for optimal air quality in your home. Most people opt for a MERV 8 filter, but there are several other options available. When it comes to household air cleaners, you have three main choices: pleated filters, fiberglass filters, and washable reusable filters. Each type has its own advantages and drawbacks, so let's take a closer look at what they are.

Most central air units have two filters to ensure even air intake throughout the home. This helps your HVAC system circulate air at the same speed throughout your home and increases the amount of filtration. Pleated filters are affordable and effective, making them some of the best home air filters for the price. Asthma is a serious respiratory condition and most patients rely on their inhalers to get through the day.

The slightest contaminant can cause an asthma attack and can be life-threatening. Installing a micro allergen defense air conditioner oven filter will help prevent these attacks from happening in the home. One of these air filters will last up to 90 days and the pleated design traps dust, dander, mold and pollen, effectively reducing the chances of an asthma attack. If you're looking for easy-to-install home air filters, Filtree is a great option. They are also effective in blocking most allergens that cause asthma.

The disadvantage is that these filters allow microscopic particles to pass through. Washable electrostatic filters are metal frame filters that are designed to be washed and reused rather than replaced. It's not a standard size, so some consumers struggle to find air filters to fit their HVAC systems. As an added benefit, you can sign up to receive the exact amount of air filters on your door every month and receive a 5% discount. If you have a significant allergy to something that is prominent in your area, you'll want to increase indoor air quality with a Second Nature Health Shield (MERV 1 or equivalent level) filter.

MERV stands for Minimum Efficiency Report Value and is a measure of how well a filter removes particles from the air. But those are rare circumstances, and the decision to pay more for a better filter or not mostly comes down to whether cleaner air is a priority for you. MERV 11 and 13 air filters offer high performance and increased filtration for residents or businesses in need. An electrostatic filter is a filter made with media that undergoes a process to “charge” it, thus creating that attractive quality. Filterbuy offers a wide range of MERV air filter sizes, thicknesses and ratings so you can find reliable aftermarket air filters for residential, commercial, or industrial use.

We think manufacturers' concerns are a little cautious, partly because a recent innovation in air filters allows for high MERV ratings (11 to 1) with low pressure drop. Pet owners and allergy sufferers will breathe better indoors when installing these Filter King air filters. For best results, buy your replacement air filters from a trusted air filter manufacturer such as Filterbuy. Air filters, oven filters and AC filters are similar products and the terms are used interchangeably. You can pay more upfront for the pleated filter, but you'll pay for it with better air quality and less waste.

Penelope Ruelle
Penelope Ruelle

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