Your home’s air filter is responsible for keeping all the bad particles like dirt, dust, pet dander, and allergens out of your home’s air. Quality indoor air is vital to one’s health. The easiest way to ensure that you have quality indoor air is by regularly replacing your air filter, but you might not know how. Here are some tips for choosing the right air filter for your home.
Figure Out the Right Size
Air filters come in different shapes and sizes, which is why you must consider which air filter will fit in your home’s HVAC unit. There are several ways you can find the correct air filter size, including the following:
Measure the filter or the opening
Refer to the manufacturer's instructions
Check for printed dimensions
Get the Correct MERV Rating
Once you have the right size for your AC filter figured out, you can then move onto the MERV rating. A MERV rating will dictate how small of different particles your filter will be able to keep out of your home’s airflow. The higher the MERV rating, the smaller the particles it will be able to handle. However, this doesn’t mean you should choose the highest MERV rating for your home. Instead, you should go with a MERV rating between the 8 to 10 range.
Consider the Material
The next tip for choosing the right air filter for your home is to think about the material. For air filters, two popular options are fiberglass and pleated. Fiberglass air filters are cheaper, while pleated air filters will last longer and absorb smaller particles.
Regularly Replace Your Filter
One last thing to keep in mind when you get a new air filter is to know when to replace it. The easiest way to know when you need a new filter is by seeing if light passes through it—if this is the case, then you need a new one.
