Paper air filters are by far the most common type of filters people buy for their hvac systems. They are cheap, readily available and you can just toss them in the garbage when they are dirty. The issue with these filters are that they usually do not seal very well when installed in the filter slot in your air handler. Once they get damp they are nearly impossible to remove & replace without destroying the filter itself. There are much better alternatives out there which we will discuss here in this post.
Types of filters
As mentioned before, most of the filters you will find on the store shelves will be the standard 1″ paper air filter. You can also find other types that may suit your needs better though. These are:
What about MERV rating?
MERV ratings are used to determine how much filtration is provided. The numbers usually range from 1- 13 for residential. Some commercial settings will go higher. The biggest issue with the standard 1″ paper air filter is that it is too restrictive. A filter should only be used to remove large particles of dust so that the evaporator coils do not get dirty. Some people will choose a 1″ filter with a MERV rating of 11 which will greatly reduce the airflow over the coils. Most hvac manufacturers recommend a filter with a MERV rating of 8 or less. Remember that rating is going to go up as the filter gets dirtier.
You can see how the filter gets sucked into the coils when not installed properly. The issue is most of the time you cant see if it is installed properly. Using a filter with a plastic or metal frame will remove any chance this happens. You can also get specialty filters that have a rigid frame and are disposable such as the one’s from 90 Day Filter. To find out if your system is working properly you can give us a call at 407-633-166 or visit our website.