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My HVAC guy told me not to use the higher MERV rated filters. He said use the cheapest, pleated filter you can find. He said the higher rated filters make the system work too hard.
My HVAC guy told me not to use the higher MERV rated filters. He said use the cheapest, pleated filter you can find. He said the higher rated filters make the system work too hard.
I changed mine every 3 months. One time I missed a month and it was filthy. Largely due to all the highway traffic and oil company pouring oil in the ground. The hint to me to change the filter was the smell of dust in my home that is always the first indicator to change it. It is expensive but it beats coughing, and getting sick all the time. I never miss the filter change after that.
I changed mine every 3 months. One time I missed a month and it was filthy. Largely due to all the highway traffic and oil company pouring oil in the ground. The hint to me to change the filter was the smell of dust in my home that is always the first indicator to change it. It is expensive but it beats coughing, and getting sick all the time. I never miss the filter change after that.
Oh, gosh, thanks for reminding me. They will start excavating 14 of the 30ish acres out behind me some time next year. You make a good point that I will likely need to step up my game on a lot of things including changing the air filter (for several years during construction). Gah!
Every 6 months is adequate. Any more than that and you are throwing money away. For those who say they have allergies, asthma, etc. and change them more often, you are actually allowing more allergens to circulate through your house. The filtering efficiency actually goes up as filters catch lint, hair and other particles because it reduces the size of the openings between the filter fibers. That is why you can hear the air hissing or whistling through the filter if you leave it in too long. For allergies, you are better off leaving the filters in for the longer amount of time possible. The trade off is it also restricts the air flow to some degree and reduces the efficiency of your heat or air due to the slower rate of air flowing through the air handler.
By contrast, electrostatic filters become less efficient as they get dirty.
My HVAC guy told me not to use the higher MERV rated filters. He said use the cheapest, pleated filter you can find. He said the higher rated filters make the system work too hard.
When I got rid of my 16"x25"x4" electrostatic filter, I modified the furnace ductwork to accommodate a larger 20"x25"x4" HEPA filter so that I could keep the flow restriction to a minimum. Even when the electrostatic filter was working properly, I still had to clean the fan motor when I oiled it once a year. This cleaning was no longer necessary once I switched to a HEPA filter.
My HVAC installer said to buy the cheapest filters. He said the more expensive ones impede the flow of air and make the system work harder. I change mine about every 3 months and they are visibly dirty. If you get auto ship from a discount filter place, it’s not very expensive.
My HVAC installer said to buy the cheapest filters. He said the more expensive ones impede the flow of air and make the system work harder. I change mine about every 3 months and they are visibly dirty. If you get auto ship from a discount filter place, it’s not very expensive.
Same question for you as posted above to the other poster making the same claim...what about dust particles and allergens. It's not only about whether the system is working harder.
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