A good air filter captures the most common allergens like dust, pollen, fungi, mold, and pet dander.
Your one-inch furnace filter is affordable and allows plenty of airflow. Still, filters that enable too much airflow will allow the accumulation of dust and dirt onto the significant components of your HVAC system. If your HVAC filter is failing to trap common allergens, then it is failing to do its job.
Yes, and no. An air filter’s performance is not just determined by size but also determined by measuring the particle counts upstream and downstream of the tested air-cleaning device and given a Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value (MERV rating). A higher MERV rating means higher filtration, however the higher the MERV rating, the less airflow. Imagine trying to breathe through a straw, that’s what you could be doing to your HVAC system by installing a filter with an excessive MERV rating. The extra strain on your system could cause expensive repairs and leave you less comfortable defeating the purpose.
If you are looking to improve your indoor air quality and help your family enjoy cleaner and healthier air, you may want to look for a high-efficiency filter that’s MERV 11 or higher. Though a MERV 7 or 8 might be the perfect balance between performance and cost.
The above chart was pulled from Wikipedia.
For Daikin FIT system owners, we can provide you with medical-grade filtration that doesn’t affect your system’s airflow.
If you are interested in purchasing or learning more about any of our Indoor Air Quality products, please fill out one of the forms below (to be contacted).
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Questions? Call (563) 556-5577 or text (563)666-6672.