Consider purchasing an air filter for allergies or dusty environments. Different air filters have other reasons, so choose one with the appropriate MERV rating, acceptable tension drop, and fits your house. When you have a clean air filter, you are assured that you and your family are breathing clean air that is not contaminated. Moreover, choosing a good air filter means the cooling system is functioning well, and the released air is cool. You also need to make sure you check your air filter from time to time so that you can know if dirt has accumulated inside the air filter. When choosing the best 16x20x1 air filter replacement, you must consider some factors, which we will discuss in this article.
Some of the factors to consider when looking for the right HVAC air filter include the following;
- The MERV ratings
Choosing the most appropriate air filter for your home can be a difficult task. Before you select the air filter you want, you need to understand the MERV ratings and how they reflect the quality of the filter. MERV ratings in various air filters demonstrate the mastery to capture airborne particles while air flows through your heating or cooling system. Most MERV ratings range from 1-6. Besides, you need to know that the cheaper the filter, the lower the MERV number. If you have pets or children, you should opt for an expensive air filter instead of a cheap one since cheap air filters remove a small percentage of contaminants. As you go to buy an air filter, make sure you inquire about its MERV ratings first so that you can gauge your options.
- Electrostatic air filters
Most electrostatic air filters are disposable, and they contain self-charging electrostatic paper fibres that attract and trap small particles. These filters are great for people who have pets, children and smokers. You must replace your filter every three months to free your home from various pathogens.
- Reusable air filters
Some filters are reusable. Even if these fosters are great, they need to be maintained well. It would help to clean your filter regularly to remove the dust particles clogging in it. Most owners rarely tend their reusable filters, making them useless since they eliminate dirty air that has dust.
- Flat panel filters
As the name suggests, these air filters are flat panels made from fibreglass, synthetic material and polyester. They have been engineered to trap huge dirt particles like pollen, pet hair and lint. When purchasing a flat panel filter, choose one made from synthetic material.
- High-efficiency particulate air filter (HEPA)
Air filters must catch 99.97% of 0.3 micrometre particles to be considered a real HEPA filter, including viruses, bacteria, and smoke particles. HEPA filters are effective due to their high density, but they can harm fan motors in most household HVAC systems due to their slow airflow and potential damage to fan motors.
Conclusion
When choosing an air filter, look into this article to know what to look at for the best filter.