In Minnesota, like any area with harsh winters and warm summers, it’s important to keep your home sealed against the elements. However, all that insulation and caulk also means that very little fresh air enters your home. This can lead to a buildup of unseen airborne contaminants in your home. A properly installed and maintained air filter on your heating and cooling systems can make your home a significantly healthier place. However, it should be the right type for your system and air quality needs.
Finding the right air filter is not as simple as it might seem. A proper fit is vital to ensure that no air sneaks past the filter. It’s also important to know that air filters come with different ratings based on the size of particulates they are designed to trap.
This rating system, known as MERV (minimum efficiency reporting value), gives every residential air filter a rating from 1 to 16. A basic filter with a rating of 1 to 4 will not remove any but the largest of particles from the air. These are mainly intended to protect your equipment rather than clean your indoor air. A rating of 16 means that that filter is designed to catch up to 95 percent of airborne contaminants, including a wide range of particles, including dust mites, mold spores and viruses.
A filter with a higher MERV rating may sound like the solution to your air quality woes but you must remember that an air filter with a high rating may significantly reduce the amount of air flowing through your system. This may lead to higher energy costs. Generally, a middle ground of 8 to 12 will provide a nice balance of maintaining airflow and cleaning the air.
Improperly maintained filters can also lead to dirty air or damage. If a large amount of debris is allowed to build up on the filter, air cannot flow through it effectively. Some types can be washed or vacuumed to clean them but most must simply be replaced when they become dirty. A good rule of thumb is to check your air filter monthly, and change it when it looks dirty.
As with any questions about your home’s heating and cooling system, our expert technicians at Marsh Heating & Air Conditioning can help you find the air filter that will best suit your needs. We proudly serve the Twin Cities area with reliable HVAC services.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about air filters and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
Image courtesy of Shutterstock