Choosing The Right Air Filter For Your West Chester Home

You’ve probably experienced the feeling of confusion when trying to select the correct home air filter for your needs. What’s the best one? Does the price reflect the quality? These are just a few of the questions that make selecting home air filters so mind-boggling. Let Wesley Wood Service Experts crack the code of home air filters for you, so you can feel comfortable with your purchase.

Here’s a tried and true way to tell how efficient your current filter is (NOTE: Do this outdoors or with something below the filter so you don’t end up with a mess): Set the filter horizontally, then using everyday table salt, begin to pour the salt through the filter then see the amount comes out the other side. If some or all the salt falls through the filter, then you can imagine that the filter will let dust that same size flow through. You really should upgrade your filter to an air filter that’s more efficient.

Home air filter selection depends primarily on three factors: Size, material and MERV rating.

1) Filter Size

Size is the easiest factor to ascertain. Simply look at the label of your existing filter to see the height by width and thickness, or just measure it yourself. Most home air filters are 1” thick, but there are a number of standard width and height dimensions, and some systems have thicker filters.

2) Material & MERV Rating

The efficiencies of filters are rated on a scale of 16, known as MERV ratings. MERV stands for Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value. This number identifies for the user, under the least efficient conditions, how well the filter is designed to contain contaminants.

To explain MERV ratings more impactfully, these are some typical MERV ratings and how they relate to efficiencies. This is only a guide, so don’t forget to read the filter manufacturers’ information when purchasing specific filters.

Rating Average Filtration Efficiency

MERV 1-4 60-80%
Fiberglass, Disposable Panel, Washable metal/synthetic, self-charging (Passive)

MERV 5-8 80-95%
Pleated, Media panel, Cube

MERV 9-12 >95%
Extended pleated

MERV 13-16 >98%
Electronic

Be Careful About High MERV Ratings

While a higher MERV number may offer better filtration efficiency, it is critical to understand that too high a MERV filter may also take more to operate your heating and air conditioning system. The higher the MERV, the more difficult the air may flow through the system, and the harder the system may need to work. Your goal is to get the right balance between air flow, air filtration level and energy efficiency.

Look at it this way, the most efficient ‘filter’ would equivalent to a piece of plywood that prevents ALL contaminants and all the air from entering your West Chester home. That's definitely the “best” air filtration, but would also be like living in a box.

A safe bet for most systems would be a MERV 6-8. A higher MERV filter should be used based upon the advice of your Wesley Wood Service Experts service advisor to ensure your system has the capability of moving the suitable amount of air through higher efficiency filters. You generally do not want to lose energy-efficiency for filter efficiency; you want a balance of the two. However, if your family deals with allergies or respiratory problems and a high MERV rated filter is required, consider a whole-home air filtration solution that will achieve your energy and filter efficiency needs.

Filtration has changed considerably over the past ten years. Early on, home air filters were used in the furnace or air handler only to shelter the comfort equipment itself. Today it’s a whole new ballgame. West Chester area homeowners expect their air filter to save loved ones from a wide variety of harmful pollutants, dust mites, and even prevent the need for dusting. Dare to dream!