Choosing the perfect air filter
Just this week I finally managed to buy the right air filter.
I have been repeatedly buying the wrong air filter.
It has cost me a small fortune. Plus, the air quality in the house hasn’t been as clean as it once was. I wanted to improve the health of the home by purchasing a top quality air filter. I have recently become more concerned about the health implications of poor indoor air. I recognize that air quality plays a big role in how my family feels, sleeps and enjoys their day. For example, if there are concerns about air quality, my husband and kids are then breathing in all sorts of allergens, including dust, dirt, bacteria, fungus and even viruses that are floating around in the air. I became more aware of the implications after the covid outbreak. I am sure everyone is being more careful right now. Unfortunately, I tend to be a bit cheap when I make a purchase. I was hoping to improve air quality without spending a ton of money. I ended up choosing one of the cheapest air filters I could find. The MERV rating was not impressive, and this choice didn’t work out too well. I eventually decided to hire an HVAC professional to have the IAQ tested. The results were not good. There were significant energy losses and outdoor air coming in. There was an excessive amount of pathogens in the air circulating throughout the home. I knew I had to take proactive measures to make improvements. I realized I’d need to make an investment. I could no longer be cheap. Our breathing air is simply too important. I then purchased the air filters with the highest MERV rating. This didn’t turn out well either. The higher rating meant that the holes are very small. The filter works so well that it became clogged almost immediately. I finally asked my HVAC contractor which filter would be best. He recommended HEPA filters with a MERV 13. This has made a huge improvement in air quality.