Air filters are essential for maintaining good indoor air quality, especially if you have pets, children, allergies, asthma, or other respiratory issues. Poor ventilation can cause a buildup of pollutants in the air inside your home. At its most basic level, an air filter removes impurities such as dust, pet dander, and even bacteria from the air that passes through the system. Not only does this improve the air quality in your home, but it also protects your HVAC system from potential damage. The air filter is an important addition to your HVAC system because it prevents dirt from accumulating in the condensate and blocking it.
Otherwise, particles can cause water damage throughout the unit. To understand why you need to replace the air filter regularly, you need to know what an air filter does. Air filters are designed to capture large particles, dust and debris before they enter the air conditioner. It's important to note that an air filter should not be confused with an air purifier or indoor air quality system, which removes harmful particles and chemicals from the air. The main purpose of the air filter is to protect your HVAC equipment.
That's why your oven also has an air filter. Evaporative coolers, also known as swamp coolers, do not use air filters. You don't need to use as many air filters as your HVAC system can support; sometimes even fewer will do. This is partly because placing a filter in every room is not an easy or cheap task. Another reason is that it's enough to put a filter in a large room with a lot of traffic, since most of the particles and contaminants will come from there. The purpose of air filters is to help improve the air quality in the home by trapping particles that are invisible to the naked eye.
If we could see what is floating in our houses, we would be surprised! Professionals can make sure you have the right type of air purifier (such as a UV air purifier) combined with the filters. Preventing these problems and ensuring that you enjoy the best indoor air quality is as simple as changing the filter. The filter prevents dirt, dust and pet hair from entering the air ducts and returning to the house, reducing air quality. It's better and more efficient to get the right type of air cleaner for one or two rooms than to install an air cleaner in each room. Some brands have created their own rating systems, such as the Home Depot filter performance rating and the 3M microparticle performance rating.
Air filters are inexpensive and easy to install yourself and are available at most home improvement stores. Air filters come in a variety of shapes and materials, each with different capacities and prices. However, if there are people in the household who need more protection, then a filter in the range of 10 to 12 is more appropriate. Some HVAC systems aren't strong enough to push air through more restrictive filters that block smaller particles (those with a higher MERV or CADR rating), which can reduce airflow and cause your home to heat and cool less efficiently. If you've noticed a sudden increase in your home's energy bills without a corresponding increase in usage, it could be due to your air cleaner. In short, air filters help prevent dust, pollen, or any other debris from accumulating on the internal components of the HVAC.
