What You Need to Know About Fiberglass Filters

What You Need to Know About Fiberglass Filters

Nadir Chaudhry30/5/19

Fiberglass filters, as their name suggests, are furnace filters made out of fibreglass fibers. These disposable furnace filters — also known as synthetic filters — are commonly blue and available in 1-inch and 2-inch dimensions. Due to their low cost, these filters have surged in popularity, but what many don’t quite understand is how inefficient and damaging these filters really can be to your indoor air and furnace. Instead of trying to cut corners with fiberglass filters, educate yourself on the value of pleated filters among other air purification products.  Get your furnace filters online through us because, at PureFilters, we are committed to keeping your indoor air clean.

We only sell high-quality furnace filters that will effectively trap the allergens and problem particles in your home and prevent them from becoming airborne and contaminating your air. We make looking after your indoor air quality easy. We keep you educated on the value of clean air, ensure you understand how furnace filters can impact the air you breathe, and make the filter purchasing process seamless. Because we know it’s easy to forget to change your furnace filter — and know how detrimental that forgetfulness can be to your home air and health — we make sure to remind you when it’s time to make that swap. Oh, and we’ll get you your new furnace filter within three to five days after your order.

A few months after your initial purchase, we will send an email notifying you that it’s time to change your filter. Our email will even include a one-click link that will prompt you to repurchase the same filter as last time! Clean indoor air is essential for a tidy, allergen-free home and healthy living. This is why it’s crucial that you understand the value of a quality furnace filter. Be sure to visit our site to learn about the PureFilters brand, a Canadian company with three distribution centres throughout the country that is committed to providing you with quality air purification products. We want you to be knowledgeable when you shop for your next furnace filter. These are the main things you need to be aware of before buying a fibreglass filter:

They Are Disposable & Wasteful

These filters need to be changed every 30 days. After you finish with your fiberglass furnace filters, you just toss them out. They are ultimately designed to be a quick fix as they are cheap and last for a small period of time. Additionally, considering you would need to buy many and toss them out frequently, they are also pretty wasteful from an environmental standpoint.

They Are the Cheapest Filter on the Market

According to Global News, fiberglass filters are the market’s cheapest filter. While this has made these furnace filters attractive to many, you’ll soon realize just how cheap they are — and why they have such a low price-tag. They tend to be flimsy and ineffective.

They Are Full of Holes

If you look closely at a fibreglass filter, you will notice that it is full of holes. The holes signify the size of the particles that the filter can trap — which is usually larger particles. According to SimpleWater, Fibreglass filters are only able to trap 80 percent of the particles in your home — that is, ones that are 50 microns or larger. They catch roughly 25 percent of 3 to 10-micron sized particles. It is commonly thought that these filters improve air flow because of the size of these holes, but in reality, this is not the case. Due to their inability to filter out small particles and allergens, they are not that efficient in protecting your indoor air quality and, by extension, the health of the people living in your home.

Their Functions are Limited

Fibreglass furnace filters commonly have a MERV rating between 1 and 4 — in other words, they will trap allergens like dust and debris, but they are less effective in trapping smaller, pesky particles. They will filter out minimal air contaminants but aren’t much of a help when it comes to improving your air quality. The small particles that these filters are unable to trap tend to contaminate your air and trigger allergic reactions and asthma attacks. If you are looking to breathe easily — and breath in clean air — it’s best to go with a filter that has a higher MERV rating and is better equipped to keep your air clean. Especially if you have pets, you’re going to want to invest in a pleated furnace filter that has a MERV rating of 11 or higher. At PureFilters, we offer furnace filters with a wide range of furnace filter MERV ratings so that you can find the one best suited to your specific needs.

They Have the Lowest MERV Ratings

As mentioned, fiberglass filters usually fall between the MERV rating range of 1 to 4. According to SimpleWater, the average recommended MERV rating for an effective filter is between 7 and 13.

They Don’t Typically Protect Against Allergies and Asthma Attacks

Because fiberglass filters are unable to filter out allergens effectively, they are not the best to use if there is someone in your home who has asthma attacks or severe allergies. These furnace filters aren’t protective against allergens that trigger asthma or allergy symptoms. This can make it hard for people in your home to breath. If you or someone in your home suffers from either condition, you’re best off with a furnace filter with a MERV rating of at least 13.

They Need to be Changed Frequently

Fibreglass filters are significantly flimsier than pleated filters and are — as mentioned — not as efficient. Due to this, they need to be changed more frequently than other filters. Many have the misconception that fibreglass filters are more cost-effective then pricier pleated filters, but the truth is that they end up costing you more in the long run. Because they need to be changed so often, you are paying more often. Not only are fiberglass filters not cost-effective, but it’s also just a nuisance to have to change your furnace filter every month. Fibreglass filters need to be changed every few weeks, while our pleated filters can last up to several months. At PureFilters, we believe that changing your furnace filter should be a quick and easy process.

They Have High Risks

If you use a fibreglass filter, you run the risk of major build-ups. When your furnace is faced with a build-up, it desperately tries to push air through — this usually ends up with the appliance straining itself and breaking down. A furnace breakdown will leave you up to your chin in repair fees, which is yet another reason why it’s important not to be deceived by their low price.

Clean Your Air with a New Furnace Filter Today!

It’s crucial that when you shop for your furnace filter, a tool with great power to improve or contaminate your indoor air, that you are aware of its functions and implications. At PureFilters we want to make the furnace filter purchasing process as streamlined as possible. Our online shop is stocked with various filters at a fair price point. Once you purchase your filter, you can rest easy knowing that in a few months you’ll get a notification email reminding you that it’s time to replace it. We even include a one-click repurchase link so you can re-buy your last filter within minutes. We are happy to cut out the middle man to provide you with a cost-effective, quality filter. Get in touch today!

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