Get to Know the Different Types of Furnace Filters

Get to Know the Different Types of Furnace Filters

Nadir Chaudhry30/5/19
Finding the right furnace filter for your home is essential for the cleanliness of your indoor air — and, in turn, your health. Every home and homeowner have different needs, which is why furnace filters range in size, material and strength. At PureFilters, we make it easy to find the right furnace filter to suit your home’s needs. Our shop is stocked with a wide variety of furnace filters to make it easy for you to find the product that meets your unique needs. You can always get in touch with PureFilters to find out just how easy we make buying (and replacing) the right furnace filter for your home. When you are buying your furnace filter, there are numerous factors to take into consideration. As yourself:
  • Do I have pets?
  • Are there smokers living in my home?
  • Do I, or anyone in my home suffer, from asthma?
  • Do I, or anyone in my home, suffer from allergies?

If your answer to any of these questions is yes, you’re going to want to consider a stronger, more durable filter.  These factors all increase the number of particulates in your home that a furnace filter will need to trap to keep your indoor air allergen-free. The strength of your filter will be indicated by its MERV rating, as well as the material it is made from. When buying a furnace filter, you are also going to want to consider your routine. Are you someone who wants to change your filter every three months, or are you someone who needs a filter that requires infrequent changing? Take this — and cost savings — into consideration when determining what type of furnace filter to buy.

When you order your air filtration product from PureFilters, you can expect free shipping for orders over $80 and an extensive selection of furnace filters. We understand that every home has different needs, budgets and routines, which is why we offer furnace filters in a variety of materials, styles, sizes and MERV ratings. After you make your purchase with us, you can expect your furnace filter in 3 to 5 days. We’ll even send you a notification email with a one-click repurchase link when it’s time to swap your furnace filter out for a new one. For the sake of your indoor air quality and health, it’s important to understand the different types of furnace filters on the market. Make an educated decision when it comes time to buy your next furnace filter:

Disposable Pleated

This is the most commonly used type of furnace filter. According to Family Handyman, pleated filters between MERV 7 or 8 can trap anywhere between 80 to 95 percent of your home’s particulates that are 5 microns or larger. This is sufficient for most homes. These filters are comprised of paper and polyester to filter out allergens and particles in your home and need to be replaced every three months or so. Pleated filters will effectively filter your air of nasty particulates like allergens and other particles. Considering that indoor air can be two to five times as polluted as outdoor air according to the Huffington Post, it’s crucial that you use the right air filtration tool to reduce these pollutants. PureFilters offers pleated filters in a variety of sizes and MERV ratings.

Disposable Fibreglass

Fibreglass filters are known to be the cheapest filters available. That said, these filters need to be replaced every month and are only available in MERV 1 to 4. Keep in mind that a minimum of MERV 8 is suggested for the average home. The thing is, these filters only trap particulates in your home that are bigger than 50 microns — spoiler: there are a lot of particulates smaller than this that can contaminate your air if not filtered out. Be sure to learn more about Fibreglass filters and why it’s important to be skeptical of them. These filters are flimsy and do a poor job of cleaning your indoor air — not to mention, they are also incredibly wasteful.

Washable Filters

These filters aren’t disposable and instead need to be washed regularly. You may not need to replace a washable filter nearly as often as a pleated one, but keep in mind that these filters are only available in MERV 1 to 4. No less than MERV 8 is suggested for the average home. In other words, washable filters are not as good as they are perceived to be. Washable filters require more tedious maintenance as they need to be cleaned out thoroughly every month and can pose as a hazard if not cleaned properly. At the end of the day, these filters make your furnace work harder and aren’t that effective — they only trap 6 percent of sub-micron particles and typically don’t trap smaller particulates.

Electrostatic Filters

Electrostatic filters use static electricity to clean your indoor air. This filter self-charges itself with air passage and is ideal for smokers — it’s ability to trap small particles helps it to filter out smoke particles, as well as other pesky particulates like pet dander and dust mites. According to Associated Press, electrostatic precipitator and ionic filters make up 37 percent of the global air purifier market. These filters work by attracting airborne particles and holding them with a static charge — you then need to clean off the filter to release these particulates. Electrostatic filters are available in washable and disposable models — it all depends on your needs and preference.

HEPA Filters

HEPA filters — also known as high energy efficiency particular air filters — are characterized by the fact that they range between MERV 17 and 20. These filters — available as washable and pleated models —are able to trap up to 99 percent of the particulates that are larger than 0.3 microns. For this reason, they are typically used in clean environments such as hospitals.

Our Furnace Filters!

We carry a wide range of furnace filters, including our very own PureFilters brand furnace filters! After four years in the business, we decided it was about time that we make our own furnace filters. Our filters are made with the intent of bringing affordable, and quality air filtration to your home. Our filters boast the same (if not better) quality as other brand’s products but are half the price — not to mention, they are also 100% locally manufactured in Canada. Shop our filters today!

Leave a comment

Please note, comments must be approved before they are published