5 Facts You Should Know About Air Filters

The airflow for your home is always pumping in, and your air systems work day and night to keep the cycle going. When the system is working, you barely even notice it as fresh, clean air fills your home and you can breathe easily. However, the air pumped in is not always necessarily clean. The air surrounding your home may have any number of particles like pathogens, contagions, dust, dirt, sand, mold, bacteria, viruses, allergens or pollutants. These irritants are capable of entering your home and lowering its indoor air quality, making it uncomfortable or unsafe. Luckily, air filters help make sure that the air coming into your home becomes cleaner first.

There are Several Air Filters Available for Use

Every home is different, the environments surrounding said homes may also be wildly different depending on location and season. You want your air filters to be capable of preventing the air system from bringing in air that makes it difficult to breathe in your own home. The best air filters do so and keep airflow coming in without issue. You should research what kind of filters are available in order and which will best clean the air your systems will pump inside.

Air Filters Grow Dirty Over Time

When your air filters are working well, they are constantly trapping and absorbing irritants in passing airflow. The trapped particles begin to build up and eventually end up completely covering the mesh weaving. Dirty air filters are a problem for their system and eventually your home as a whole. The old filters are not able to allow airflow to pass through easily, which means the air already inside is unable to cycle out. Dirty filters only grow dirtier over time and will need replacement to prevent further issues from cropping up.

Dirty Air Filters Lead to Greater Problems Over Time

When the air filters in a system are dirty, they are a blockage that hinders or possibly outright stop airflow. When fresh airflow stops coming in, then the air inside your home begins to dry out and stagnate over time. Your air systems are also strained as they increase their efforts to try to push airflow through the blockage. The rise in mechanical strain may lead to expensive damages, but it will definitely lead to a rise in your home’s energy billing.

Your Filters Are on a Rating System

The air filters you buy are on a system referred to as MERV, or Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value. This system shows you how tight the mesh weaving for your air filters is and how effective they are at cleaning passing airflow. Higher MERV ratings meaning cleaner air, but it also means air has a harder time passing through. Do not mistake higher MERV rating for better filters, the highest rated filters are usually only used for industrial locations. Your home will benefit from have filters with more balanced ratings, allowing airflow to pass while still becoming cleaned.

Air Filter Maintenance Is Easy

When you need to install new air filters, you should know the process is simple and only requires a few steps. The first and one of the most important steps to take is finding out what size air filters you need. The size needed is on the cardboard edge of the old air filter you are going to replace. Once you order the correct sized filter, they are usable upon delivery which means they can start keeping your home clean within the day. New air filters should be ordered and installed before they begin to cause problems throughout your home.