Do you have a disposable or permanent filter in your home?
Your HVAC air filter is an important aspect of your HVAC system. Here’s a scary fact…your indoor air is often more polluted than outdoor air! Indoors, you have to contend with chemicals from cleaners, pet dander, dust, allergens and more! You want to make sure that the filter you have in your home is going to filter out those particles without restricting airflow.
There are two basic filter categories in the heating and cooling industry – disposable and permanent.
Disposable filters are filters that are placed somewhere within your air distribution system that help filter out harmful particles from the air that is distributed around your home. They come in a variety of filtration levels – the more filtration power a filter has, the smaller the particles that filter can remove from the air. Disposable filters must be changed regularly to avoid restricting airflow. At the very least, you must change your disposable filter once a season. Even better? Once a month.
Permanent/washable filters are the other type of filter. These aren’t the type of filter that you use, replace and throw away. With a permanent filter, you must wash your filter regularly. If you do not wash it, the filter will restrict airflow and make your unit work harder to heat or cool your home. When you do clean your permanent filter, it is important to take it outside – you don’t want to reintroduce those particles into your indoor air.
Regularly changing or cleaning your furnace filter is important for the performance and lifespan of your heating and air conditioning equipment. Without frequent filter changes or cleanings, the particles trapped in your filter can block airflow and force your equipment to work harder to heat or cool your home. This can put a strain on your equipment and result in decreased efficiency and shorter-than-expected lifespans.
Most contractors recommend using disposable filters in heating and air conditioning systems. However, always consult with your contractor before you make a decision.
Do you know which type you have in your home?
