It goes without saying that you need to make sure that you are exposed to the cleanest air and the purest environment possible in your home, which is why it is important to pay attention to the hidden cleaners that are helping you to enjoy that healthy atmosphere.
Many of us probably don’t think about the various air filters around our home but when you consider the work that they do, it might be time to track them down and check out their condition.
Here is an overview of what air filters do, what they protect you from and how to ensure you get the best quality filter for your needs.
Year-round protection
Whether you are enjoying the cool breeze produced by your air conditioning unit to keep you nicely chilled in the hot summer months or enjoying the warming air to raise the temperature in the winter, your air filters play a pivotal role in helping to deliver those optimum conditions.
Filters prepare the air for circulation, help to remove dust and other particles, and work to keep your heating and cooling mechanism running at maximum efficiency.
If you want to enjoy the right temperature in your home and be confident of breathing in good clean air that is as free of dust and other particles as possible, you need to do your bit and look after your filters so that they can play their part in delivering year-round protection.
Inspecting and changing your air filters on a regular basis needs to become a frequent ritual if you are going to get the best out of your HVAC system.
Keeping pollutants away
The aim of each air filter is to screen out any particles coming through the HVAC system and prevent them from becoming airborne in your home.
Even microscopic particles that are invisible to the naked eye can be removed with an efficient air filter.
Although home air pollutants are normally some form of particulate matter you can also find that they take on a gaseous form. When you start to look at the list of potential suspects that could be harmful to you and your family if they are allowed to circulate, you do begin to appreciate the important work that your air filter is doing.
The list of potential pollutants is extremely long and includes dust, mites, mold, pet dander, hair, bugs and even fumes from cleaning products.
If you want to keep as many of these threats away from your lungs as possible it is worth investing in good quality air filters that offer comprehensive protection. Some cheaper filters might be designed more to protect your HVAC system rather than your environment, so if you want to improve your indoor air quality it makes sense to pay a bit more for a better quality filter.
Not all filters are the same
It is worth taking the time to understand what each type of filter does and how effective it can be so that you get a good idea why some filters cost a lot more than others.
If you are ordering a washable air filter you will know what you are getting to a certain extent but as well as being reusable you will also want to know how efficient it is at filtering out particles.
If you want a guide to the quality of your air filter you should check out the MERV rating. This is the acronym for Minimum Efficiency Reporting Values and there is a quality scale that runs from one to twenty.
The lower the rating the lower the quality of filter, so you shouldn’t have anything like the same expectations of an air filter with a low MERV rating as one that is nearer the top number of twenty, such as a HEPA filter which boasts a 95% effectiveness rate.
Making the right choice
You can do your own self-assessment to work out which type of filter would be right for your system, you just have to ask yourself a few basic questions about how many live in the house and whether you live in an area that is vulnerable to outside particles, such as being located on a busy road.
It is also relevant if you have pets in your home or anyone living there who suffers from allergies.
Search out your old filters and check the condition of each filter as well as checking whether what you currently have is suitable for your specific requirements.
The silent cleaners in your home should definitely an integral part of your home maintenance plans, especially if you want them to do the job to the best of their ability.
Disclosure: This is a featured article from Stephan Reed. Stephan Reed is the digital marketing manager for Filter Guru, an HVAC air filter manufacturer based in Columbus, Ohio.
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