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Filtering Through The Types of Air Filters

Indoor Air Quality

Filtering Through The Types of Air Filters

Filters can come in all types of varieties. From Instagram filters to coffee filters and even filters on what we say, but today we want to discuss the type of filter that can be affecting the air quality in your home. 

Air conditioning filters. 

They may not seem like much, but they play an important role in your home’s heating and cooling system. The spun fiberglass material that is inside the cardboard frame can catch the dust, pollen, allergens, mold spores, lint, pet hair, dander and other microbial bacterias that would otherwise be recirculated into the air. 

Flat-Paneled Filters, Pleated Filters, HEPA Filters and Reusable Air Filters are four different kinds of air filters that you could be using in your home’s heating and cooling system, but they are not all created equally. These different types of filters can be categorized by their Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value (MERV) rating which reports a filter’s ability to capture different size particles. 

The expert technicians at NuBlue Plumbing and Air can help you decide which type of filter you need to keep the air in your Charlotte or Lake Norman home fresh. 

Flat-Paneled Filters

The flat-paneled filters are typically between a 1-4 on the MERV scale and are the cheapest filters available. These filters are designed to keep out the larger debris such as dirt, pet hair, lint, etc. but there is relatively little particle trapping space allowing microbial allergens to get through. While these flat panel filters are the cheapest, they are also one of the least effective filters one can buy. You get what you pay for here. 

Pleated Filters

Pleated filters typically have a MERV rating between 5-13 ensuring that it can capture more of the pet dander, mold spores and other particles that can irritate allergies. These filters are most often bent in an accordion-like shape so that it can increase the surface-level available to capture these particles without taking up more room. Pleated filters are a suitable choice if you’re looking to improve the air quality in your home. This may be the easy choice, but you can always call our team to make sure! 

HEPA Filters (High-Efficiency Particulate Air)

According to the EPA, HEPA air filters, when working at peak efficiency, can remove at least 99.97% of dust, pollen, mold, smoke particles, bacteria and other airborne particles with a size of 0.3 microns. Because of its ability to remove the majority of microbial particles in the air, the HEPA filter has a MERV rating between 17-20. However, it’s important to speak with the professionals at NuBlue Plumbing and AIr to see if a HEPA filter is the right choice for your home because although it seems on the surface like it would be the best option, it may actually cause damage to your heating and cooling system by restricting too much airflow. Because of the filter’s density, it can slow down air flow, causing your system to overwork and eventually breakdown. 

The Best of Both Worlds

One of the best ways to ensure the quality of your indoor air is by pairing a good pleated air filter with an indoor air quality device such as the REME Halo or the iWave. Both of these products work to remove the indoor toxins and purify the air in your home or business. If you’d like to know more about the iWave or the REME Halo, give our team a call! We’d love the opportunity to discuss the benefits of each product and help you find the one that fits your individual needs. 

Choosing the right air filter for your home’s heating and cooling system is not a small task. Finding the one that will protect your loved ones from season allergies or household air pollutants that can make an uncomfortable living situation, is a priority to our teams. The team at NuBlue Plumbing and Air can help walk you through your options, how each filter will affect your heating and cooling system, the necessary upkeep and work with you to find the right solution

Give our team a call today to take in a breath of fresh air. 

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