Tips For Choosing The Best Air Filter For Your Home or Office

Air filters are a great way to get rid of dust particles and pollutants from your indoor environment. There are essentially two types of air filters, called arrestors and non-arrestors. Mechanical air filters or arrestors accumulate trapped particles but require maintenance. Non-arrestor air filters generate an electrical charge and may change the chemical composition of particles. The choice of the best air filter for your home or office will depend largely on your need. Here are a few factors to consider when buying an air filter:

Area Coverage.

When buying an air filter, it is important to ensure that its square footage coverage equals or is greater than that of the room where it will be placed. This will ensure that the air filter effectively removes dust and irritant particles from the area.

2. Research the market well.

When buying an air filter for your home or office, you should research the market well and understand the different types of HVAC air filters. Some of the most commonly available air filters include woven fiberglass, washable aluminum mesh, electro-statically charged and pleated types. These air filters differ from each other in terms of filtering efficiency. Many homeowners buy the cheaper, woven fiberglass filters, which should be replaced on a monthly basis. However, woven fiberglass is outdated and not very effective at cleaning dust particles and other allergens from the air.

3. Check out the MERV of an air filter.

When buying an air filter, you should check out its MERV (Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value). The MERV is an industry benchmark that tests the air filters in line with the ASHRAE Standard 52.1-1992. The MERV categorizes filters through 1 to 20 in terms of their efficiency in cleaning the air. Air filters such as woven fiberglass, electrostatic and washable have a rating of MERV 1 to 4. You could do much better for just a little more cash. Pleated filters provide greater media square footage and they usually have a MERV of 6 to 13. This allows the air filter to capture more micro-particles and pollutants. For offices and buildings, you may consider buying HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air Filter) and ULPA (Ultra Low Penetration Air Filter) Air Purifiers, which have a rating between MERV 16 and 20. Therefore, a higher MERV rating indicates better ability of a filter to clean the air.

4. Purchase air filters which can remove all type of allergens.

Dust particles and allergens in the air can cause several types of allergies. As a result, you may experience allergy attacks on a frequent basis. It is advisable to remove the source of the allergens in your home, in addition to filtering the allergens from the air.

5. Purchase air filters which can be embedded in a ventilation system.

High efficiency air filters can be installed in your central air conditioning system, or into the ventilation system of your house or office. By placing an air filter into the air conditioning or ventilation system, you will be able to create a centralized "Air Purifier" that cleans air inside your home or office. This will prove to be a convenient option instead of shifting the air purifier system from one room to the other.