Striking A Balance: Get To Know Your Air Filters For Your HVAC System In The Lowcountry
Published by Alex Hammond on
It’s that time of year when fall starts to slowly creep into the Lowcountry.
For many area families that means all of the fun fall activities one would expect. From fall local sports activities to pumpkin patches to Halloween events, there’s no shortage of things to do in the greater Charleston area this time of year.
It’s also the time of year, however, when many families are thinking about getting their HVAC system replaced and lining up their system maintenance as the seasons transition.
On the maintenance side, there are many things HVAC companies typically include – among those can be a quick look at your air filters.
Air filters – in most cases – are something the homeowner can manage themselves, with most modern units making a change quite simple.
That said, many Lowcountry homeowners may simply swap out what they have with something they’ve always used, without looking at the different options they have – or fully understanding the air filter’s role in their HVAC system operation.
To help you out, below is a very brief, but thorough rundown for you to give you a bit more insight into this small – but important – piece of HVAC equipment.
What Is An Air Filter?
Air filters, as the name suggests, is a piece of equipment that filters air that passes through it to remove small particles that may be in the air.
While we’re speaking from the perspective of the HVAC world, air filters have many, many different applications.
You’ve most likely heard the word “air filter” used by your local car mechanic as they can be used to filter out particles that may end up damaging the engine.
There are many other applications, but here the idea is simple – HVAC air filters are placed within the system to remove small particles like dust, pollen, small fibers and other particulates from your home’s conditioned air.
Air Filter Types
Not all air filters are built the same – they come in a variety of types.
Among these are fiberglass (the most affordable), pleated (usually made of cotton or polyester), washable (allowing you to use the same filter for a period of time) and finally electrostatic (which uses static electricity to “pull” and “attract” particulates that pass through the filter).
Other, more advanced filters include carbon filters (more common for removing odors) and UV filters (which use ultraviolet light to kill bacteria in the air).
The most common type of air filter you’ll run into are either the fiberglass or pleated – for reasons you’ll understand after reading below.
MERV Ratings
MERV ratings – short for Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value – is a scale designed to measure the effectiveness of air filters at removing particulates in the air.
MERV values range from 1 to 16, with 16 being the highest.
The higher the MERV rating, the more effective it is at removing a greater percentage of particulates, each time air passes through the filter.
While other air filter rating exist, MERV is the most commonly used rating system you’ll see in the HVAC world.
Striking A Balance Between Effectiveness & System Efficiency
We touched on it above, but a balance has to be made when it comes to your choice of air filter.
As MERV ratings increase, the flow of air tends to be restricted to make sure it can capture the finer particulates that flow through it.
This restriction means your HVAC system might have to work a bit harder to push air through your system – which ultimately will force your system to work a bit harder than it should, over time.
This “harder operation” over time can reduce the lifespan of your system, in some cases.
This is why you’ll see the lighter, lower MERV rating air filters more often — they typically are better suited to keeping your system performing at peak efficiency.
It doesn’t mean that you can’t opt for higher MERV ratings – it just means you have to be a bit careful with your selection, if you do (to make sure your system can handle the added load).
When In Doubt, Contact Your Local HVAC Contractor
As always, if you’re concerned about your home’s indoor air quality and associated air filter selections, you can always reach out to your Lowcountry local HVAC company.
Especially in the case where you might want an air filter with a bit higher MERV rating, an AC company can give you more insight into your specific, customized indoor air quality needs.
And, because they only work locally, they can tell you exactly what’s working best – and what’s not working – for other Lowcountry families in your area.
Air filters seem like an everyday piece of equipment, but as you can see above, there’s a lot more to air filtration than meets the eye.
