Are Expensive Filters Worth It?
As you’re getting your HVAC system ready to keep your home cool for another summer here in Illinois, you want to make sure you’re being as smart and efficient as possible. One of the questions we get a lot at McFarland Indoor Comfort Services is whether it’s worth the extra money (up to seven times as much) to buy expensive filters for your unit.
It’s important to remember that a filter’s main job is keep unwanted items – dust particles, pet hair and the like – from getting into the coil and clogging things up. Filters are made to protect equipment, not people. The makers of expensive, high-end filters claim their products can “capture at least 90% of large airborne particles like dust, pollen and pet dander from the air passing through the filter.” Even if that’s true, that means they’re preventing those foreign objects from passing through the filter; not even the filter manufacturers claim they can improve indoor air quality for people in the house.
While there is anecdotal evidence from people who say expensive filters lead to cleaner air, here at McFarland Indoor Comfort Services we haven’t seen reputable studies to back up the claims that pricy filters make a big difference in indoor air quality. Of course, if you really feel there is a marked difference in air quality with a more expensive filter, go ahead and spring for the costlier filters.
At McFarland Indoor Comfort Services, we recommend replacing your HVAC filter every 30 to 60 days, depending on how often the system is in use, since a unit with a dirty filter uses more electricity to pull the air through than one with a clean filter (costing you more money.) Not changing filters on a regular basis can cost you money. But when you’re deciding on whether to spring for high-end filters, we think it makes more sense to purchase cheaper filters in bulk and make sure you stick with a consistent schedule of changing them.
Of course, we want to help you make sure your HVAC unit is running at optimal performance. If you have any questions about getting the highest performance out of your HVAC unit, get ahold of us here at McFarland Indoor Comfort Services.