What HVAC filter do you use?

[DonBattles]

Curious what’s being used by everyone.

[Mikado463]

it's a 3M product but I can't remember which one ...........

[cleeds]

I bought a new furnace last year and had an Aprilaire filter unit installed. It uses a 4-inch pleated filter - very low tech, but incredibly effective. The contractor is a buddy of HW and an audiophile with a VPI TNT turntable, but of course that has nothing to do with your question. Small world.

[W9TR]

HVAC filters vary dramatically in their ability to remove particulates.

http://www.mechreps.com/PDF/Merv_Rating_Chart.pdf

The standard 1” filters made of woven fiberglass just protect the blower in your furnace by removing the big stuff like dog hair.

As the MERV rating goes up the ability of the filter to trap particulates improves.

The downside to high MERV 1” filters is that they also increase back pressure on the blower, reducing air delivery and increasing power consumption. As high MERV 1” filters load up with particulates, they ultimately can cause your furnace high temp limit switches to trip, shutting your furnace down.

3M has created their own rating system which is simply marketing bull. My wife bought some of these that ultimately caused our furnace to shut down.

So if you have 1” filters, don’t buy the expensive 3M versions. Use lower MERV pleated filters.

Best to get a 4” or 6” or even larger pleated filter installed. If you want to trap the finest invisible particulates use an electrostatic precipitator in addition to a large plated filter.

Tom

[Cohibaman]

The 4” filters are nice and definitely the way to go, but if you already have the 1” filter slot, you don’t have a choice but to use a 1” filter.

As Tom indicates, the most expensive 3M filter will somewhat reduce the air flow. This gets worse as it loads up. If you stay away from 3M’s most expensive filter and their cheapest filter, and most importantly, change them out every 2-3 months, you should be fine.

[cma29]

I use Air Bear Trion filters. It requires the installation of a customized slot by the HVAC technician upstream from the air handling unit, but I did it when I changed the whole system a few years ago.

Dimensions: 5 in. by 20 in. by 25 in.

[jdandy]

I use the 3M Filtrete Basic. I buy them in a 3-pack at Lowes and change my HVAC filter every 60 days. I could probably get 90 days out of each filter but they are reasonably priced so changing them every two months. This filter works fairly well at reducing dust levels in my home. I am satisfied with its performance.

[Still-One]

We use the MERV 16 filters set for our Lennox Pure Air. This includes the 2 filters and 2 UV bulbs.

[djwhog]

I use the ones Dan posted about I try to change them every season fall, winter spring etc.

Seems to do a good job. I have used the ones to help for allergies too back in the day.

[For The Love of Music]

I replaced a Honeywell electrostatic system with a secondary wire mesh filter that went into the dishwasher to what cma29 shows in his photo - this simply fits in the former electrostatic housing and works real well.

I change it twice a year, but now gonna move it up to quarterly as it makes sense every time I change it.