They say when you buy cheap, you get cheap results. In the case of air filters, this statement tends to be true. When you purchase premium air filters, you get a whole variety of benefits that a cheaper version cannot give you. Premium air filters are an investment that can save you a lot of money down the road. They will last longer and won’t require as many replacements.
Premium air filters are made with better components that will not wear out as fast. They also use superior materials in their construction, resulting in the ability to withstand more contaminants in your air before they need replacing.
Let’s take a closer look…
MERV Ratings
One essential difference between premium air filters and the less premium versions is the Minimum Efficient Reporting Value (MERV). This rating system was established by The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers and has been used to determine the effectiveness of air filters while they are under the least favorable conditions. These conditions consist of indoor coil designs that are equipped with restricted access to supply or return air.
For MERV ratings to be effective, a standard testing protocol must be established and utilized consistently by all manufacturers. There are sixteen different MERV ratings, and the higher the MERV rating, the better the air filter is. To give you an idea of what each rating will filter out in the air, we’ve provided a full list of the sixteen different MERV ratings:
MERV 13 to 16 helps control airborne bacteria, tobacco smoke, and pollutants from sneezing. These filters work great for smoking lounges, surgery suits, and commercial buildings since so many people frequent them, and the contaminants that these filters control are primarily in these types of spaces.
MERV 9 to 12 helps control humidifier dust, lead dust, emissions from vehicles, and fumes from welding. These filters are great for residences with excellent HVAC systems, hospital labs, automotive centers, and manufacturer and commercial buildings.
MERV 5 to 8 filters help control mold, hair spray, dust, and bacteria. These filters are great for commercial buildings, standard residences, and paint booths. MERV 8 filters have 90% efficiency on particles ranging from 3 to 10 micrometers.
MERV 1 to 4 filters help control larger particles like sanding dust, dust from spray paint, and lint and carpet particles. These filters are good in residences (although not ideal) and window air conditioning units.
As you can see, you need to purchase at least an air filter with a MERV rating of five to control more bad things that can affect your health, like mold and bacteria. But, the higher up you go, the more types of pollutants are covered, like airborne bacteria and germs when people sneeze.
When you know this, you can see the worth of purchasing a more premium air filter.
Cost Savings
When you purchase less-premium air filters, they do not filter out the air as efficiently as more premium air filters do. Since they are not doing a great job of filtering out the air, this causes your Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) system to work harder to push out air because it is blocked.
The HVAC system is blocked because less-premium air filters do not filter out many pollutants, which clog the system. When your HVAC system is working harder, it uses more energy to work, making your electricity bill rise.
Premium air filters are your best bet when it comes to air filtration. Because even though you may pay a little more for premium air filters, in the long run, you will save on high energy costs and have cleaner air too.
Many people go for cheaper options without realizing that this can be more expensive in the long run if you have to replace them more frequently than a high-end brand would need replacement. Purchasing quality products is what will keep your home comfortable and ensure that it has an efficient environment inside of it, so you do not have to pay anything extra on energy bills due to poor indoor conditions.
When you install quality insulation, it will work harder than cheap materials that are not built to last. Cheaply made products can affect the environment of your home with low-quality materials that do not breathe well, which causes condensation, which leads to mold growth.
If you opt for cheap alternatives for your windows, doors, siding, or roofing, you will have to replace them often. Many homeowners find themselves struggling with high heating and cooling costs because of the poor efficiency of their homes. If you want your home to be comfortable for years, do not use cheap insulation material that does not work efficiently in your region.
Replacement Air Filters
Premium air filters are better for your home’s overall airflow and the health of those who live with you. Premium air filters are incredibly essential if you have people in your home who have pre-existing conditions, respiratory problems, and allergies. The downside to buying premium air filters is that they will get dirtier, quicker because of all the pollutants they are catching daily. So, you will have to change out your premium air filters more often, but your home’s air will be much safer to breathe into everyone’s lungs. Other options like reusable air filters and more premium materials like fiberglass need to be changed less often.
Clean air is one of the most fundamental things we all need to survive and should be a basic right for every person. Having the best filtration to provide the best air for your home or business to keep your loved ones, employees, and customers safe should be the main priority for all home and business owners.
After all, when we do not have our health, we do not have much to live for, so spending a little more to get the best quality air is better than the potential cost of medical bills in the future.
