Thereâs an old saying when it comes to machines: the smallest parts are often the most important. Thatâs because itâs usually the parts that you pay little to no attention to that have the most impact on how a machine runs. While most people think of fans, burners, and pumps when it comes to their air conditioner, by far the most under-appreciated part of the entire setup is the air filter. While many people may not realize it, your air filter is arguably the single most important component of your air conditioning and heating system. In fact, the overwhelming majority of HVAC system breakdowns and problems can be connected at least partially to a clogged, dirty, or otherwise damaged air filter.
That means you have to replace your air conditioner filter frequently. However, many people donât do this simply because they donât know what filter to buy. Instead, they stand in the air filter aisle at their local hardware store confused and overwhelmed by the sheer number of available options. If youâre one of the many people who hate buying filters purely because you donât want to buy the wrong one, then this guide is for you. Here is a simple four-step guide to choosing the right air filter so you can get exactly what you need, and if you have more questions, contact EnviroSafe today and we’ll help you find the best air conditioner filter for your needs.
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The first and arguably most important factor for any air filter selection is the size of the air filter you need. Air filters are measured in three dimensions: length, width, and thickness. Length and width are fairly self-explanatoryâtheyâre the size of the bracket that holds your air filter in place. Thickness is a little bit more detailed. A thicker air filter is generally going to filter out more debris, but it might do so at the cost of energy efficiency. Some air conditioners and heaters simply canât handle an air filter beyond a certain thickness, so youâll want to consult with your HVAC ownerâs manual to find out what the maximum recommended air filter thickness is for your system.
What material is your air filter constructed from? There are several different types, however, the two most common filters are paper filters and cotton filters. Cotton filters are generally great for energy efficiency and are extremely affordable. However, theyâre generally extremely thin and not necessarily great for homes that struggle with indoor air quality. Paper filters are better when you demand greater filtration, but do so at the cost of some energy efficiency. Likewise, they often need to be replaced faster than their cotton counterparts because they tend to clog up so quickly. Likewise, paper filters tend to come in a wider variety of sizes than cotton ones, as paper can be easily folded into pleats that increase surface area and thus increase the amount of air that can be filtered at a time. However, they can wind up being more expensive when their filtration rating and thickness goes up.
Take note of what material you currently use when purchasing a new filter. If youâre happy with the filtration level you currently have, then consider purchasing another of the same one.
Finally, thereâs a question of a filterâs MERV rating. MERV stands for âminimum efficiency reporting value,â and is essentially a way of measuring how much debris a filter will remove. Higher numbers generally will filter more debris out of your air, but they do this because theyâre full of smaller holes, and thus they will actually consume more energy and hinder your HVAC systemâs efficiency. Conversely, lower numbers will make for a more energy-efficient heating and cooling system, but at the same time will not capture as much debris as their higher-MERV counterparts.
Believe it or not, bigger is not always better when it comes to MERV rating. In fact, the overwhelming majority of homes donât need a high-MERV filter. Theyâre expensive, and they actually hinder the performance of the average HVAC system so much that it shortens their lifespan. Instead, consult your ownerâs manual and find the recommended MERV rating to ensure maximum performance, and maybe consider going up by one number if you need a little bit of extra help with your air quality.
If your air conditioning or heating system needs to be serviced, contact EnviroSafe Plumbing, Heating, Air Conditioning, and Water Treatment today!
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I highly recommend !! Andrew was very professional, respectful, and knowledgeable. He explained what needed to be done and even took pictures to show me and then provided me with the cost. He took his time and made sure everything was done properly. Andrew is a fantastic…Â Read more
I used envirosafe two years ago when I bought my house, they have been excellent from the moment I called them. Gage and Micheal were the technicians that came to my house to service my water softener system and these guys were awesome. They answered every question and…Â Read more
Andrew was absolutely professional and worked diligently to find a balance with the boiler system. It is very difficult system because one boiler heats four apartments. Andrew and his helper put new air pressure gauges on the radiators and made sure that all the radiators were…Â Read more
Andrew and Shawn were friendly, knowledgeable, informative and very genuine. Air was in the lines they needed bleeding and maintenance so that my heat could be properly working for the winter season. It was a pleasure having these gentlemen service my boiler so that me and my…Â Read more
I had a great experience with them today! Yesterday I realized our water heater wasnât working. The trouble shooting was beyond my experience. I called them and the dispatch was helpful and had two technicians arrive within a couple of hours. The technician(s) were very…Â Read more
EnviorSafe came out to my home to repair a busted water pipe due to the cold weather within 3 hours of me calling them. Andrew, the technician who came to my home was very professional, knowledgeable and friendly and did a great job at a very reasonable cost. I highly…Â Read more
We have a well and our resin tank is over 16 years old. We thought the resin tank was failing. Fred and Sean showed up on time and were great. after inspecting the resin tank in only need maintenance, they did an amazing job. They were honest, very personable and the price was…Â Read more
I was referred to this company by my sister who had service done at her home for the first time. I called to get a repair/replacement (plumbing:overflow panel) tub wouldnât drain out.One thing I love about the company, they were initially more concerned to fix the less cost…Â Read more
Jake and Marquan are excellent, and if you get either of them to provide service to your home, they’re both very professional, as well as great to converse with. The work done was handled properly, and I now have an all electric water heater with a tank, that is going to save…Â Read more
Avery was the technician that came out to service my softener system. super polite, very informative, and very quick. super friendly and made my first experience well worth it. will definitely be repeating business!
This is my second time using this company. I found them by luck (googling for someone that works with water softeners). Both times Gage our technician came to the house and repaired our water softener, replaced the pipe going from our well to the bladder and also fixed a leaky…Â Read more
I had Mike and Avery install a water softener and an RO system on my water system. From the very first visit Iâve been impressed with their knowledge, experience, professionalism and disposition. Itâs been a long time since Iâve been impressed with any home service people. But…Â Read more
We used Envirosafe for several different projects from HVAC and a new boiler/hot water heater to replacing almost all of our plumbing lines. We did a few projects at a time over several months and the whole time Envirosafe was great to deal with. They made the process so easy,…Â Read more
Jake was very thorough, communicated and explained everything throughout the service process and was very professional. Even offered to clean around ac unit outside of service, all of this in the rain! Would definitely recommend Envirosafe to a friend.. ask for Jake! Heâs great!
Avery stopped out to conduct our yearly maintenance on our water treatment system. He is a phenomenal employee. Not only was he training a newer employee, but he took the time to show me some things about our system that I did not know. His customer service and both guys over…Â Read more
We have always had a good experience with EnviroSafe. Bryan provided excellent service with our air conditioning repair. He was extremely knowledgeable and responsive to our needs.
Our relationship with EnviroSafe began in July, from installing a brand new unit, to a challenge with our dishwasher and more recently a hot water tank issue. Each and every representative we have dealt with has been professional, knowledgeable, timely and accommodating…Â Read more
I have used Envirosafe on several different occasions. Most recently I used them to tune up my boiler prior to the winter season. He discovered some leaks in a few other pipes related to my heating system and was able to fix it the same day. Would recommend for anyone who is…Â Read more
Envirosafe meets all our water and plumbing needs. They respond promptly and arrive prepared. Fred Perry is one their friendly hard working knowledgeable technicians who gets the job done with a smile and thoroughly explains the service. Envirosafe is our go to company for…Â Read more
From the original phone call where we were provided same day service, to Jeff and CJ arriving when they said they would. The whole experience was excellent. Jeff and CJ diagnosed and repaired the problem quickly and efficiently. We would use Enviro Safe again.
First, Emma was the greatest assistance in guiding me regarding service, scheduling and follow-up regarding addressing my problem with my heater. Next, Nate came the same day and diagnosed and repaired the problem quickly and efficient. Lastly, both individuals were so…Â Read more
Fred and Calvin showed up on time, were great communicators regarding our plumbing issue, possible options, the state of our repair during the job, and how much it would cost. They were friendly, conversive, and efficient in completing the job. Canât recommend them highly enough.
Pleasant experience. Everything went as planned. All employees were courteous and professional especially Chris, Jake, Devin and the first technician whose name I canât recall. Job well done
My technician was Jeff H. from Envirosafe. He was terrific. He fixed my problem and also spent time checking everything out. He was knowledgeable, kind and helpful. He asked if I had questions or needed anything else addressed. I only wish every service tech was this helpful…Â Read more
