But the real thing is so much better. Follow me on Twitter. We respect your privacy. All email addresses you provide will be used just for sending this story. By Mary H. January 29, Senior technician Mike Sedlak inserts an air filter into a duct in CR's test chamber. Photo: Consumer Reports.
Mary H. When researching furnace filters, we find out how easy it is to replace them. Some furnace filters are sold in multipacks. Before recommending a furnace filter, we take into consideration how easy the filter is to replace. Most furnace filters are 1 inch thick, but some are as much as 4 inches thick.
That said, effectiveness depends more upon your system's airflow than filter thickness. We keep this in mind when shortlisting products. Many furnace filters are described as "electrostatic. In our research, we look at the prices of various furnace filters and assess how price correlates with quality and value. When researching furnace filters, we pay special attention to HEPA filters, which offer superior efficiency but may be too dense for many home furnace systems.
We consider how a furnace filter might affect system airflow. In researching furnace filters, we think about the materials used. Filters are made with plastic, aluminum, or steel frames, and the filtering element is frequently pleated to increase the filtering surface area. Most furnace filters have a front and back.
It's important you fit yours the right way, or airflow will be compromised. Instructions will be provided, so read carefully. Often, there's also an arrow on the side indicating the correct direction. Pleated filters pack more surface area into the same frame size as standard filters and thus are more efficient. Allen Rathey is a cleaning expert who promotes healthier indoor spaces. He is past-president of the Housekeeping Channel and the Healthy House Institute, and principal of the Healthy Facilities Institute HFI culminating more than 30 years of experience in making indoor places cleaner.
Never run your furnace or HVAC system without the proper filter. Not only will it adversely affect your air quality, it will also allow dirt and dust into parts of the system that should remain uncontaminated. The result will be poor performance, higher bills, and breakdowns. Replacing filters regularly helps your system perform at its best. We also recommend regular maintenance visits from a properly qualified HVAC specialist.
Other Products We Considered. The BestReviews editorial team researches hundreds of products based on consumer reviews, brand quality, and value. We then choose a shorter list for in-depth research and testing before finalizing our top picks.
These are the products we considered that ultimately didn't make our top 5. Nordic Pure. Our Top Picks. Shop Now. The Nordic Pure MERV 12 filters are available in many sizes, so you should be able to find one that fits your return vent opening. Data Filtrete shared with us indicates the the removed 54 percent of 0. On larger particles, the two filters performed very similarly. But homes with certain challenging conditions—if you smoke, frequently use candles or fireplaces, or have pets—will significantly reduce that lifespan.
Change it! We asked Kathleen Owen , the filtration expert we spoke with for this guide, for her advice. Or possibly after each major event— say if a fire gets close enough to be a big deal rather than simply you know about it from the news. Owen also noted that wildfire smoke is a complex mixture, incorporating both physical smoke particles which filters trap permanently and water vapor and volatile organic compounds gases , which are not trapped—and the latter of which create the smoky scent.
There are also visual cues you can look for when judging whether to replace your furnace filter, Owen wrote. In addition to obvious steps like keeping windows and doors closed, Owen also advised shutting off bathroom fans and range hoods, both of which vent directly to the outside and, as a result, draw an equal volume of smoky outdoor air in through window frames and other leaky spots.
All our purifier picks have them, and though in our tests against an extreme load of ethanol vapors we found most of them ineffective, anecdotally we can say that they seem to perform well under fairly heavy smoke conditions. For more on this topic, please see our reporting on how to clean wildfire smoke from your home.
Having an HVAC specialist look at your system and advise how much pressure drop your equipment can safely handle will likely cost a few hundred dollars. For trapping various types of allergens, this filter is a top choice. Our Review: Lennox has a long history of making superior quality furnace filters, including this product.
As a BMAC electrostatically charged filter, it captures contaminants down to 0. In addition, this filter will typically last six months. Made with a synthetic media, this Honeywell filter has a large surface that is perfect for blocking particles while offering little air resistance. This company can even customize a furnace filter for your specific heating unit. An example of its product line is the Pure Carbon, which neutralizes unpleasant odors.
Our Review: If you prefer something reusable, check out the Trophy Air washable filter. Not only can you wash it, but the design offers enhanced heating and cooling effectiveness. You can expect improved and cleaner airflow thanks to its four layers of high-grade aluminum combined with two layers of electrostatic media. Along with precision craftsmanship, this furnace filter simply slides into your furnace, allowing you to install a replacement in just seconds.
This American-made filter offers excellent durability and long-lasting wear. Later that same century, a Scottish man, named James Watt, developed the first working heating system that operated on steam combined with a connection of pipes. Then in , Thomas Edison invented the first electric heater, followed by the patenting of the first thermostat two years later by Warren Johnson.
The big breakthrough came in when Alice Parker patented the first central heating system, forever changing how people kept their homes and businesses comfortable. At some point, people began using filters to prevent particles from blowing inside of rooms, especially after the invention of the fan system in the late s. The one fact easily obtained is that the original design of filters was intended to protect the blower motor found in older-style furnaces and the evaporator coil in air-conditioning units.
When it comes to furnaces , you have two options — gas and electric. Regardless of the type of unit you use to heat your home or business, they both require filters. While there are not a lot of differences between them, the furnaces themselves operate in different ways. A gas furnace is just what the name implies: A unit that relies on gas to force warm air into the interior atmosphere. With this, you set a thermostat to the desired temperature with the furnace running until it reaches that level.
In other words, to heat a room to 75 degrees, you would set the thermostat to that number. Upon receiving the signal, a valve inside the furnace opens to allow natural gas to reach the burners. At the same time, the blowers begin to operate. The furnace has either a pilot light or electronic ignition, which lights the burners located within the combustion chamber, causing heat to form in the heat exchanger.
The blower pushes air around that metal chamber. As it becomes warm, the blower forces the air into a hot plenum that moves it through the ductwork and into interior rooms.
To ensure safety, the burning fuel created by combustion gases vents through a flue on the roof. However, if you opt for a high-efficiency furnace, the venting process goes through a wall. Typically, most people prefer a gas furnace over one that runs on electricity. Although an electric unit is more environmentally friendly, the cost to operate it is significantly higher.
Especially for people who prefer eco-friendly options, an electric furnace is a viable choice. An electric model also receives a signal from the thermostat. The difference is that instead of burners, the unit has electric heating elements controlled by circuit breakers. With this option, a blower draws air into the cabinet that contains the breakers via a cold-air return. From there, the blower forces air through the heat exchanger, where electrically controlled heating elements heat the air.
Next, blowers push the warm air through the ductwork and into the interior rooms. That makes the unit safer not only for humans and pets but also the environment. Therefore, the installation process is much easier. Whether for a residential or commercial furnace, both gas and electric units require filters.
These filters prevent dust from blowing through the air and covering furniture, electronics, flooring, countertops, and other surfaces. They also help capture allergens, including pet dander and pollen. In fact, some of the more technologically advanced filters prevent germs from circulating. Without the proper type and size of filter installed, you could expect a host of unpleasant issues, such as higher energy bills, poor airflow, inadequate heat, a damaged fan, and even an overheated furnace.
Also, without the right filter, the furnace works harder, leading to premature failure and a high replacement cost. Sometimes, people run furnaces without a filter, which is something you want to avoid. Without a filter, dirt and debris would likely become trapped in the blower, causing serious damage to the unit itself.
Thanks to technological advances, furnaces today work more efficiently from both a performance and cost perspective. Following are just a few examples of how far furnace designs have come.
Perhaps one of the greatest advances in furnace technology is the blower delay. In older units, both the fans and burners or heating elements turned on simultaneously. That meant cool air pushed into the atmosphere before heated air. Feeling a blast of cold air before the warm air is an unpleasant experience. With this innovative design, warm air blows out immediately. Another development is the introduction of the variable-speed furnace.
With this model, the fan changes speed as needed. That means the unit runs smoother and without consuming as much energy.
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