Filters

The main purpose of a furnace filter is to protect the blower fan from the dust, hair and other particles the return duct pulls in. While it will also help the quality of your inside air (as it is removing contaminants from being recirculated), its job is not to actually clean your air as many people believe.

Furnace filters are rated using the minimum efficiency reporting value (MERV) which ranges from 1 to 16.

Higher rated filters allow less air to flow through though and can force your furnace to work harder and possibly malfunction. A MERV rating between eight and 11 is adequate for most homes. But don’t worry, we will help you chose the right filter or humidifier pad for optimal performance.

GeneralAire Model 570
Source1 (York) Model S1-HU12MB
AprilAire Models 110,220,558,550
Honeywell Models HE220 & HE225

Filter types

The most common type of furnace filters is the disposable pleated kind. These come in a range of standard sizes and ratings. Pleated filters are constructed out of paper and polyester and do a good job at filtering most household particles and allergens. The price of these filters varies from a couple of dollars all the way into the $30 – $40 range depending on the brand, size and rating of the filter. Pleated filters should be checked monthly for blockages and replaced on average every 90 days.

Disposable fibreglass filters are the cheapest filter on the market. They have an almost spider web appearance and are most often blue in colour. They come in many standard sizes, but are generally more flimsy and have lower ratings than pleated filters. Due to their inferior quality, disposable fibreglass filters should be checked and replaced more frequently than pleated filters.

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