Air filters are extremely important for our indoor air quality to be healthy. The HVAC filters protect occupants and equipment of the building from the impacts of poor or hazardous indoor air quality, particles, dust and other pollutants. In addition, these protect the entire HVAC system from incurring high maintenance or repair cost and malfunctioning.
Installing the inefficient air filters usually costs higher in terms of additional repair or maintenance cost, wasted energy, damaged appliances and un-productive employees. There are various kinds of air filters available in the market and the most economical is not always the cost-effective.
A lot of buyers consider only the purchasing cost as the factor to buy an air filter, through the long term cost of using the HVAC filters is where the actual cost comes into a play. In this article, we have talked about some of the most common and widely used HVAC filters. The HVAC filters you buy should have high efficiency and long term saving cost.
- Rigid Cell HVAC Filters
These filers are available in a box-style format, containing either a fiberglass or synthetic media. The synthetic media is more common since the fibers can mix with an air follow during the working. Rigid cell HVAC filters seem similar to the pleated filters but hold a depth of 6 to 12 inches deep and are covered by galvanized plastic or metal frame. They provide up to 95 percent efficiency and are available in the MERV ratings 11 to 14.
- HEPA Filters
These are usually used in the settings where chemical, radioactive and chemical particles pose a problem, but they are also applied in industrial, residential and commercial applications. In order to be eligible for HEPA, the air filter must meet the requirements issued by the U.S. Department of Energy and it should be tested periodically by the Institute of Environmental Sciences and Technology and UL for performance and efficiency.