You have a lot of options when it comes to how to filter your home’s air. So many options that it can be difficult to choose which kind of air filtration system is right for your home. To help with your decision, we’ve provided details about four popular air filtration systems below that will help you pick a system based on your budget and your goals for improving indoor air quality.
4 types of home air filtration systems
- Standard 1″ fiberglass filters. These filters are inexpensive and easy to install, which makes them a popular choice for St. Louis area homeowners. Because these filters get dirty quickly, they must be changed more often than any other type of filter or air cleaner (once a month). Although standard 1″ filters can protect your HVAC system from dirt build-up, they are not very effective at improving the quality of the air you breathe. If indoor air quality is a concern for you, you’d be better off using one of the other filtration systems listed below.
- Pleated filters. Pleated filters have a larger surface area than standard 1″ filters, which allows them to remove more particles (both larger and smaller) from your home’s air. For that reason, pleated filters come with higher MERV ratings than standard 1″ filters. However, the larger surface area of pleated filters comes with a downside: they restrict the airflow of your HVAC system. Make sure to speak with someone at Jerry Kelly Heating & Air Conditioning before deciding whether or not to install a pleated filter so that we can ensure that your furnace’s blower motor is powerful enough to handle the reduction in airflow.
- Whole-house air cleaners. Whole house air cleaners are the best option available for improving the quality of air in your home. A high-quality air cleaner can remove up to 95 percent of all of the particles in your home’s air, including the small particles that affect the health of you and your family. Whole-house air cleaners are more expensive than pleated filters or standard 1″ filters, but they can remove much more (and much smaller) airborne particles – all without restricting airflow to your HVAC system.
- UV light air purifiers. UV light air purifiers are used in conjunction with your existing air filtration system (an add-on to any of the filtration systems listed above). They are installed directly in your ductwork and use UV light technology to kill the germs and gasses in your home’s air that air filters and air cleaners are unable to attack. Because germs and gasses are responsible for spreading viruses and aggravating symptoms of asthma and allergies, UV light air purifiers can significantly improve indoor air quality and help prevent you and your family from getting sick.
If you have any questions about home air filtration systems, or if you’d like an HVAC system serviced or installed in your home, contact Jerry Kelly Heating & Air Conditioning, your St. Charles, MO, heating, and cooling company. We service the St. Louis area and surrounding cities like Dardenne Prairie, Maryland Heights, and Des Peres.
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