Choosing the Right Air Filter For Your Rochester Home

Trying to select the right air filter for your Rochester home can be a daunting experience. What’s the best one? Should you just get the cheapest? These are just some of the questions that make selecting home air filters so mind-boggling. Let Strogen's Service Experts crack the code of home air filters for you, so you can feel comfortable with your purchase. 
 
Here’s an easy way to determine how efficient your current filter is (NOTE: Spare yourself a huge mess by conducting this experiment outside or with something below the filter to help keep things clear): Set the filter horizontally, then taking everyday table salt, pour the salt through the filter then see the amount comes out the other side. If some or all the salt falls through the filter, then you can assume that the filter will let dust that same size flow through. You should probably upgrade your filter to an air filter that’s more efficient. 
 
Home air filter selection depends primarily on three factors: Size, material and MERV rating. 

1) Filter Size 

Size is the easiest factor to ascertain. Simply look at the label of your existing filter to see the height by width and thickness, or just measure it yourself. The majority of home air filters are 1” thick, but there are a numerous standard width and height dimensions, and some systems have thicker filters. 

2) Material & MERV Rating 

MERV ratings are the efficiencies of the filter on a scale of 16. MERV stands for Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value. This number informs the user, under the least efficient conditions, how well the filter is designed to capture contaminants. 
 
To help explain the scale of this system, these are some common MERV ratings and how they correspond to efficiencies. This is only a guide, so make sure you read the filter manufacturers’ information when purchasing specific filters. 

Rating Average Filtration Efficiency 

MERV 1-4 60-80% 
Fiberglass, Disposable Panel, Washable metal/synthetic, self-charging (Passive) 
 
MERV 5-8 80-95% 
Pleated, Media panel, Cube 
 
MERV 9-12 >95% 
Extended pleated 
 
MERV 13-16 >98% 
Electronic 

Be Careful About High MERV Ratings 

While a higher MERV number may offer better filtration efficiency, it is extremely important to understand that too high a MERV filter may also require more to operate your heating and air conditioning system. The higher the MERV, the more restricted the air may flow through the system, and the harder the system may need to work. Your aim is to get the right balance between air flow, air filtration level and energy efficiency. 
 
Think about it this way, the most efficient ‘filter’ would equivalent to a piece of plywood that would just trap ALL contaminants and all the air from getting into your Rochester home. That’s all-out air filtration, but would also be the least comfortable way to go. 
 
Your best bet for most systems would be a MERV 6-8. A higher MERV filter should be used based upon the advice of your Strogen's Service Experts technician to confirm your system has the capability of moving the correct volume of air through higher efficiency filters. You normally do not want to sacrifice energy-efficiency for filter efficiency; you want a balance of the two. However, if your family deals with allergies or respiratory problems and needs a high MERV air filter, consider a whole-home air filtration solution that will achieve your energy and filter efficiency needs. 
 
Filtration has changed considerably over the past ten years. Initially, home air filters were used in the furnace or air handler only to shelter the comfort equipment itself. Today it’s a whole new ballgame. Rochester area homeowners expect their air filter to save loved ones from a whole host of harmful pollutants, dust mites, and even prevent the need for dusting. Dare to dream!