Most heating and air conditioning systems come equipped with a filter, designed to strain out dust, hair and other contaminants as they pass through your system. It helps keep your heating and air conditioning system functional, as well as lowering the amount of dust in your household air. Here in Brea, CA, where air quality can often be a factor in your home comfort, we recommend changing filters once every 1-3 months, especially if you have vulnerable family members such as infants or the elderly. You can buy new ones at any hardware store or home improvement center, but that’s not the end of it. Like anything else, filters come in different types, some more expensive than others. How can you tell which is the right one for you? Start by looking at factors other than the price
Size Matters
The most obvious feature you need for a replacement filter is an overall size that matches your system. Otherwise it won’t fit — or worse, it will be too small, in which case it is next to useless. You can check the existing filter in your system to determine the correct size, which can narrow down your options considerably.
MERV Ratings
Beyond that, the most important factor in choosing a new filter is the MERV rating, which stands for Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value. The higher the rating, the better the filter can strain out small particles. We usually recommend selecting the filter with the highest MERV rating you can afford: residential filters have MERV ratings that go all the way up to 12. Some filter makers have their own rating system, but should at least offer comparisons to let you make an informed decision.
For problems with your heating and air conditioning system, call upon the pros at JC Mechanical, Inc. to make things right.